This year was our big year of entering the Boston Public School lottery for a pre-kindergarten spot for Roozle. It’s an incredibly frustrating process that ends not so well for lots of families. In our zone, there are lots of really great schools. There aren’t enough pre-kindergarten, called K1, spots for all the kids trying to get seats, so lots don’t get spots. No big deal, they just go to pre-school for an extra year. Totally fine. Except that most of the great schools in our neighborhood have the same number of K1 spots as K2 spots. This means that those schools become impossible to get into at K2 because all the K1 kids that are moving up fill all the seats. That aspect of the lottery makes it super stressful, frustrating, and brings a level of desperation to the table.

We got lucky. Really lucky. Roozle got a spot at our 3rd choice school. Our third choice was one we had heard lots of great stuff about, but hadn’t met the principal and had a a crowded, rushed tour before the lottery. So we decided to keep Roozle on the wait list for the other two schools above #3.

Soon enough, we started meeting other families at school #3. We found out that one of Roozle’s preschool friends had an assignment there too. And another. We learned more about the schedule and realized we could make it work in such a way that Roozle wouldn’t have to attend the after school program at all. We had another tour. This time was different. We quickly realized that this school would be a great fit for Roozle and our family. It began to look like a dream.

So we called the Resource Center to take Roozle off the wait list for schools #1 and #2. They told us we had to come by, in person, to sign some papers in order to do that. They told us that wait lists don’t move much before June, or even August, so we didn’t have to rush. On April 29th, we went to the Resource Center. I filled out the three pages of paperwork. It was reviewed, approved, and I was given a copy. Off we went.

Last week, we visited School #3, which was now Roozle’s school. By taking her off the wait lists, we secured her spot at this school. We were thrilled. We met her future teachers, future classmates, and finally, the principal. We were excited. Roozle was nervous, but excited. She loved the school, especially the playground. This was it. Public school isn’t perfect, but it was starting to feel pretty close.

Then last night, I got home late and got the mail. A new assignment letter. Roozle had been suddenly assigned to School #2. A school she was no longer on the wait list for. It was a mistake. A big one. This morning we went right to the Resource Center. They couldn’t help, but assured us that it was a mistake and clearly would get worked out. We were told, “You have the paperwork. You have proof. It will be fine.” So we left and I called a few times through the day. No answers. Then I emailed. At 4:45 I got an email back. It wasn’t good.

Almost all the Boston Public Schools have wait lists. Some of them are long. The school Roozle was assigned to is no exception. When they incorrectly moved her to School #2, her seat at School #3 opened up and was immediately filled by the next kid on that wait list. Their only solution is to put Roozle on the wait list for the school she had been assigned to originally. The one we accepted the assignment for. The one she was going to. Now she’s on the wait list. They’re saying they will work hard to get her a spot, but there’s no guarantee.

Hopefully this is not the end to this story. Hopefully.

Ice cream after a hard allergy test totally ruled. Especially now that we’ve realized that Roozle really likes vanilla frozen yogurt. This realization came after years of getting her various flavors of ice cream that she wouldn’t eat. But requested. And didn’t want to throw away. We’ve finally found one she likes! Hooray!

Biking to school! And work! With our new fancy bike setup! (Photo by MCB).

Lots of scootering to The Latte Store. And a little rest on the sidewalk. Awesome.

Afternoon lattes. My favorite.

Cookies and snacks before dinner on a lazy tired day after work and school. I’m longing for the days we don’t have to rush so much in the evenings. Until then, there will be days like this, when we pretend we don’t have a schedule. This one, thankfully, didn’t end in tears, as the non-scheduled afternoons sometimes do.

I Love The Internet:
This kid, Zach Sobiech, passed away this week and taught the world how to be a better place.

Even If It’s Just For A Moment, an adventure to NYC, mother and daughter, an adventure in parenting and life, by Casey of MooshInIndy.

Washing The Dishes, by Eden Riley. This post is a great reminder to all of us to just do what we’re doing. Narrate your own moment and be present. If you have time, read through this blog a bit, or bookmark it for later. There’s so much here. Love love love.

On the playlist:
I’ve been listening to a lot of Amos Lee, Brett Dennen, and Tegan and Sara lately. Loving it all. Great for writing, not so great for the office. I need more pop music for doing that work. Conor Maynard has been an office favorite for a few months now.

What are you enjoying lately?
What’s your current favorite song?
What are you reading online?

This morning Roozle woke up begging to not have to go to school. She never gave a reason, but I decided to try to speed up our morning process and take a little adventure before school. Since MCB takes longer than Roozle and I to get ready in the morning, we left quickly and she drove to meet us.

I walked and she balance biked along the bike path to school. We almost made it too. MCB picked us up with only about a half mile left. Roozle’s school is about two miles away, so it was quite an accomplishment.

It is a foggy morning, here, which prompted lots of weather related questions along the way. And some new rules about being on the bike path during commuter biking times.

If it’s not raining, we’re going to try again tomorrow. Roozle is hoping to make it all the way. We may have to leave before sunrise, though.

Roozle told me that granola is her favorite thing to have for breakfast so I asked her what she thinks my favorite is. Her answer: coffee.

She’s right. I don’t eat breakfast. Ever. I don’t like it. It makes me feel a little sick. And I need all the room for all the coffee. So much coffee. Like two or three cups of coffee at home and then a medium iced coffee from The Latte Store and often, too often, a little latte in the afternoon. It’s a problem. But definitely not one I want to deal with at all.

Last week, I drank more water. That ruled. I may even drink more water now, like as a thing. I may be a water drinker. We’ll see.

But for now, I need to figure out how to do something other than nothing for breakfast. Breakfast is good for you. Or something. Right? And STARVING at lunch time and wanting to hurt people isn’t really working out.

This week’s challenge is to eat breakfast. If you already eat breakfast, try to eat a healthier breakfast. And if you already do that, well, then you totally rule and you get a week off. For the rest of us, it’s breakfast time! I’m going to start small. With toast. At work. My big plan is to bring a loaf of bread and peanut butter to work for the week and make a slice of toast when I get to the office every morning.

Do you eat breakfast?
What do you have?
Do you need to work on your breakfasting?
Will you join me?

We finally did it. After two years of thinking about it and watching YouTube videos, we got a WeeHoo iGo bike trailer today. I’ve been contemplating a cargo bike for a while, but am ready to let go of that dream. At least for now. They’re too expensive, not the perfect fit, and because of our schedules, we won’t be able to bike full time for at least this next year. So we went for the secondary dream, the WeeHoo.

The WeeHoo is like a bike trailer and a trail-a-bike in one. One wheel, super stable, heavy, and awesome. Roozle is in a five point harness, but can also pedal, which she did, happily, for the whole ride. I found it easier to manage than a trailer and less of a burden on hills though it is heavier.

Roozle LOVES it. We took it for a quick ride and she pedaled and shouted “this is SUPER fun!” the whole time. I only almost tipped her once. I didn’t get many photos because she yelled at me to put my phone away and hold on if I got it out. Next time we will bring MCB to be our photographer. Super fun, indeed.

The windows are open. Roozle is in bed. Our day was full. Writing for me, playgrounding for Roozle, lunch out all together, balance biking, a big grocery shop, and ice cream with a friend we haven’t seen in weeks. So good.

The best part of a good Saturday is that tomorrow is Sunday!

This week ruled. Roozle and I walked to the Latte Store every morning before school. It’s my favorite way to start the day. There was lots of scootering, singing, skipping, racing, and a whole lot of stopping. Getting Roozle to move in a forward direction can sometimes feel impossible. The walk still rules though. It’s always more awesome than it is not awesome. The rest of the week went that way too. A whole lot of not awesome, but more so awesome. So we made it.

I had lots of afternoon coffees which led to a bit of a site redesign. If you’re reading on mobile or email or RSS, you’re totally missing out. I still have a bit of work to do with it, and always will, but for now, I’m liking what’s happening.

As for the writing, it was a big week! It started with a post about lesbian motherhood on the Huffington Post. This was my first original content piece there, a piece I was asked to write for them for a series. This whole “Can you write about this for us?” thing is BLOWING MY MIND. Totally awesome.

In other firsts this week, Roozle rode in her first bike parade, on her own, not as a passenger. Go Roozle Go! And, my first real life blog giveaway is going on right now! I think it ends Sunday… so hurry up and enter for a FREE Urban Baby Bonnets bonnet of your choosing! AND my first post for the Urban Baby Bonnets blog went live on Monday!

Also on the blog, our favorites for traveling with a preschooler, drinking more water, and climbing trees. Life rules.

What did you write about this week?

What do you want to see more of here?

How was your week?

On Mother’s Day each year, our neighborhood has a little festival at the local arboretum to celebrate the lilacs. We have been going since our first Mother’s Day, when Roozle was just a month old. We aren’t big on holidays, but felt like we couldn’t do nothing on Mother’s Day, so this is perfect.

MCB wasn’t feeling well and decided to stay home when Roozle and I headed over.

After lunch and a visit to the cupcake truck, Roozle and I wandered over to visit some geese and happened upon the most amazing tree ever.

She spent over an hour working her way through the tree. Climbing. Swinging. Getting stuck. Trying again. It ruled.

Trees are meant for climbing. No doubt. I’m sure we will be back for lots more of this one.

Do your kids like climbing trees?
Did you climb trees as a kid?
Does your family have a favorite spot for exploring?

Last year, we brought our Kindle Fire with headphones for Roozle to watch a few shows on the plane and on vacation. This year, we brought a mini DVD player with a few new DVDs to watch. We flew JetBlue, which has little TVs at each seat, but on the way to vacation, Roozle’s TV was stuck on Fox News and on the way home the only available kids show was an incredibly inappropriate Spongebob Squarepants marathon. Instead, Roozle watched Thomas the Tank Engine, a new favorite, complete with her singing and commentary that the passengers around us were delighted about. It ruled.

Roozle got her first set of big kid LEGOs for her birthday last month and hasn’t stopped playing with them. I bought a new little construction set I found for $5 at the check out at Target to bring on the plane. It was a perfect distraction while we waited to board the plane. She then added it to the gallon sized ziploc bag full of LEGOs she packed for the trip once we arrived. They were easy to pack, fun to play with, and easy to replace if they were lost or left behind.

Last year, at barely 30 pounds, we brought our Radian carseat on vacation. She rode in it on the plane and in the rental car. It was a total pain. This year, at nearly 35 pounds, she was ready for the RideSafer Travel Vest. It starts at 30 pounds, but acts as belt positioner rather than a 5-point harness, so we weren’t comfortable putting our then 3 year old in it last year. We traveled with my parents for this vacation which meant an adult would be sitting on either side of Roozle in the car for all rides in the rental car, so we felt much more comfortable with her in it. She loved it. We did too. It is secure, comfortable, and super easy to travel with. The only problem we had is that she wants to lean a bit away from the shoulder belt which made her almost instantly fall asleep on each ride we took with it.

Last month at Roozle’s 4 year well visit, her pediatrician asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up. She immediately answered, “A swimmer.” Hilarious, but not a surprise. There is nothing this kid loves more. She still refuses to take swim lessons, but give her a Puddle Jumper life jacket and a body of water and she’s off! The Puddle Jumper keeps her upright and keeps her face way out of the water, so she loves it. We have one at my parents house on the beach too. So yes, we bought a life jacket on vacation. Twice. And brought it home. Wet. Roozle would be devastated without it.

I just started writing for the Urban Baby Bonnets blog last month (my first post went live Monday!) so they sent a bonnet for Roozle to wear on vacation. I expected it to be adorable, because seriously? But what I didn’t expect is how perfect it would be in covering her face from the sun. Our vacation was a little colder than we expected and we spent the afternoon in the heated pool to stay warm. It was cloudy and cold so we completely forgot to put on extra sunscreen in the afternoon. We all got burnt. I felt awful. BUT Roozle had her sun hat on the whole time and was totally fine. She had no problem keeping it on, it got wet multiple times and did great being thrown into the hotel room’s dryer and plopped back on Roozle’s noggin. She will for sure be wearing this all summer.

Disclosure: We paid for all these products ourselves except for the bonnet, all opinions are ours and I would’ve bought that bonnet a million times over if I had known how awesome it was. Which is why I asked them to offer you all the special secret deal included in the bonnet photo.

What are your favorites for vacation?

When Urban Baby Bonnets sent Roozle a hat for vacation, we were so excited! It’s a super cute hat that is light, comfortable, and covers her face completely from the sun. So awesome. So I asked them if they’d be willing to give one away to one of you! They said yes! And offered a special secret deal that you can see in the text of the above photo. It totally rules.

Enter to win a bonnet of your choice! So fun!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is sponsored by Urban Baby Bonnets and Life with Roozle. UB2 will provide the bonnet, I provide my own opinion. No purchase necessary. Life rules.