teachers, books, stylin' looks

The 'Naughty Kids' shoot for Vogue Bambini - shot by Igor Borisov

I shouldn't be surprised.  I mean, it happens every single year.  And yet, every time mid-August hits, I'm completely shocked that the summer's nearly over.  "The summer totally just disappeared," I'll say, usually followed by a "How is it already the middle of August?!"  I'll write the date on a cheque and scratch my head in confusion.  Surely, that can't be the right date!  Turns out I'm either an optimist or just really super stupid.

Then, I start to see fall clothes and almost immediately, oh-so-discernibly, my mood brightens.  Yay!  New clothes!  And even though I'm not in school anymore, I'm all about back-to-school shopping.   I'm reminded of those yearly trips to pick out new binders, pens and backpacks.  Everything was so shiny and new and full of promise, and always made it a little easier to say goodbye to summer.

This year, my daughter starts JK and I'm freaking out about all the firsts: first day of school, first school-bus ride, first time she'll eat lunch without someone feeding her.  Ack! So, how do I deal?  I've bought her a very sparkly, very pink first backpack, with an equally cute (and pink) first day outfit.  Somehow, I feel better already.

Whether your kid is a newbie or a been-there-learned-that pro, these back-to-school buys, from the coolest bright watches to crazy comfy kicks, will help make the transition from summer to fall way more manageable, even if they're as baffled about it as this blogger.  Sometimes all it takes is a new pair of shoes...