Teachable Moments for the U-Mom

Hey there! Guess what I learned this past weekend, solo with the Urban Kids?

First, don't let them know you're afraid. They can smell fear. Now, U-Kid 2 can't smell her own pull-up and will deny deny deny that she needs a fresh one. She also can sense her mom's exasperation and will not announce a need to use the potty no matter how many hours of Dora the Explorer you promise her. But the U-Kids, however, can definitely smell fear. So it was time to put on a brave face.

Second, I learned that cooking U-Kid 1's favorite meal and lightening the hell up helped too.

Third, I learned that a beautiful day on the school playground is nothing less than a Godsend. Friends who will meet you there with their kids? Ditto.

Fourth, rainy days bite. However, taking the U-Kids to the gym and maxing out the 2-hour limit at the awesome child care facility does not.

Fifth, extra computer time and a few extra vids help too. Not caring if school gets done or not does too.

Sixth, U-Dad's absence causes my previously undiscovered bionic hearing to kick in. Seriously, it was three nights of hearing every single flippin' sound in our house, plus our landlord's upstairs, plus the house across the street, as well as the whole next block.

Seventh, the first night of a nasty head cold is just so gross.

Eighth, Best Namma Ever! and the Pink Power Ranger are excellent listeners. And BNE! probably can't get enough of me saying, "Oh my gawd, I am so sorry for everything I ever said and did after your divorce 31 years ago!"

Finally, that I'm really quite capable! You could mistake me for an actual grown-up! I strictly enforced nap/quiet time and bedtime -- afterall, enough was enough already rest is always essential. But the three of us did fine. I chugged through it all without breaking a sweat (or even a nail!). I had to keep my sh*t together because I was the only grown-up here. The real grown-up was off dealing with his own freak-show relatives.

But seriously, can we have some perspective here? As we drove away from the airport after dropping off U-Dad, U-Kid 1 let loose with the most dramatic lamentations. You see, we've never done this before. I take the U-Kids down to St. Louis to see my family once in a while, but U-Dad is always here. Well, except when all four of us pile in for the annual summer road trip. So him being the one to go was a first for U-Kid 1. So for perspective, I assured her that we were coming right back on Sunday night to pick him up. And I reminded her that her friend R has parents who are both pilots. So one or the other are often gone for a week at at a time. Sometimes they're both gone and her Grandma has to come visit. Considering their crazy schedules, this particular family spends an admirable amount of time together. She likes this family a lot, so that quickly calmed her.

I hesitated to go too far into a discussion about military parents. She & U-Dad do prayers most nights, and he always makes it a point to include our soldiers and to explain to her why we do. He's much better and the why-why-why's that accompany that talk and can do it accurately,yet without scaring the daylights out of her. But wow, I'm including the spouses left back at home much, much more emphatically now.

So yeah, we're spoiled. I'm spoiled. And totally rotten too. Right down to my squishy core. (thankyougodthankyougodthankyougod)

Oh, and we only did Happy Meals one night -- the night we collected U-Dad from Midway Airport.

(taaa daaaaaa -- hee hee)

Yes, those of you who know me know that this is indeed proud news for the U-Mom.

So no, despite my fears, this weekend did not suck. Not one bit. (U-Dad's, however, did. But that's another post.)

Ok, stop reading now and go hug someone ya love!