Growing Pains

It was one of those days. First day back at work after spring break, so I started off tired. After work I had to pick up Daniel, drop him off at home so he could do his job and his homework, run to pick up my glasses because I got the call that they were ready, but got interrupted en route by a call from Nora who was ready to be picked up from school earlier than scheduled because rehearsals were over. So I told her to be ready with all her stuff outside the school so I wouldn't have to go in and find her.

She jumps in the car and we go to get my glasses, stopping off at Game Stop so I can replace a game of Daniel's that I broke last week. Get the glasses, swing by weight watchers to weigh in (the same for the past 2 weeks, argh!) and then pick up some roasted chicken because there is no time to make dinner tonight.

Nora put the chicken on the floor of the car and as I turned to back out of the parking space to head out and pick up Dominic from his after school care, something catches my eye. A lovely scarf, which is on a beautiful black leather jacket. That I don't recognize.

"Who does that jacket belong to?" I asked Nora, thinking, rather ridiculously, Who would put a jacket in my car?

"Uhhh, did I pick up the wrong..." Nora says. And then a phone rings. It's not my phone. It's coming from the jacket.

I find the phone, a nice touch-screen blackberry, and the caller ID says that a friend of mine is calling. I try to figure out how to answer the damned phone, and finally get it. Turns out it belongs to another friend (the mom of one of Nora's friend) who is frantically looking for her jacket and phone.

We arrange to have her pick it up after she does her car pool run. I turn to Nora and say, "How could you mistake this jacket for yours?" She does not have a leather jacket. "I don't know. I was tired!"

She's leaving her stuff all over the house. The ice cream on the counter. Her sweaters on the floor. A hammer on the driveway. Despite the straight A's, her brain is sometimes turned off.

I guess she's becoming a teenager!!!