To be right

Have you ever wanted to do something, only so you could prove someone wrong? So that's where I am right now. In more than one arena of life.

My best friend and I have talked about starting a book club for years. We've talked about books and the wine we will have and how meeting around the week of July 4th is a bad idea and then my birthday is coming so maybe we should look at August and then, WTF, Christmas is a horrible time to start a book club so lets look at the beginning of the year. Yeah, for a few years now.

Finally her husband got brave and said, "You guys have been planning this for years, you'll never actually do it" which was apparently all we needed. We have both said, "the timing isn't great, but he can't win". I honestly don't think he cares at all.

The other day my husband and I were talking about going running. I need someone to run with - cause my lazy butt won't do it on my own. So he said, "well, we can run together for awhile then we can split apart". I said, ummmm, excuse me? What do you mean? Keep in mind he hasn't run in years. But he is one of those annoying people that can run for a mile after drinking a 12 pack of beer.

He quickly realized he had said the wrong thing because he meant that we won't run at the same pace and he wasn't waiting for my slow butt. Ok. that's fine. I'll show him. I'm going to start running and never even ask him to go.

Except that running sucks and he is probably right. Dang it. You go run, honey. I'll be here keeping your kid alive and stuff. I still win!

The first time

I know how horrible this is going to sound so I apologize in advance, but anyone who has ever struggled with their weight, felt like the biggest person at the party, or wondered about the size of people going somewhere will understand.

I was just in a meeting with 4 other women and I was the smallest one. I honestly don't think that has ever happened before.

How many does it take?

I got a job offer last week (same company, different job) and there were 5 people listed that I would report to.

Where do I sign?

Learnings

I haven't been funny in awhile and that perplexes me. Last night as I was putting down little boy I was running through possible blog topics in my head. I know, I should have been singing him to sleep, but he often says, "Stop, momma" when I start singing.

Did I ever tell you that Brad used to play the Bass guitar for our Church? The practices were held at our house but he had to miss one week. I tried singing him the song to tell him what they were going to be playing. He said, and I quote, "Don't ever do that again." As in don't ever sing any song again lest my ears bleed and cause me to die a horrible, painful death.

But I'm not bitter. I still sing in the car. Often. Especially when he is with me.

I saw a blog the other day about motherhood and what it has taught us. Most of it was true. But each child is different and so here is what my child has taught me.

1. When planning a bedtime - don't. You have a general idea of what time you'd like to get them into bed. You also have a general idea of what you'll do with lottery winnings. One is to hire a nanny that can get my child into bed without it taking 45 minutes. Honestly, it took 45 minutes from dressing of pajamas to "go to sleep, mommy is leaving the room" and it working.

2. Boys are boys. Bodily functions are awesome. The ability to pee across the room is the best. trick. ever.

3. Waking my child up is a bad idea. He is a morning person through and through. Every morning I am greeted with a, "HI MOMMA!". At 6:00ish. But the one day I have to wake HIM up you would think I took away his paci, his blanket, all his stuffed animals and ran over them with the car right in front of him.

4. Speaking of paci - the day you take it away is the day he will actually learn how to say the word. Incessantly.

5. Large groups of people are the perfect place to announce that you "PEE PEE!!!!", or "POO POO!!!!" on the potty.

6. The first time you hear "Why, momma" it is the sweetest, most amazing thing in world. It is also the only time.

7. Your child will pick up bad habits. It may be from daycare. It may be from preschool. It may be from Nana. Most certainly from Daddy. Mommy, of course, is perfect. But one day you will be watching TV and he will pass gas and will look at you and say, "nice...". Yes. This will happen to you.

8. They will go through a phase. Mine has gone through a hitting phase, a food throwing phase, and is now is a "no" phase. Remember that you have more education that your lovely 2 year old and you will eventually win.

9. Bribery is an art. Eventually the small stuff stops working. You have to be inventive. I started with, "if you eat your beans you can have fruit." Most of the time this still works. But sometimes you have to pull out the big guns. "If you let mommy brush your teeth you can play with the faucet". Hey, he likes it, it works, I'm using it.

Damn, I hate when he is funny

Last night on the way to dinner my husband was talking about something he is building. Unfortunately my first response was, "So how much is this costing me?" Unfortunate because I shouldn't immediately go to that, and unfortunate because of his answer. He was very gracious and said he would spread the time out so it wasn't all at one time. Of course, he is still spending the money. Money is my thing. It's my idol. I don't worship it, but I rely on it too much. If you had been in situations where you didn't really know how you were going to pay for things you would be the same. I never assume money will always be there. So I'm still upset about the money, thinking what I could do with that much money, and overall plotting revenge. Then he says, "Well, if you don't want to survive the Zombie apocolypse then that is your choice." Fine, you win.

He Speaks!

Aaron is two.  He can show you on his fingers and everything.  He can pee on the potty (although usually doesn't) and pull up his own pants.  He can run and eat with only spilling 75% of it.  I've said it before, but he is just freaking awesome. 

The one thing he doesn't do is talk.  Now, he never stops making noises...they just aren't words.  He will say a few things; momma, dada, nana, thank you, i love you (melts my heart everytime), but really has no desire to talk.  I didn't talk until I was almost 3 and I'm super smart.  :)  While it may scare other moms, it really doesn't bother me much.  He understands exactly what we are telling him/asking him to do.  Plus my pediatrician said not to worry. 

So imagine my surprise when he decided to mimick someone in Target this weekend.  Aaron and I were picking out Valentine cards when a mom came around the corner.  She was clearly flustered with her children (don't judge, we've all been there).  She gave them a curt and purposeful, "Now!".  This was shortly followed by Aaron's unmistakable immitation.  Yes, she was close enough to hear him.  Yes, she turned to see who the jerk was.  Yes, I'm positive I turned crimson red.  And I'm not an Alabama fan.  I said, "I am so sorry" but she was a little too far away to hear my meek reply.  Mortified doesn't even begin to describe it.  But I couldn't help but laugh at my child who doesn't speak!

She walked off and I was positive the daggers she shot at me and Aaron had just narrowly missed.  Well, a few minutes later and no closer to finding a card she came back.  I had no where to run.  I saw her coming and immediately said again, "I'm really sorry".  She took me by surprise.  She actually responded, "Actually, hearing him helped my stress level return to normal."  I told her that he doesn't really even talk.  She said, well, I guess he needed to say it and I needed to hear it. 

I hope that one day when I am angry with Aaron (or Brad) in the store and a small child mimicks me that I am as gracious as this woman was.  A bigger hope would be to keep my attitude in check.  But I'll settle for the former...

Maddie Girl

We had to put our dog down a few weeks ago.  As anyone with a pet can imagine, it isn't always an easy decision to make.  My mother reminded me that we had been wondering if it was time for well over 6 months.  It still wasn't easy to do, but the time had come when it was best for her.  But I miss her.

We've had Maddie since she was a puppy and we basically were the same, pups.  Brad and I were in college went she came to live with him.  She was such a regal dog.  Most of my friends were scared of her and most of his helped to take care of her.  Maddie would have been 16 in April.  I've never known life as an adult without her.  I haven't known married life without her. 

As we were leaving the vet's office that day he asked, "what is the funniest/stupidest thing she ever did?".  I couldn't think of one stupid thing she had ever done.  Funny, though, I had a few. 

Maddie could fall asleep standing up, and liked to exercise this skill often.
Maddie liked to curl into the smallest possible space to sleep.  And with Doberman legs this wasn't always easy.
She slept on her own bed (after we broke her of having to sleep with us) and she would carry her bed all over the house.  In fact one night I thought someone had broken in the house and was noisily walking down the hall, only to discover it was Maddie moving her bed from the family room. 
She used to want to sit between me and Brad on the couch (again, before we broke her of that habit). 
She once pinched my butt between her front teeth because I was hugging Brad (clearly she was his dog).
Maddie knew the exact way to burrow her nose under the covers to wake you up the quickest. 
She was a master ventriloquist.  She could make tons of noises and her mouth never opened. 

Maddie was fiercely protective too.  I once saw her make an ex-Marine scream like a kid.  To Maddie's credit he walked in our house without knocking. 
But she loved other dogs.  Taking her for walks was tough because she knew they were out there for her to play with. 

Maddie was our baby when we thought we couldn't have any.  And she carried us through.  And for that I will forever be grateful.

Goodbye, Maddie girl.  Say hi to kitty for me.