Well we are fresh back from dropping Maverick off at kindergarten. The ladies (Karin & Betty) are off shopping to give me some quiet time before Karin puts my ass to work cleaning the house in preparation for her party tonight (I love my days off).

This morning started with one excited boy, he was in a good mood and not at all hesitant or scared like I feared he might be. At times he can be pretty shy, so I had hoped today would go well and it did thankfully.

We ate some of Betty’s banana bread and drank some coffee that Karin has added Tastefully Simple Vanilla Bean chiller mix to which was totally kick ass tasting. At 8:25 AM we headed out for pictures and to join the “Mom Parade” as Karin calls, heading down to the school.

I really think talking up how cool school is helped Maverick, he clearly was not afraid or hesitant, excitement bubbled behind his eyes. As we came closer to the school the ladies started to feel more emotional. I was waiting for the waterworks from Karin, I really thought she would be bawling like a baby, but alas and alack — they never came. Good for you Karin!

Grandma Betty on the other had, did not fare so well. There were tears, but they were well hidden. My attempts to capture them with the camera were met with disdain, and generally failed. All in all, it was a pretty cool experience. It really made me think back to when I was in kindergarten.

Its amazing the things I still remember — the door outside, my friend Jim, my mom taking our photo, the hooks outside the room, the orange day glow chairs in the room. Looking over their curriculum for the year its wild how much different, how much more educational the kindergarten program is today compared to when I was in kindergarten some 32, almost 33 years ago.

This Friday is my son Maverick’s first day of kindergarten. I can hardly believe that he is six! It seems like yesterday that I was holding this little bundle of crying boy child in my arms and wondering what his life would be like. Wondering how I would be as a Father.

And now its six years later. We have had bumps, falls, bruises, laughter, crying, joy. We have changed disgusting diapers, smelled things no human should have to smell, and been more excited about potty training than any basketball/football or hockey championship.

We have watched his personality develop and taken pride in his good natured kindness to his friends, family and pets. I have cheered as he has embraced Star Wars, and shaken my head at his insistence on tucking in his shirt, no matter what type.

And now he is headed to kindergarten. Its the start of his school career, and in a way, the end of his innocence. There will be things I can’t shield him from, people who will take advantage of his good nature — slowly, slowly but surely, his innocence will start to be lost.

Its an odd thing to consider really. I love seeing him grow up, and hope that his school experience is more enjoyable than mine ever was. In retrospect I am so glad that we decided to wait until he was six to start kindergarten. He is so much more ready emotionally for school.

I used to dread going to school, and now I find myself dreading this Friday. I know in my head that time doesn’t stop for anyone, but in a selfish sort of way I kind of wish it could. I love him. He is the best thing that ever happened to us, and while I will smile and be excited for him, inside I will, and I know Karin will be sorry to see our baby go to school.

The First Rule of Knit Club is…, originally uploaded by Eleven 22.

You don’t talk about Knit Club. The second rule of Knit club is… You don’t fucking talk about Knit Club. And the last rule is… if this is your first night at Knit Club — You have to Knit!

Okay, so I am no Brad Pitt (its the hair right? LOL). What the hell am I doing you might be wondering. Knitting of all things. The next question is logically — Why?

One word: marytree. Yup, our favorite artistic free spirit is a knitter, and at one of the parties we attended we began to talk about her knitting projects.

She said she could teach me to knit, I scoffed. Me? Knit? Why don’t you just cut my balls off I thought. But, she had planted a seed in me head, and the ball of yarn just kept growing.

It came to a head when Karin dragged us along to a book signing, as Maverick, Betty and I circled in the back, perusing the books I came to the craft section, and as luck would have it, a book on how to knit.

I walked by it a few times, finally uttered something under my breath and decided to buy it. You couldn’t have seen two more surprised looks when Karin and her mom saw what I had bought walking to our cars.

So when Karin was away at her conference, and the three boys I was watching were slowing driving me insane, I took them to Michael to get some sort of craft item to keep them busy, and while I was there, bought some yarn and needles.

The first yarn and needles I bought were not as I would soon find out, rank amateur friendly. So I went back and did what any good man would do, bought bigger. Way bigger. Much better results.

So what you see here is the end of my first roll of yarn, its going to be a scarf for Karin, a small token if you will to pave the road toward my iPhone purchase.

So I have a lot more respect and understanding for the stay at home mothers of the world. As a working Dad, I find it all too easy to fall into trap of thinking that mom’s have it easy. And while I still hold that even the worst day at home is better than some of the chuckle heads we Dad’s have to deal with at work — staying at home isn’t all bon bons.

Case in point — my wife is watching two other boys for the summer and next school year. They are great boys, all three of them get along great but even the best friendships can become strained when one person has the Yoda light saber that the other wants to use since he is Kit Fisto (jedis).

Its like a constant stream of screaming, running, jumping, negotiating, some whining, some crying all on top of the food requests that never seem to end. Sure there are not any jerks or asshats to deal with like at work, but it is like a fine sandpaper that slowly eats away at your veneer of patience.

Being a stay at home mom isn’t as easy as I once thought, God bless them for their patience. I am still distantly jealous, jealous from afar if you will but like the saying goes — the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank.