Friday, November 8, 2013

The Graduation Tears Begin

This was waiting for me at the breakfast table this morning.  I took one look at it and burst into tears.  Whoever writes this ad copy is a genius. See those baby feet?  "First to say hello?"  This is the biggest parental gut-punch I've experienced to date.  I'm having trouble maintaining my denial that my first baby is getting ready to graduate from high school.  That little girl is almost out of here.

The knife twists as I look inside the big glossy catalog:
ACK!  The guilt!  I never did finish the baby book.  This is my last chance to prove that I'm a good mom who captures memories appropriately.  "While he might not admit it now..."  is so true.  Drama Girl insists she doesn't want any of this stuff but the brochure knows that teenagers don't know what's best for them.  If I want to have any kind of bond with my offspring in the future I better capture all the memories NOW.  And let's not ignore the subtext that I might lose my memory in the future and need this memory book to correctly identify my children.

If I don't get her a ring, it's like I'm telling her that she and her story are not important.  Apparently a ring is her life.

I texted Drama Girl this morning when I knew she wasn't in class.

Oh thanks, I'm bawling now!

Don't buy anything from there, I just need the cap and gown

Seriously though, best marketing line ever.

I don't even get it.
Is that supposed to be the school talking?
They weren't even the first to say hello
My preschool was
The doctor who was there when I was born was the first to say hello

[she texts so fast I was still writing my reply to her first line]

MOM was the first to say hello. I knew you were there before the doctor did.

Are they really the last to say goodbye?
Won't that be college?
Or like
Whoever's at my death bed
Is my high school going to KILL me?


There was more to the conversation, but you get the drift.  I was laughing through my tears at that point.

So now, like the brochure suggests, I'm going to ignore her wishes and figure out how to mark this milestone.  Do people really still send out graduation announcements?  I've never received one that I can remember.  Seems like it's just a way to ask for a gift.  Do I have to get those little cards with her name on them?  I remember getting a million at my high school graduation and not knowing what to do with them.

Goodbye denial, you've protected me well for as long as you could.  This is all getting a little too real now.

3 people stopped folding laundry to write:

slow panic said...

My oldest is a freshman. I have every intention of staying in denial for the next four years.

Heather said...

Son graduated high school two years ago and didn't even want to attend the ceremony. only went because he was to get a special award. He graduated college in May and didn't attend the ceremony. I guess they will mail the certificate at some point. He didn't want a ring or any thing. Didn't get his photo done as he went to college for photography. He said the money for a suit was the best grad present. oh, and we did buy him an excellent camera for his career.

I only wore my high school ring a few times and now it sits in my jewellry box somewhere.

It's a hard sell by those companies. Also consider whether your daughter is continuing to college...

Tami @ Lemon Tree Tales said...

I bought a class ring from my high school ... wore it a few times but then it sat in my jewelry box for years. Finally when we had a break-in they took it ... 10K gold signet, no stone. Not really sad about it. I am sad that they stole the pocket watch that my mom got me and had engraved for high school graduation. That meant more to me than the ring. Congrats to your first-born. The milestones are just going to keep coming now. :-)

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