Will The Real Mom Please Come Home?

Sometimes I can't believe that I have two kids.  It almost feels like I'm playing house or I'm doing a really long babysit.  Surely the real mom will be coming home any minute.  When one of the kids melts down, particularly if we're out in public, I'll join the rest of the crowd and look to see where that child's mom is.  Then it will hit me as I'm watching said child lick the post office floor or try to hang upside down from a grocery cart that I'm his mom and a tinge of panic tends to set in.  Funny how these moments of doubt don't seem to come when my kids are being sweet and loving. 

This past Saturday my husband and I were invited to a dinner party.  We had a truly wonderful time.  For this special occasion I even ditched my uniform of jeans and a v-neck shirt and dressed nicely in a skirt and blouse.  The hostess served us on her china and we used real silverware.  There were fresh flowers and candles on the table.  It was beautiful.  I kept on having to remind myself though that I was old enough to eat off of real china.  I was, gasp, actually a grownup.  In fact I was even two someone's mother.  It seemed almost unreal.  Fortunately there was plenty of good wine, good food and most importantly good conversation so I didn't dwell on it. 

The next day, yesterday, I decided to take my older son (OS) sledding.  This was a bad idea for many reasons, the biggest one being that apparently OS hates sledding.  He was perfectly happy to watch me sled though.  As I was swooshing down the hills, I kept on thinking that I felt really young.  That is until I wiped out on the sled.  As I stood up and brushed the snow off my jeans, I could feel more snow gathering in my underwear.  I had one thought:  If I was wearing those big puffy snow pants not only would I not have wet cold underwear, but they would have provided padding.  I distinctly remember thinking as a teenager that I would rather suffer from frost bite than wear the puffy snow pants that all the little kids and moms wore.  Give me another couple years and my dream will be to own a pair of puffy bib snow pants.  I guess I'm not really as young as I thought I was. 

A. Elliot's Lesson Learned:  You can figure out where in life someone is by their dream snow pants.

Cross posted at Formula Fed and Flexible Parenting

Comments

[MamaLee]

Oh my, I have the same thoughts as you. It's amazing to realize that we are moms. Who and when did THAT happen? I am responsible for WHO? How many? It's daunting at times. I'm glad you got out as an adult!

And the whole sledding thing is overrated. I used to be out there in the snow for hours at a time as a kid, but now, forget it. I don't feel like shoveling, never mind sitting in the white, wet stuff!

[Fairly Odd Mother]

Don't feel too bad. I went out shopping alone the other day and wore snow boots. Yes, snow boots. I have no pride whatsoever.

[LifeAsIKnowIt]

I got snowpants for the first time last year and they have improved drastically since the ones I wore as a kid!
They aren't bulky at all, and make SUCH a difference in being able to enjoy the snow and cold.

I think I just sounded old and practical, didn't I?

Sigh.