Just about the time I'm confident I have her all figured out......

It's beautiful here this morning...misting rain, low humidity, cool temps....our first hint of autumn. our first day where it's not at LEAST 80 degrees with 90% humidity.

Fridays are fun days, and it's usually the ONLY day of the week i can get my little miss happy to be going to school. This morning, even that wasn't motivating her, but we keep on, calm and steady, going through the morning routine. 

I finally tell her, "I'm going to the car, get your shoes on and get out here, we don't want to be late for FRIDAY!!!!" 

Already in the Tahoe, I watch as she walks to me sporting flip flops. Ugh...she loves them but can't walk very fast in them. I KNOW they have to be a pain in the aide's side, but, you know, all the REALLY COOL girls wear flip flops to school, and evidently all year long. 

 Right behind her is daddy, in his robe and slippers, in the misty rain, carrying her regular shoes. Yea, we got her figured out. I'll send the other pair in her backpack for backup.

We have an uneventful trip, pull into the drop off line at school, pop the seatbelt, and I grab her pack to add the shoes, as well as the lunchbox full of 'reward' snacks.

I notice the flip flops laying on the floor..."Hey, Put your shoes on."

Now, at this point, I must explain about Molly's 'hit and miss' autism. I didn't get one of those really neat kids that like all their stuff put up in the same place, I got miss 'likes all of her stuff dumped all over' The stuff that's really important to her? Oh she hides that stuff. A really un-fun game of hideNseek, particularly if it involves food stuffs. 

She also doesn't hold hygiene at the top of her priority list.....but?   the bottoms of her shoes must NEVER be dirty.

Yep, this girl that could grow worms under her nails if we didn't go through the nightly scrubs, refuses to let ANYTHING stick to the bottom of her shoes. I keep antibiotic wet ones in the car, and have actually pulled the car over to clean her shoe bottoms so she'll settle down.

This morning, this first really cool morning of the season, I watch in horror as she picks her shoes up and tucks them under her arm.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! we HAVE to have shoes on to go to school!! Miss smarty pants has been quietly contemplating this whole situation on the 10 minute trip, and has a lightbulb over her head now. If she doesn't put the shoes on at ALL, they won't get DIRTY!!! 

I desperately grab for the other pair, maybe she'll wear one pair, and carry the other, switching them inside. "Here, put THIS shoe on instead!"

Now?  There are 3 shoes tucked under her arm, and two bare feet on the floor. 

The aide opens her car door, sizes up the situation, and busts into laughter..."It's ok, we'll fix it up inside"

All the other teachers waiting to help the other car-fuls of kids,  are now looking at me (because now we are holding up the process) so I explain about the shoes.

As I pulled away from the line, i glance in the rear view, watching my barefoot daughter inching across the cold cement & I was happy that we could provide such a good laugh this morning for all the other teachers. 

She can always surprise me. Molly 1, Mommy 0.