Well, there it is. Age.

Once again, I was asked if I was spending the day with my granddaughter by a store associate trying to get me to sign up for a credit card.  "No, my daughter", I said.  "Well, she will keep you young".  I walked away thinking obviously your theory is flawed and not working in my case.  OK, I did look at myself, and I am a little older than most parents of a 6 year old (she is my baby). I was wearing clothes a few years old, my hair air dried, and my crunchy granola shoes on.  In my defense, I did have makeup on.  But lets face it.  When you are asked by 3 different strangers over a 16 month period about your grand kids.  You look old.

I own my age.  It is what it is and I am okay with it.  We got a late start with kids (late 20's) due to some fertility issues.  Then a few more years of delay due to Peter's health.  But we wrapped things up in my mid-late 30's.  I didn't know that I would be asked repeatedly if my kids were my grand kids.  Now  I know why women consider plastic surgery.  If I could afford it, I probably would jump on board right about now.  Just about every part of me sags.  TMI I know.  Well, there it is.  Age.  We have been friends all my life, but I kind feel like my friend is turning on me now. 

Erin's Baptism Day

Saturday was a special day.  Here is my Erin ready for her baptism.  She is growing up so fast and becoming a beautiful young lady.

Too aggressive?

I was at a dance competition most of the day.  In between dances, I was in the dressing room with some other mom's and kids.  I was standing by two women and noticed them bend down to check on one of their girls who was coughing?  I heard the mom say to her 2-3 yr old "are you choking'?  She coughed a few more times then stopped.  Her mom asked her friend "should we do the Heimlich".  By then I had the girl upside down giving her a few shakes hoping gravity would help out.  Stood her up, no air, flipped her over again, pounded a few times on her back and set her back down.  She coughed and then cleared whatever was blocking her throat.  Then I looked up to see her mom and the friend looking at me with maybe horror on their faces.  I apologized for just jumping in.  She offered thanks and went to care for her little one.  Then they kind of avoided me the rest of the day.  Our girls dance together and we chit chat fairly often.  I felt like maybe I was too aggressive.  I don't know.  I feel bad that maybe they thought I did something I should not have done.  She may have cleared it on her own.   I know I shouldn't let it bother me because I feel I did the right thing. But it does.

Things I learn on the ride home

The daily drive home from picking up my son from Jr. High is at times highly entertaining.  Here is what I learned today.

There is an underground soda ring, that is not really underground.  Soda is banned from the vending machines, but readily available from any given locker.  And, its only 50 cents.

My son announced that he has a six pack.  Well actually its a four and a half pack.  He showed it to me once he found the right lighting in the room. 

Stay tuned for more ride home updates....

Good parent vs Cool parent. Can they be one in the same?

My oldest is in a play at the Jr. High.  They have rehearsal everyday after school.  Today while I was running around town I got a call and it goes something like this...

Mom, we are super hungry. We need some food.

What? I'm really busy.

Can you bring us Arby's curly fries?  (sounding annoyed)

No.  I'm not your on call delivery person.  I have to run to the post office and then pick up Brenna from Dance.  Besides the nearest Arby's is far away.   Why would you think I would drop everything and bring you food at school? And...it bugs me that you seem annoyed that I happened to be busy.

Sigh...no just wondering if you would.

Sorry.  bye.

Then I drove for a minute.  Pondering the audacity of my 14 yr old and his call for food.  Then I thought about when I was 14 and the super cool ideas I had at the time that most certainly involved a parent to make it happen.  Then I thought about the fact that he is a good kid and that I ride him pretty hard to maintain good grades.  Then I thought about how cool it was to have a mom that did that kind of stuff for me.  Then I thought about the kind of mom I wanted to be.  Did I want to be the mom who was stuffy and stiff all the time.  You know, the kind that your kid can't wait to get away from.  Or did I want to be the kind of mom that might go out of her way a bit to bring a snack over to a hungry kid and his friends at play practice. 

I pulled into the nearest gas station, loaded up a bag of munchers, and headed toward the school.  I called and told him I wasn't going out of my way to Arby's but I did pick up something and would meet him at the door in 5 minutes.  His response.. Yes!  Sweet!  thanks mom.

Skiing Nerds

We finally got a chance to get some skiing in this season.  The boys and their cousins after hanging out on the slopes. Sorry about the quality (a picture of a picture).

 Nerd day was a great success. Love my creative nerd boy.