Carpool lane newbie!

Today was the first day in the carpool lane. In my white Taurus I am only inches away from the typical suburban soccer-mom, right? (Where's that fun girl who drove a yellow mustang?) Anyway, I took my daughter to her first day at "real school". She's been going to a daycare but we stopped that when my son was born back in May. She and I and the baby spent the summer together and now she and I were ready for school to start again.

Typically I am very emotional; like the ballet recital where I was crying to a Mariah Carey song as my little girl transformed into a butterfly. Big tears rolling down my face. Can't I blame that on baby hormones? The baby was 2 weeks old.

But today I managed to keep those tears at bay. Maybe because I know she's way to smart to be stuck with me all day. Maybe her excitement was so pure that it kept my selfish 'I want my baby girl with me' in check. She couldn't wait to go to school. As she skipped up with the teachers aide to the classroom door I heard he saying "I'm so excited" in her sweetest sweet girl voice.

Now the tears are welling up as I remember her. She's a big girl now.

4 year old commits voter fraud

Today I did my civic duty by participating in the primary run-off voting for 3 positions; our school board post, secretary of agriculture and secretary of state. I really only cared about the school board but I made an effort to consider the other positions carefully and educate myself on the candidates.

So the volunteers at the polling place are all senior citizens. For the most part they are smiling and friendly. The little old guys chat with my daughter while I fill out the required forms. They ask about her baby brother. They are NICE. She is a KID. That's what normal people do.

We wheel over to the "booth" which is this odd easel/desk thing with an electronic voting machine upon it. In the past when I take my daughter with me to vote I let here touch the screen to cast my ballot. I direct her, watch her so that my vote is correct, but I let her do the touch-screen entry. She loves it. Then she gets the "I voted" sticker and we go on our merry way. But not today. Today, the 3-pack a day smoker volunteer hollered at us, "She can't touch the voting machine".

I think I gave the appropriate 'are you REALLY hollering at me' look over my shoulder. But she insisted that my 4 year old could not actually touch the machine.

Seriously?

I considered buying her another pack of cigarettes to help her end her miserable existance after I heard that unmistakeable smokers cough, but I was trying to be a good mom/role model for my daughter.

My daughter of course is accustomed to voting with me so she was thoroughly disappointed. I hope that Miss Cranky Pants enjoyed her moment of authority at the polling place.