Gonna get the box of 64? With the sharpener??

When I was pregnant, I never once thought about this weekend. I thought about onesies and diapers and breastfeeding, first steps, potty training, Christmases on Santa's lap, babysitters, sticky fingers, giggles, Legos...not once did I think about shopping for school supplies.

In denial? When I think now about shopping for school supplies, I want to throw up. Not because I'm apprehensive about Henry. He's a strong, adaptive, smart boy who makes friends easily and charms most grownups. No, my anxiety about Henry starting school is directly related to my own feelings about new school years when I was growing up. I hated not knowing who my teacher and classmates would be. I worried about whether I would understand the lessons. I fretted about recess and whether other kids would play with me. I lamented the fact that other kids always went cool places for summer vacation; I usually didn't. I was a bundle of nerves, way back when. No wonder I'm a psychological disaster area today. I've had 30-plus years of practice.

I did love getting a new lunch pail and a fresh box of crayons, though. Neat stuff sometimes makes the emotional moments a little easier. Tax-free weekend makes it easier for Mommy's pocketbook, too. And so we're off to buy some Kleenex and colored pencils and Elmer's glue for the classroom's communal supply closet, along with a new backpack, naptime towel, and tennis shoes for the boy.

I'm trying not to transfer my back-to-school prejudices and hangups to H-man. Really, he's already been doing kindergarten-like activities for years in his awesome preschool. This should be...old school.