What a Wonderful Life

I do not recall, in all my many years, thinking the relationship between parent and child would be one of almost constant laughter.  Sure there were sitcoms where laughter ensued, but not between the parent(s) and child(ren).  So, imagine my surprise to find this is exactly the kind of relationship I have with my children, mostly my middle child.   

Amanda is fun.  She is funny, too.  But funny can happen to anyone.  How many people do we meet in life that we think are really just fun?  And to think I had something to do with this. Not sure if that is good or bad.  Maybe it just is.

She is home today.  She attempted school, but her science and math teachers both thought she looked a bit rough.  The school nurse said she could either go home or they would give her a peppermint and she could go on to class.  Seriously.  The school thinks any ailment can be fixed with a peppermint.  Yeah, she called and I sent the husband to retrieve her.  I was up late and it takes him less time to get ready.  

She is sitting on the couch playing Runescape, I suspect.  I did ask why she is home.  If she could sit there and play on the computer then she could sit in class, couldn't she?  No matter.  Earlier I read Lgali's hub Which is Most Funny Excuse? and shared #3 with her.  Some might take offense when you say, "Hey, this is you," not Amanda.  She laughed and agreed.   

Megan, the oldest, is fun too.  A different kind of fun, though.  She is a bit more prim and proper.  She dresses quite uniquely and follows her own path.  Meg is fun in a different way.  Not the constant cracking up of her sister, Meg wants to dance through Abercrombie & Fitch, if she can tolerate the smell.  She thinks it would be fun. 

This is the child I take shopping when I want to actually shop.  If only her feet were not so small.  We can share some clothes, although I try to dress a bit more my age.  Nothing worse than a mom who cannot accept she is no longer a teenager.  Well, except while chaperoning teenagers.  I am not so stuffy that I am a drag on school trips.  

And Stephen, well he has the distinct misfortune to being the youngest, the only boy, and having two bossy sisters.  He is trying.  It can be a bit intimidating sitting at the dinner table and the banter flying.  He gets a laugh and keeps on the same thing.  But he is learning.  He repeats, but not as much.  He has a memory like nothing I have seen when it comes to trivial crap.  Useless commercial, he knows it.  Some inane rambling from a television show, he will repeat it, verbatim.  Quick wit, only occasionally.  He will find his stride. 

(The boy is a bit camera shy.)

I must confess they come by this honestly.  I would blame their father, but he has not been in their lives since 2001.  No, this is primarily my fault.  Although the rest of the family is equally nuts.  I am becoming my mother.  I remind my children of what they have to look forward to every time they tell me I am acting like Grandma.  And they do not even try to pretend it will not happen to them.   

So there you have it.  I have gushed and gone on and on about my kids.  They grow so fast and I will most certainly miss them when they are out on their own.  Megan graduates this year, so it will begin soon enough.  For now, I am grateful for the fun and joy of my family.