<p>Hugs to blue and amanda!!! You have kept us all laughing this year, and you’re entitled to your down times. We’re all right with you.</p>
<p>D is showering to her usual crazy mix of music (it blasts through the house and I love it), and I’m realizing mornings will be awfully quiet pretty soon. I guess I’ll have to make my own playlist to fill the void.</p>
<p>Congrats to all the move-ins!
We came back from ours yesterday afternoon.
English being my second language, I will try to use my best grammar, lol.
The trip was shorter than I had expected (3½ hours), the weather great.
And the keyboard did fit in the rented car!
When we arrived, we went straight to the dorm. It is a beautiful, all renovated space with a TV lounge/common area on each floor overlooking the river. Oh, and the internet connection is super fast, lol.
DS will be the only one in his room for another few days, so we didn’t get to meet the 2 other roommates. He didn’t want to unpack right away (in any case, his dorm is a final selection, but they have this system where the room/roommates are subject to change until September 1st, before the classes start). Keeping my fingers crossed that it all works for the best…
After waiting a few minutes for a sudden cloud burst to let up, we went to the student center to get the orientation material while DH tried to find to find a parking spot. DS ran into one of his HS classmate, and they were both happy to see each other. We then went for a quick bite, as DS was anxious to get going (he had something planned for later with a group of other freshmen).
My DH and I spent the rest of the day walking around and had a nice dinner at the restaurant.
We met DS again the next morning at DS’s dorm, took lots of pictures, went to the campus bank for him to open an account (disagreed with DH on the type of account to open, but let him win), had lunch, looked at a bike store (DS will get a bike later), stopped by our hotel, made sure he had enough cash for food until the food plan kicks in, and then DS left to visit a research lab in the area, where he was meeting with a former HS classmate who spent the summer there, and DH and I returned home. I was holding back tears when we did the final goodbye.
Now, the apartment feels a bit like when DS went to camp, except that he is not coming back until Thanksgiving or even Christmas (he would like the earlier date, but it will depend on his schedule). 
Meanwhile we will visit him in October for the family weekend.
Until then, I have a lot of cleaning/re-organizing to do and I am starting a new part-time job in mid-September, so that should keep my mind busy.
Have a great day, everyone! :)</p>
<p>For those whose kids are doing breakfast in the room, especially:</p>
<p>[Kellogg's</a> Cereal Variety Pack, 10-Count Single Serve Boxes (Pack of 4): Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet Food](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Kelloggs-Cereal-Variety-10-Count-Single/dp/B001M08YZ0/ref=sr_1_8?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1314109489&sr=1-8]Kellogg’s”>http://www.amazon.com/Kelloggs-Cereal-Variety-10-Count-Single/dp/B001M08YZ0/ref=sr_1_8?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1314109489&sr=1-8)</p>
<p>You can apply a 10% code (listed on the page) on top of the
subscribe-and-save 15% discount (and both discounts are taken off the
original price, so it comes to a full 25% off) and you can cancel the
subscription as soon as the first pack gets mailed. So it came out to
13-and-change for four 10-packs, and I’m thinking my DS will enjoy the
variety, and not having to grocery shop quite as often.</p>
<p>I had to contact customer service to get the 10% code to work, but
amazon customer service is really competent and helpful, and they
sorted it out within about 2 minutes.</p>
<p>If you all would join me in raising glass of whatever you have to the marriage (today!) of my 84 year old Dad and his long time ladyfriend of 20+ years. They decided to make it legal at a small courthouse wedding- with an informal lunch for my local brother/SIL and one or two others. I am delighted as this lovely woman has been a member of our family since day one and has been a loving Nana to my D her whole life. I wish I could be there- I am delighted for them.</p>
<p>(I decided that discretion is the better part of valor and will let my Dad, who lives in CA, tell my Mom, who lives in NY near me, if he so chooses. It’s not my news and they no longer have anyone in common so unlikely anyone outside of family will even know. If one of my sibs wants to break the news- that’s up to them.)</p>
<p>Successful launch!!! (Curious: Is an unsuccessful launch when you bring them back home with you? 
…). We flew from Tx to Cali on Saturday and with 2 hour time difference, got to Cali about noon. Too early to check in at hotel, so we drove around the campus to get a basic lay of the land (deserted for 24 hours pre freshman descending) and grabbed some lunch, Checked in and unloaded bags, and then went to Target for the “get there” stuff…refrigerator, microwave, tower fan and toiletries, Looked for a small dolly to no avail. Also the pickings were slim…there are 5 colleges in the consortium, and so no doubt there had been a run. Dinner at local Mexican restaurant with a strong margarita for me, Back at the hotel, via a FB page, several students identified they were staying at our hotel and met up that pm at the pool, so socially off to a good start. Amazingly they are came back to their rooms around 10ish to get ready for big day. Which started at 8 am. He checked in, and we first went to room to check it out and THAT was the thrill of the day. Large corner single, 2 windows on different walls, facing the campus (great view ). My hubby (step dad) grumbled it was better than any apartment he had until he was 33 haha. Then unloading and unpacking (between son and hubby, that was their job. I unpacked and put away.). No drama there either altho son knows i saw a couple of statement tshirts that I didn’t know he had that he probably didn’t want me to know. I said nothing and he merely shut down for 10 minutes upon realization. Next came communal lunches, meetings for parents only. When we went back to dorm he was hanging in hall with several other guys playing cards. (didn’t see any poker chips…yet). When I said “guess we should go” he said yes. (what-- no "you dont have to leave yet mom? ". ;-)…). I hugged him goodbye, twice, hard saying “I am NOT going to cry”. Teary eyes don’t count, do they? He said twice “see you soon.”. Thanksgiving is NOT soon, son! We left and had wine at a local dive. (picking up on a theme here?) At 630, we went back to campus to gather at the front gates with other parents where the kids ceremoniously all run into gates on campus collectively as Pomona Class of 2015 while cheered on by family. We went back to the hotel room where I collapsed with exhaustion. Spent the night, and then drove up the coast to Monterey where we’ll spend the week vacationing before back to the very hot state of Tx and empty nest. Haven’t heard from son since we left (36 hours now) and I’m determined not to call or text myself for a week. Give him some space. ButFacebook stalking doesn’t count against me, does it! ;-). He’s added 20 new friends, bragged in his stellar room, “liked” 4 pages associated with the campus , and posted he’d been thrown in a fountain. (a Pomona birthday tradition, and his 18th was last week).</p>
<p>My son is a college man.</p>
<p>Kinder, congrats to your dad and partner! That’s a wonderful, cute and uplfting story. Good luck with mom tho, haha</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ohiostarfish, you win that round by a knockout. 
</p>
<p>D2 gave D1 her final graduation present–a tote bag filled to overflowing with meds, health care and personal care stuff, and some much-desired but non-essential makeup and pricey hair care products. Cherry on top was the elephant lunch box, elephants being the mascot at D1’s school. D2’s been planning this for months, and was worried that D1’s toiletries shopping trip list would cover most of it. It didn’t, which makes me a little worried. I entirely understand how a rising college freshman wouldn’t think to pack gatorade mix or hot/cold packs, but how can you not even think of aspirin?</p>
<p>Hugs to BI and AK. </p>
<p>Good job aria and proudmom. Thanks for sharing your stories.</p>
<p>Kinderny - Mazel tov to your dad and his bride. What a wonderful story. Hope your moms okay with it when/if she finds out.</p>
<p>We’re on Jersey turnpike headed to New Haven, our last stop before Olin. Excitement is rising. I highly recommend a trip like this for those of you who have other kids to launch in the future. It has been a wonderful transition.</p>
<p>[List:</a> Web older than incoming college freshmen - Yahoo! News](<a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/list-older-incoming-college-freshmen-050220927.html]List:”>http://news.yahoo.com/list-older-incoming-college-freshmen-050220927.html)</p>
<p>Got the banking errands done…
I am getting the feeling that our student is so ready to GO and tired of the prep/lists/errands.</p>
<p>As far as sending care packages–I was thinking half-way between move in and Thanksgiving would be good…i must be a bad mom</p>
<p>Oh, I remember changing from putting one child to sleep on his belly to ‘Back to Sleep’ with the last two. Boy did I hate that. They slept much better on their tummies!! I spent so much time correcting grandparents who took such offense that the way they had done it could be ‘wrong’…not wrong mom, there’s just a better way now. Jeez!</p>
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</p>
<p>Oh, my MIL did not deal well with that either!</p>
<p>Huh- and I was in that very short window where you were supposed to get infants to sleep on their sides. Do you know how hard that is, even with rolled up towels to prop them against?</p>
<p>Kinder, I think my first (s’15) was supposed to sleep on his side, and then the other two were supposed to sleep on their backs. The side sleep thing was definitely difficult, and they stopped recommending it because babies were more likely to fall onto their tummies.</p>
<p>Okay, you caught me. My oldest was the one that was supposed to be the side sleeper. That did not work. I was afraid of the blankets to bolster him so we just put him on his tummy. Thank God they are all here, and I do mean that sincerely. We never put anything in their cribs, but you just don’t know…back, side, tummies… A very close girlfriend lost an infant to SIDS when my boys were babies…no answers…nothing to point to ever. </p>
<p>Ohhh, how I just need to go borrow a baby for a day</p>
<p>OMG, did not realize how long I have been away until I found out about 50 pages I have to catch up on.</p>
<p>Splitting time packing stuff, and having some family time with DD before she goes. Went to Jelly Belly Factory last Week, as well as catching Rifftrax movie on Wed (Jack and the Giant Killer), and on Sunday off to Golden Gate Fields, where a good time was had by all. Thanks to Sugar Rush in the 10th Fun, with an undertone of wistfulness. </p>
<p>Now time to buckle down, get organized and get ready for move. The only question after this is, What am I gonna do with my time now?</p>
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</p>
<p>With three kids, even though spaced fairly close together, we went through stomach, side and back. The first two kids were giants, so I knew that no harm would come to them on their stomachs. (Son was so strong that he could push himself up on his elbows before he even got home from the hospital!)</p>
<p>Wow. We just had an earthquake. Really wild.</p>
<p>Proud to say that the link that fogfog referred to is the school where my S is a senior. He even had Tom McBride as a teacher for a class (was it last year or the year before?) Anyway, it is a great list - very interesting.</p>
<p>Re: Pride and Prejudice dvd - Although I got to keep the BBC version, D and I have a time set aside when she is home next to have a P&P BBC fest. She preferrs BBC but loves the music from the Kiera Knightly version. We will also be viewing the Bollywood version, “Bride and Prejudice” during her break!</p>
<p>Congrats to Kinderny’s dad and his new bride - what a wonderful confirmation that age is just a number!</p>
<p>Congrats to all launches! Love that term - full of hope and promise of a bright future! It is wonderful to read the stories you share. So nice to be able to go through this with you all! Best wishes to ALL of our launchees!</p>
<p>VAMom - I am working at a video conference (central Ohio) and one of our cameras just started shaking as you posted about your earthquake. Techs figure that it is the most sensitive of our cameras. Stay safe, friend!</p>
<p>@ VAMom2015 - Right there with you… we’re not used to this stuff. 6.2 in Mineral Virginia. </p>
<p>[Apparent</a> earthquake rocks Washington D.C. area](<a href=“Magnitude-5.8 quake rocks East Coast”>Magnitude-5.8 quake rocks East Coast)</p>