Roll Out the Barrel

My children always amaze me- with their humor, intelligence and compassion. Some days, however, bring me to new heights of parental awareness.

Annabelle was a fairly easy going toddler- at least I think I remember it that way- let's just assume my muddled mind is correct in this. I swear estrogen has something in it that makes us forget or softens the edges of reality. Anyhow-

My son has done everything in his power to do everything the exact opposite of Abby. From the difficult pregnancy to his sleep patterns. This is not bad, it's fine, he is being his own person. What it means though is Randy and I still have no idea what to do with a toddler!

I'm standing in front of my sink trying to get ready for my day. I know my children have had breakfast- I fed them. Then over the din of the hair dryer I hear crying. Not the "I'm-hurt-you-better-hurry" kind of crying more of a constant whine crying. As I shuffle around the corner hoping everything is ok, I find my heart leaping to my throat. Alexander is on the table... standing on the table... yes, the kitchen table. Arms wide and tears flowing, he can't figure out how to get down. Luckily he didn't try to jump! Seventeen months old and he's a frickin' monkey! Don't get me started on the ladder for the bunk bed!

My son is also very impatient. When he wants something he wants it now and he doesn't want a substitute. Milk in a bottle, NOT a sippy cup. It's still milk kid! But No!

Randy was prepping the bath for Alexander when Alexander decided he wanted to get in.
"Hang on" "No!" Randy goes around the corner to get something only to return to find our son, in the tub... shoes and all! Fully clothed." Wait? What does this word wait mean?" Brat.

He is so funny and cute and stubborn (that's all from his Dad by the way!- Stop laughing... No, really, ALL Randy) If this is just a fraction of what I will face as a teenager- I tremble in fear. I'm beginning to think my father is right, Boys do belong in a barrel!

Wow! I'm Good! (Or is that Mediocre?)

Have you ever been told you're really good at something and then wondered what that means?

If someone tells you you're awesome at "X", doesn't their opinion depend upon their knowledge and experience with "X"? Of course it does, that was a rhetorical question, thank you.

But I wonder about other opinions, more subjective ones. Like when someone tells you you're beautiful- should you ask for a reference point? Beautiful compared to what/whom? Yes, this is a shallow question. Sorry, it's just what's on my mind.

What about skills? Am I really that great at "X"? or have you just always had a bad experience and I do alright? Or do you have no experience and can't tell bad from good?

How do you react when some says something complimentary about you and then says the same about some one else. But in your mind that other person is not at all like you and you find them less than complimentary? Basically in non-PC language... You're so Hot! (cool) She's so hot! (She is NOT!) DAMN! Does that mean I look like her? The "her" I find less than cute?

Again, I know this a shallow and superficial dialog, but if you go deeper and look at the less superficial cases, the fact still remains that I can't really know where I am on the grand scale of things. Except by using someone else as a gauge- and sometimes that makes me very uncomfortable when I look at their "yardstick". How do I measure up? Do I want to be measured by that stick?

Ugh. So I hate to even say it but, how do I measure up? How do I measure up against my own "yardstick"? I don't know, but isn't there a joke out there about 6 inches and how men and women measure the distance?