And I'm Already Out of the Running...

[milee]

We're only two days into 2014 and I'm already out of the running for Mother of the Year. 

Tonight, I dropped our younger son off at swim practice and rushed home to make dinner.  An hour later, DH brought the little guy home and they casually walked into the kitchen and started chatting.  After a few minutes of meaningless fluff - what's for dinner, etc - I notice something odd.

Me:  Sweetie, why is your hair dry?

Son:  Oh, the pool was closed.  There was no swimming.

Me:    It's dark and raining, what did you do for an hour down there?!?

Son:  I walked around for a little bit and then talked to an adult at the front desk.  We made friends and played with some of the other kids.

Me:  Um, OK.  Why didn't you call me?

Son:  I did - three times.  But you didn't answer so I just hung out and talked to people.  [Shrug]

Me:   Uh, sorry, I thought that was a telemarketer. 

Oops.  Maybe the worst part was when we were all eating dinner and laughing about how I was out of the running for Mother of the Year, DH sadly said that it wasn't a big deal since I wasn't really in the running anyway. 

[swamp]

I was never in the running. 

[milee]

My older son is exactly like the Alex P Keaton character from that old show Family Ties; he even wears a suit and tie to school about half the time. Alex P is not a huge fan of my driving and is constantly shouting out things like "Get your hands back on the steering wheel!" or "Oh, my God! You're driving 20 mph over the limit!"  Total drag.

Anyway, at dinner the younger son went into more detail about tonight.  Younger son explained that when he realized there was no swimming, he went running out after my car, but couldn't catch up.  [Picture this being said by a perfectly earnest 9 year old with a slight lisp.]

So of course now older son is doing an impression of me peeling out of the parking lot with my car up on two wheels trying to escape from the little one... Nice. 

[Deleted]

Hey, my daughter-in-law said she was totally in the running because she served cake for supper last night.

That is your competition so you still have a chance. 

[milee]

Here is the kid I abandoned in the parking lot...

s1287.photobucket.com/user/30milee/media/AndyGingerbreadHouse_zps78cde09d.jpg.html?filters[user]=131966965&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

[milee]

Note the raised eyebrow.

[milee]

Jan 2, 2014 19:30:47 GMT -5 swamp said:

I was never in the running. 

Good choice. Obviously it's all too much pressure for me.

[Nazgul Girl]

Jan 2, 2014 19:46:10 GMT -5 milee said:

Note the raised eyebrow.

That's pretty mean to abandon such a cute kid who makes such excellent gingerbread houses.

He's really, really cute.

[taz157]

Jan 2, 2014 19:54:14 GMT -5 Nazgul Girl said:

Jan 2, 2014 19:46:10 GMT -5 milee said:

Note the raised eyebrow.

That's pretty mean to abandon such a cute kid who makes such excellent gingerbread houses.

He's really, really cute.

Yeah that!

[Malarky]

I'm not only a bad mother, I'm a bad person because I actually LOL'd when I read your post. 

Been there, done that. 

All I can say is that my children have benefitted from being raised to look out for themselves. 

ETA:  If that gingerbread house was made by my kids, it would be collapsing under the sheer weight of the frosting and candy.

 

[mmhmm]

Milee, he's cute as a button!

[milee]

Jan 2, 2014 20:05:05 GMT -5 Malarky said:

If that gingerbread house was made by my kids, it would be collapsing under the sheer weight of the frosting and candy.

 

If he hadn't already eaten most of the candy that was supposed to be used for decorating... his would, too.

[Anne_in_VA]

He's adorable!

[flopsy]

Situations like this build character in children. Don't you worry you are still in the running.

[Deleted]

Milee...

LDH and I once went to town shopping. As we were nearly home to the bus stop, about 8 miles down the road, I realized it was a minimum day and that our youngest had been at the bus stop for about two or three hours.  Where we told him never to walk home from.  Oops. 

[milee]

Jan 2, 2014 20:50:18 GMT -5 @atsahsreborn said:

Milee...

LDH and I once went to town shopping. As we were nearly home to the bus stop, about 8 miles down the road, I realized it was a minimum day and that our youngest had been at the bus stop for about two or three hours.  Where we told him never to walk home from.  Oops. 

And they get so whiny when you leave them at the bus stop for any length of time. Sheesh.

[whoisjohngalt]

he is soooooo cute.

Oh I wish I could say something very wise and profound, but, let's face it there is about 100% that I'll be there in a few years, so.....

[thyme4change]

He doesn't look anything like a trailer park baby.    

He is super-cutey.  And bummer about the whole "whoops - what do you mean no swimming, and I don't answer the phone" thing.  {{sigh}}

I think my son will nominate me for mother of the year - but the reason is near depressing.  He got a Real Madrid soccer jersey (a real one) for Christmas, and then ate pizza in it.  I stain treated it, and soaked it in baking soda and hot water and got it all out.  So - I guess I know what I'm good for.  

[wvugurl26]

Aww you left that cute little face behind?

[Peace77]

That's not as bad bad as what happened to one fellow I know. The family went on a road trip and when he was in the restroom, they left.  They drove for a few hours before the noticed they were short one kid and had to turn back.

[Sum Dum Gai]

We left my youngest brother at a gas station while filling up on a road trip to see my grandparents once. We realized he was missing about twenty minutes later because it was too quiet in the car.

[Timberwolf]

The Griswalds?

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Well, I'm totally laughing about the telemarketer thing and the Alex P simile. 
I would absolutely do the same with phone calls. 

[milee]

Jan 2, 2014 21:47:22 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

He doesn't look anything like a trailer park baby.    

Well, you can only see him from the mid-chest up. From that area on down, it's trailer park all the way.

And I hear you on the laundry thing. No matter how successful we are at business, no matter what our outside accomplishments, no matter how well respected we are in the community or what our interesting hobbies are, all our kids see us as is the nice lady who washes their underwear.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Be prepared for him to bring it up for the rest of your life.

I fell out of the car in the Hy-Vee parking lot when I was about 4-5.  This was before you had to straightjacket your kid to keep them inside.  I was playing with the car door and out  I rolled.  I chased my mom, waving my arms, thru the parking lot as she drove around looking for a parking spot.

I'm 30 years old and I still find it funny to tell that story.  That is why I am the way I am today, mom.

[NancysSummerSip]

Aw, Milee, glad to know you have a swimmer in the family. And such a cutie. And he builds gingerbread houses, too?

He will make some gal very happy someday, even with a bad mother like you.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Milee, not only are you not in the running for Mother of the Year, it is also quite clear that your DH is getting the *nice* nursing home.  

You're doomed, girl.  Doomed.  

[milee]

Tuesday as I was driving the kids home from school, I mentioned to the little guy that he had swim practice that night so needed to get his homework done quickly.

There was a moment of silence and he quietly said, "I think I'm going to call the YMCA and check to see if the pool is open tonight before we go over there."

Smart kid. Guess you only have to drive away, leaving him in a dark, rainy place once... 

[Deleted]

My son has jazz band on Wednesdays after school.  That's the only day he doesn't ride the bus home and I told him to just go to after school care from 3:15-4:00 and I'd pick him up after work.  I have forgotten him 3 times already this year.  One time I was all the way home and walked into a dark house wondering where he was (we're 15 miles from town).  Last week he took my phone from me and put a reminder in my calendar. 

Yesterday I showed up at the daycare to get younger son and she looked at me all shocked (and a little worried).  She said "Eli isn't here, he goes to school on Thursday"  Oh yeah...sorry.  Off to after school care. 

[sheilaincali]

I don't think that makes you a bad mom- first of most likely many stories he'll have. Just saying parenting is not a spectator sport and most of us are just hanging on by the seat of our pants.

This week I let the Boy leave for the weekend (winter in Minnesota) with no winter coat. He has his annual Youth In Government convention up in Minneapolis/St Paul.  We had about 2 minutes before we needed to leave to get him to school on time (and meet the bus for YIG). I said "Put your new wool coat on". He said "No, I'm already wearing a suit coat and I don't want to mess with having to carry around another coat all weekend". I said "how much time do you spend outside?" he said "Like less than 5 minutes a day" 

"Fine- go with just your suit coats but you have to wear a suit coat every time you go outside and don't tell your dad I let you leave without a real coat."  Thankfully he has one suit coat with that matches half of his outfits and a black suit coat that matches the other half of his outfits.   

He balanced it out and put his weird fur line hat my dad bought him on. So there's my kid- dressed up in his slacks, button up shirt, polka dot bow tie, suspenders, suit coat and fur hat dragging his suitcase across the parking lot to the bus.    

He told me the other day I swear too much and he is going to fine me $1 every time I say the "F" word.  I told him I would be broke within a month.  His response was "just make sure I'm not in the car when you are driving because that's when you swear the most"   Thanks a lot kid