Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Kids...

Today I had a meeting at the high school to review one of the twins school progress. It went very well.

I was sitting in the high school office thinking "Wow, my last batch of babies are in high school". I have to admit, it did make me a little sad. Those who know me know that I totally love being a Mom. Sitting there, I started thinking about some "Mom memories", some of them funny, others were a little exasperating. But then, that's what raising kids is all about. Just when you think you have the answers, God decides to shake it up a bit. For example:

Before I had kids, I always said "MY kid will NEVER scream in the grocery store". God took note of that one obviously, because I got humbled BIG TIME. When my oldest son was about 3 years old, he decided to throw a REALLY big hissy in the grocery store, but he didn't stop there. We were standing in the middle of the personal hygiene aisle of the grocery store when a college boy(who obviously didn't want to be on THAT aisle) came walking by with his girlfriend. My son promptly and tightly attached himself to that poor guy's leg and started screaming DADDY to the top of his lungs. Yep, it was a golden moment.The look on the guys face was almost as priceless as his girlfriend's face--even after I:

A. told her that I honestly have never met her boyfriend....
and
B. Offered to send my son home with them-just in case they thought they MIGHT want kids..they declined. Go figure.

Before I had kids, I always thought that there was a perfectly good reason for any incident. So how did one of the twins end up with stitches in his head after playing croquet with his twin brother? Isn't the idea of that game to move the balls with the mallet still AT GROUND LEVEL ?

But having kids also gives you absolutely golden moments of humor. Like the time we were going through "What sound does this animal make" with the twins.

Me: Jeremy, what sound does a cow make?
Jeremy: Moo.

Me: What sound does a dog make?
J: Woof

and so on, until:

Me: What sound does a kitty cat make?
Jeremy : (sticks out his fingers like claws) HISSSSSSSSSSS!

Well alrighty then...

4 comments:

Fairy Spun Fibers said...

::cackle!::

Oh, Rhonda - aren't kids-in-public just too humiliating for words some days??? Jon was like that ::shudder:: He was, in a word, HORRIBLE. On a trip to Dillons (at Thanksgiving time) when he was only 18mos old, he spied an end display of those whoopee-cushion thingies (blast the fool who did that!). Now, their father (bless his pointed male head) had bought one for them and it had broken; I was so grateful it had!

THEN Jon saw them from his cart-seat advantage. He began screaming at the TOP OF HIS LUNGS, in the incredibly crowded store:

"I WANT MY FART! I WANT MY FART! I WANT MY FART!"

Over...and over...and over...

I stood there rooted to the spot, my lower lip trembling in horrified humiliation, tears dripping down my face. I was totally trapped...the lines of people behind me stretching to the BACK of the store (!), the checker was doing her thing with the groceries (pretending not to hear the screams), the bagger was doubled over in hysteria, snorting his fool face off (a stupid-ass teenager, OF course). And everyone behind us collapsing in helpless heaps of laughter. And I'm wishing I were dead. "Oh, Lord, just strike me down, please!"

I got home, put a still-screaming Jon in Dave's arms and said..

"YOUR SON...!" Needless to say, I did NOT take Jon in public ANYWHERE again until he was nearly 6 years old. I refused.

Robin said...

Your post reminded me when we would ask my nephew (who is now a senior in high school) what sound does a turtle make and he went HI YAAA!!!. Like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Sarah Y said...

Oh, yes. My toddler strips. Often. Yesterday in a (public) play group I saw her lifting her shirt and cringed, preparing to see her naked bum next.

Rhonda said...

Sarah!
One of the twins used to "git nekked" at the drop of a hat (actually at the drop of anything!)..You know the little milestones every Mom has imprinted in her heart? For this kid, my proudest milestone was the day I could take him in the grocery store, turn around to get a can of beans, and still have a partially clothed child in the 10 seconds it took me to turn back around. Usually I would have a grinning and very naked toddler standing there. Did I mention that his twin brother had to be completely dressed at all times and would totally come unglued at Jeremy's little talent? Yep, little memories. And don't think I don't remind him of this -- frequently!