Wacky Boy loves preschool. Everybody say: Hallelujah!

He denies it. He says he doesn’t want to ever go back to school, but every morning he trots into class, and hangs up his coat (on his own hook, marked with his name) and his little canvas bookbag. He decorated it by himself with waterproof felt pens — it has all different colors of squiggles and a big smiley face. His teacher wrote his name on it for him.

He plays hard. He is making new little buddies. They have gym twice a week and music once a week. They play outside. Sometimes they have a snack. Then I pick him up at lunchtime and he tells me, “I do not like it.”

He’s fibbing — he loves it. He is learning to draw monsters, crocodiles and lots of smiley faces. His sister’s class is just down the hall. Everyone knows him, since he’s been tagging along with Sis since she started there in kindergarten. He sleeps better now, eats better, is more focused when he plays.

I am no longer Evil Witch Wolfie Mother.

Wacky Girl, on the first day of school: “What did you do in preschool today?”

WB, in robot voice: “Made new friends. Played with fun toys.”

WG: “What kind of fun toys?”

WB: “Not telling.”

We’re able to walk to and from school, as long as the good weather holds, so I get a work-out in! And did I mention that my boy, who has not napped since he was 18 months old, now takes a daily nap in the stroller on the way back to school in the afternoon to pick up Sis? I cover him up and he’s out like a light. “I get in the stroller and pass out, huh, Mommy?” he asked me last night.

So he’s not Grouchy Wolfie Pre-Preschooler anymore.

I don’t want to hex myself, but life is alright. Now that both kids are in school, I am here to tell you: Parenting is a breeze. Heh, heh, heh. Sincerely, though — those of you with little babies and pre-preschoolers, hang in. It’s a whole different world once you get a little break like this. It is u-licious. For them, and you.

(PS — The no TV thing was a bust. Not entirely — the kids are watching about an hour a day, and we skip some days and they watch none. I love Jeopardy! being the granny that I am. Hockey God and I are brilliant at Jeopardy! (you have to have the exclamation point there) and I kick his butt sometimes. Occasionally. I am a little bit competitive (ha!) so this makes me happy. We love the Simpsons, too. Man, do we know how to live it up or what? But we’re not watching hours and hours of TV like we were there for awhile.)

Speaking of u-licious, here’s a recipe for you. It calls for canned peaches, but who needs canned when you have fresh, juicy, organic nectarines and plums? (That’s how I made it last night — so good.) One of my girlfriends makes it with canned cherries and it is so rich and yummy. Fresh peaches (or canned) would be great, too. Some people call it a cobbler, but I prefer buckle, because that’s what it does — the cake batter rises and buckles around all the fruit. It’s great by itself, warm or cold, or with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

NECTARINE & PLUM BUCKLE

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
4 cups fruit

Melt butter in 350-degree stove in 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix flour, sugar and baking powder; add milk. It will be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Chop up fruit. When the butter has melted, pull pan out of stove and pour batter over butter. Use a wooden spoon and mix it in a little bit. Layer fruit on top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.