Happy Birthday to my Little Guy!

Today my little guy turned 13. Wowza! I'm in awe of my little spook. I've never known anyone to be so comfortable in their skin. His cup is consistently way more than half full. And, well, I absolutely love and adore him. Lucky, lucky, lucky me, lucky us.

We just got home from three hours of trick-or-treating. My little guy was an awesome football clown (think rodeo clown on a football field) and I rocked it as Pippi Longstocking, totally my childhood idol. We're exhausted and utterly and completely blissed out.

Happy birthday, little dude! Thanks for choosing me to be your mom! You are so incredibly loved!

Friendship

When I was a kid I found the concept of being friends with other girls who were more than a year or two different than my own age an impossibility. The thought of an actual adult woman being my friend, well, no way. It was beyond my scope of imagination. I'm so grateful that I am no longer limited by something so insignificant as years upon this earth. The wisdom and life experience and all that my friends share with me and each other is awe-worthy. We're a lovely field of flowers, all of us, women and girls. We grow side by side and are more beautiful by virtue of those who surround us.

To all my women friends, ages 0-90, "cheers" to us!

Love, hugs, and kisses....

Technology Bytes

We took all technology away from our kiddos and the most amazing thing has happened. No surprise actually. Big guy has been on multiple bike rides and has been hanging out with real, live friends. I've hardly seen him today.  Little guy spent the day skateboarding and unicycling with friends. But...what was totally awesome was when my little guy and two friends hung out in the front yard working on getting a dead limb out of a tree.  It's been up there for several years, ever since a strong wind storm snapped a large branch from the top and it fell into a "Y" branch and there it has stayed...and stayed. Those little guys (OK, they're all just about my height or bigger, so not so little) strategized, schemed, gathered tools, and worked as an incredible team. Logs and boards flew through the air, sometimes hitting their mark, sometimes going astray. They all looked out for each other and made sure no one was in harm's way. Large pots were brought over to serve as stools for added height. And, finally, our extension pole with a saw on the end was requested. My little guy worked and worked and worked and finally, after much anticipation, that limb fell. It landed vertically and promptly fell toward him and being the agile little dude that he is, he jumped aside just in time. The weary, but ever-so-happy team congratulated themselves. They were fully aware of their awesomeness. And me? Lucky me, I got to sit inside and spy on the whole adventure. Made my day!

If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger.

~Frank Lloyd Wright

Too Many Balls in the Air

Went out to dinner tonight and the waiter guy did something that always has me nervous. He didn't write ANYTHING down when he was taking our order. And we did that confusing thing, asking lots of questions during our order, adding things, talking over each other (OK, actually it was me talking over Dave, I'm always the interrupter). The waiter walked away, seemingly confident, but as always when this happens, I couldn't relax while I waited to see what totally "opposite day" order was going to be placed in front of me. I did a really bad job of small talk, casting frequent glances in the direction of the waiter.

Me? I can't make it to the refrigerator and know why I'm there. I find myself in the laundry room only to remember that I really wanted some yogurt. I have to write down why I'm going to the school office so I don't end up just turning around and heading back to my room empty-handed (Man, when I was in a portable I wasted SO much time because of this...long walk there and back and then back again when I figured it out).

Well, happy ending. Our orders were perfect, of course. I'm thinking that next time, just for my sanity, I'll write our orders down and give them to the waitperson. Yeah, then I can make some decent conversation while we wait.

Under where?

Way too often I've been accused of having a twelve-year-old boy's sense of humor.  It's true.  I do find bodily functions, both accidental and intentional, to be hilarious.  I love awkwardness and I've been known to laugh to the point of crying watching that Johnny Knoxville cable show, you know the one.

Today as I left work I ran full force into twelve-year-old boy humor.  As I walked my bike down the sidewalk I saw a kid dancing around the stop sign pole.  I got closer and I recognized him AND he's only wearing boxer shorts!  Two boys were sitting their skateboards laughing hysterically.  I knew one of them.  He's been to my house several times, and yes, he's twelve.

"Gee, did X lose a bet or something?" I asked.  You know, I figured why the heck NOT ask, right?

They jumped...pretty sure they weren't expecting anyone to walk by, much less a teacher at the school AND one of their friend's mom.

"Um, no, I just told him I'd give him something if he did it."

"Hmmmm..."  I had to keep walking.  Didn't want them to know how funny I found the whole situation.  I crossed paths with X as he walked toward his buds, still in his boxer shorts, carrying his clothes in one arm.

"Hey, X, how's it going?"

"Fine."  He flashed me a smile that definitely should've been more sheepish.

When I got home I relayed the afternoon's events to my little guy.

"Oh, yeah, they're always doing stuff like that.  You know [an anonymous convenience store] has that sign on their door that says NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO SERVICE?"  He was clearly gearing up to his "even better" story.

"No, I've never noticed it."  Gee, what was coming next?

"Well, they wore their shoes and their shirts but went in wearing their boxer shorts."  Man, he was beaming with pride for his peeps.  "Not me, mom, I never did it," he quickly added.

Pretty sure I don't want him to know that I'd be beaming with a little pride myself if he had. 

"Junk" in my Trunk

Watching, well sort of watching (to the best of my ability), my kid's football game, sitting most comfortably in a stadium chair I picked up from my neighbors' curb. Lucky for me I pass their house pretty much every day and usually more than once. They put out anything and everything out there and I'm all about snatching it up. Our outdoor furniture, lamps, some boots, a treadmill, and much, much more...it's all mine now! They're on to me, though. A couple of weeks ago they actually drove over and knocked on our door to give us stuff directly! Major score, too, as it was two beautiful antique tables and four matching chairs. We LOVE their hand-me-downs and as long as they're putting stuff out on the curb, I refuse to grow up and completely provide for myself.

And, gosh, I'm getting positively tingly about the upcoming bulky pickup. South Austin Swap Meet bliss! We can all put out on the curb stuff that didn't work out from last time's.

Bravery Shravery

Outside tonight watching my kid set a new personal best record for distance unicycling.  Yeah, he totally did it.  A neighbor (a young mother) came out and told me, "You're so brave as a mother!"

I manage to stop myself before I say, "Oh, you just wait."  But, I'm thinking, "Me?  The brave one?"  I mean really, gosh, I'm just going on the crazy ride with my kid.  HE's the brave one.  He's had five broken bones (enough to justify this crafty mom making a mobile out of his cast collection...it is now proudly hanging in his bedroom) and I think, at last count, eight visits to the E.R.  And this doesn't count all the free visits to the E.R. Doc who lives across the street.  Let's just take a moment to be thankful for his home shopping decision!

No, I'm not brave, I'm just seriously broken in.  There's hardly anything my kid can do that will make me gasp with worry or fear.  It's serious fun watching him do it to other people, though.