Out of the mouths of babes

I always call myself an "amateur mother" because, with only one kid, I feel that I am. I do not have to manage the chaos that is two or more kids vomiting at the same time. I call WildDog my furry kid, but he's pretty self-sufficient. I guess it's that herding breed or something.

Bubba and random kids have given me much food for thought lately.

"Mom, what's your favorite kind of cherry: the tart ones or maraschinos?" Bubba
Translation: I really want you take me to Bobby's Famous Frozen Custard for that ice cream you get me. I did get him distracted by arguing the merits of Rainier cherries.


"He won't come down when you call. Why?" Little girl at McDonald's recently about Bubba
My answer: He will when I tell him I'm leaving without him. He thinks climbing to the top of the play land and hiding in the tallest part until he gets threats is fun. Crazy boy.

"Mom, I think there's a storm watch. Do we go to higher ground?" Bubba
Somehow, I don't think the recent severe weather practice drill was as informative as when I was in school. I remember the bad old days: teachers had everyone in the central halls, all the classroom doors closed, and everyone was crouched with our heads tucked to avoid flying debris.

Luckily, after that first big hail storm in kindergarten, things were pretty boring at school after that. All the exciting weather, like the blizzard that closed school for a week, happened when kids were at home.


"Dad, do you know you were alive when the Super Bowl started?" Bubba
My child loves math and if you give him a few facts he starts calculating. Ah, like my parents, I have delusions of grandeur: chemist, biologist, pharmacist, engineer, doctor. In reality, Bubba is lucky: all of his aunts and great aunts have done those jobs. (The uncles are the docs.) Or even a nurse (or nursing professor) like his cousins.

What better role models for a boy to have? Aunts, uncles, and cousins in interesting jobs they find fun. That a dream I hope everyone gets to see reality. My job may be crazy, but despite Manglement's perverted view of promoting nurses' work to the "highest level of practice" by denying any education opportunity THEY might have to pay for, they can't take the enjoyment away.