The Sentimental Mess That Is Myself

I have talked time and time again on how I get mushy over the littlest details of any Pixar movie. Really, how can you not, with the tiny fin holding the tiny Nemo egg in Finding Nemo to the final goodbye scene in Toy Story 3. I am getting choked up right now typing this, no joke.
But I need to strengthen up, be a strong mom! How can I be the strong mom when my kid comes to me in tears? Just seeing that my kids are upset for some reason breaks me in two, as I always want them to have the best and brightest memories ever. Not possible, I know, but I think my sentimental meter gets another notch or two every time we see a Disney movie.
I know there are a lot of you out there that when you read this, you will be nodding your head and saying "Exactly!! This is why I cry too at this part!" At least I hope you will so I am not alone in this.

1. Toy Story 3 Final Goodbye Scene

Two special thanks for this scene.
1. Special thanks to the director of this movie, Lee Unkrich, for turning around a very dismal scene in which the toys were almost burnt to a crisp to the most bittersweet scene in which the toys get a new life with the little girl Bonnie.
2. An uber thanks to Randy Newman, for creating a sweet heart wrenching soundtrack to this final scene. Every violin made me cry a bit more.

2. Lion King

I remember getting a bit sad when I saw this movie many years ago, but now it has increased ten fold with having kids. Simba loses his dad, and right after the big speech of how the great kings look after Simba and his dad via the stars?? It reminds me of how my dad uses beautiful analogies to explain life, and seeing Simba and Mufasa is like seeing Jack and Brian. The whole father-son aspect tugs my heartstrings ever more so now that I have sons.


3.Disney 50  Animated Movies

Just search this video up. It shows clips of every animated Disney movie. The tearjerker in this one for me is the song that they use for this clip, called Dreams. "You, you're in my dreams."
Once again relating this to my sons. The bonus is to see Jack get excited over every Disney movie in this clip that I loved as a child. Sentimental value galore.



4. Tangled Paper Lanterns

This cute little scene where Rapunzel finally sees the lanterns for the first time. Plus the scene right before it is killer  -the king and queen cry silently since they are still releasing the lanterns yet their daughter is not found. My husband recognized that it was nice that there was no dialog in that scene, just actions. I think Disney secretly did that so it would give everyone a chance to wipe their eyes from crying.


5. Up- Carl and Ellie

The moment where she holds his hand as they are reading just because. The setting up the nursery. The moment in the hospital. Enough said.

The Story Of The First Day Of School

I thought I would be a big blubbering mess when the time came to drop Jack off at preschool. I mean, I am the one that tears up in Finding Nemo when Marlin thinks that all of his fish children are gone...and then he finds that one egg. Nemo. (tears)
I also tear up in Tangled, when the queen comforts the crying king because it has been 18 years and Rapunzel is somewhere out there...just not at home. (tears)
Stuff like this, naturally then I would be a mess when Jack goes to school right? I thought I was going to give myself a flashback, Pixar style, with images of Jack as a little baby to the big kid that he is now.

The morning went well. I took the day off and at 12:20, off we went to school. There were parents everywhere. Kids were spilling out of the building. As a rule, we all had to line up outside the class and wait there. The teachers open the doors when they are ready. While we waited, Charlie decided to have a mini meltdown of sorts. It was time for his nap, he wasn't keen on being held and most importantly, it was time for his nap. I kept shushing Charlie while giving Jack my best smile of encouragement.

Doors opened and at least two kids decided to cry a bit. Awww. I gave them my best smile of  " It's ok to them." I don't think it helped much. The teachers told the parents that they could stay and we all did. Half of the class played while the others created and decorated their name tags that would be hung around the classroom. The kids had to bring a photo to be glued on their name tag. The photo could be of them, their family, anything that reminds them of home. Jack brought in a pic of our cocker spaniel, Max. It was funny to see all these pics of smiling kids and their siblings, with their parents at dinner, at the pool.......and then there was a pic of a dog , Max.

Jack had a good time. When we walked back to the car, we asked Jack if he had fun. He immediately said no and that he didn't want to go back. That is Jack for you, says something and means another. I have a feeling that every day to school maybe like this. He may say he doesn't want to go, but once he sees that room he is ok.

As for Brian and myself, we were far from ok. We were great. We didn't cry at all. I didn't even have time to think up of my retrospective on Jack's toddler life. I was too busy taking in the moment and just making sure that he was having the best time possible. Really, if I was a mess, what would that do to Jack? He would not want to go then.

I didn't really see any parents crying either or gently holding their kids as if they were still babies. Most of the kids are repeats from last years's preschool so I am thinking that he may have a class where there are no kids that really cry, or that have parents that cry for that matter. I am excited that Jack is going to school. I look forward to the nights when he has homework and we can help him with any projects that he may have down the road.

Saying this now, come back to me in 5 years when Jack has science projects to do. Um, here is your dad Jack. Papa is smart and he can probably help you with this project where you get to grow new bodies for worms.

After school Jack received treats galore - ice cream at Ghiradelli, a replacement DVD for one that was lost, The Incredibles, and some bath treats from Lush. yes, that smelly soap place.
He is a huge fan of the Baby Bots.

Day one. Over and out.