7 Quick Takes Friday

1.  My hair

See yesterday's post for the story. I only have one picture so far.  My son snapped it with his cell phone.  Here you go folks. 

I'll stop complaining.  It's just a shock to me, not what I've been used to, and I hadn't planned to go this dark. 

2.  Anna Maria Finally has a tooth! 

She's 8 months and we're finally getting one.  Given how fussy she was for this one, I'm not looking forward to the incoming remaining 19 or so we will have to endure.   But I love her smile.  I love the way her upper lip is a bit crooked when she grins.  She's jamming her whole five fingers in her mouth right now so I predict a shower of teeth in the upcoming weeks. 

Obigatory Cute Baby Picture

Last days of the toothless grin.


3.  In the News Today...things happened, people are hurting, our side is right, if you think otherwise, you're a dope.  That is all.

I'm starting to think about giving up being informed because it's hard to sift through all the stuff right, left, radical, commonsense, opinion, fact on any topic, even the weather.   What is hyperbole in this day and age?  What is truth?  For a time, I tried reading opposite ends of the spectrum but who has that kind of mental energy?  For a time, I cherry picked from real clear politics, the Washington post and the radio.  But how do I know if I'm just seeking my comfort zone and ignoring reality if I only read my favorites?  And how do I keep from poisoning my own spirit while trying to stay informed? We have plenty of voices with earnest conviction, cheerleaders for their side, but how many of them are of both Truth and Charity?   

4.  The Credit Card Diet

Last month, my son started gaining the Freshman 15, he got as far as 7.  Then, we saw the bill.  A lot of dining at McDonald's and California Pizza will do that. After paying his tab, my son voluntarily gave up his credit card.  He's lost five pounds.  Wondering if I should follow suit. 

5. The Food Network has Ruined Me

Ah, the irony of juxtapositioning blurbs. 

When I watch TV, I watch those cooking shows like Top Chef and Iron Chef and Food Truck Race and Diners Drive Ins and Dives and Good Eats.  These days, I get to see about two a week. But even at that regulated pace, I now cannot fully enjoy myself at a restaurant. The other day, I went to a Mexican food place we don't normally haunt.  I found my brain saying, "This salsa has a wonderful chunkiness and flavor but it lacks that third element that makes it a salsa; there's no heat or bite to this, it's like a gazpatso with cumin and cilantro.  If it were a soup, it would be rocking but as a salsa, it falls flat."  Cue dramatic music while the chef hangs her head in shame.   I'm left wondering, "How did Bobby Flay and Robert Irvine get in my brain and how do I get them out?" Hint to Sherry: Give up eating out.

6.  What I'm Trying to Read

Discovering Chesterton after 40 is probably best.  Just starting on his autobiography.  My problem with reading is when I get to the end of the day, I start to read and I'm instantly down for the count.  No insomnia here.  But it does mean finishing a book is s.....l....o....w....g...o...i...n...g. I have to hope G.K. is amused because I've been at this three days.  I'm on page 3.

7. Halloween

Being immature at heart, I love this holiday.  Right now, I have to create Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy, yes I've got three My Little Ponies at my house.  I'll post pictures when they're finished.
I don't know what the boys are going to be, but that's my project for this weekend.   What are you doing for October 31st?

Professor Xavier, my son

Several children had gift certificates from Christmas burning holes in their pockets so I agreed after extracting a folding party, to take them to the stores where they could shop unrestricted.

Loading the car, the kids began a game called "Mind reader." One child, in this case the oldest, is the predictor. He then tells each sibling what they are thinking.

"What am I thinking?" his sister asked, she was fumbling with her wallet and looking out the window.

"That this isn't the way to Barnes and Noble, it's the way to Borders and you don't have a gift certificate for there but you want to buy books."

"Score one." I thought.

"What am I thinking?" his second sister asked while playing with her split ends.

"You're wondering if we're going to have time to get hair cuts or if Mom is going to make us go to the cuttery instead of going to Best Buy. You want to get a new game for your DS with the 42 dollars you saved up."

Okay, he's paying attention.

The ten year old had been snickering and now began kicking his brother's seat. "What am I thinking?"

"How can I annoy my brother?"

"Ummmmmmnnnn." his grin told his brother, he was indeed, the winner of this game.

"My turn." I grinned. "What am I thinking?"

My son smiled and thought for a minute, "Why is it that you are so dialed in that you can guess what your siblings are thinking, but you can't remember to study extra for German or clean your room or practice trombone."

Before I thought he was just using social cues to craft his answers but now I'm thinking, my son has a gift.

Say Cheese!

Back when my second son was in Kindergarten, he felt determined to distinguish himself from his older brother. So it was that he perpetually was the Calvin of the family, building fantastic worlds and also occasionally delighting more than was pure in pure mischief. A note came home from school about individual portraits the following week and being a dutiful mom, I took him for a hair cut, picked up a new shirt at Target and filled out the forms for the E packet, 2 5x7 and a bunch of wallets.

Driving to school that morning, my son seemed more pensive than usual.

"Mom?" his small high voice asked with all the seriousness of a big question to come.

"Yes?"

"Today's school picture day."
"I know. I filled out the form..."

"Mom?"
"Yes?"

"Can I make a face?" It was a daring request. I mulled over the possibilities. This was a small deal. There would be other photos.

"Sure!" and I quick fired off an explanation note to the would be concerned parent volunteer/photographer and teacher. "It is okay if my son makes a silly face during his picture. I promise no matter how absurd it turns out, I'll buy it."

And he went into school happy.

When the photo came back, it was honestly the best shot the kid ever took. He smiled, he looked at the camera, he could have been the model kid used to convince others "Hey, I want a photo too."

Fast forward to present day. My son does not like hair cuts. One time he got a buzz because of an overzealous razor wielding Delilah and ever since, he fights anyone coming near his locks for as long as possible. It takes bribes. It takes demands. It takes dragging him out under extreme protests. I put it off as long as possible too as a result.

But the time had come.

I told him, you're getting a cut tonight while your brother is at Trombone lessons.
He protested all the way to the car and all the way there. Getting to the salon, I tried reason. "You can have input on what your hair will look like, or I can pick."

I thought I'd broken through when he sat next to me scanning the options. He picked a bright green Mohawk. But Mother is not an idiot. She remembered the face making request. He'd been dealt his hand, he was bluffing.

"Sure." and I signaled the woman who was standing waiting for his choice.

"No. No. No. No. No." He frantically scanned through the remaining photos and settled on arguably the most conservative cut in the whole book, and that includes the brides.

I kept offering to get the goo so he could have spikes. I told him I wore spikes back in high school. He couldn't get out of the store fast enough. I think he secretly feared the shears would follow him and start snipping more.

I know my decision could have resulted in a punk 4th grader, and his whole class or the Grandparents would have freaked at the sight but playing Texas Hold'em with my children over the years, I've learned that I'm the house.

And they should know, never bet against the house. House Rules. House wins.

Small Success Thursday

Every Thursday, we celebrate success.

This past week, we made it to the photographer to get three of the nine portraits and are scheduled for a full shot next Tuesday.

Parenting is 90% discernment of "What's my motivation?" with each individual child. For the entire season, one daughter has NOT wanted to participate in the sport she is playing. We decided this was a character building moment and didn't let her opt out, but upon offering an appropriate bribe of new books, she agreed to play with her whole heart. The subsequent attitude adjustment yielded a tripple play to win a spot in the playoff championship game from the same player.

Got a hair cut. It's kind of like the triumph of getting a shower for a new mom. It should be baseline but we all know, it isn't.