The iKid

Someday we are going to fight a lot. A LOT. But most days I can appreciate the strong willed, independent nature of my daughter.

My Grandma said today that no wonder Rory is so free spirited...I have been raising my kids to explore and be be adventurous and to be....free spirited...

Um...so I am a bad parent?

She assures me I am not, but that I am always much too worried about being one.

Tonight I got a text. I opened up my phone to see it was from DeDe McGee. There is a voice mail attached. So clever she is to have figured out that she can just record herself and send it instead of texting. 

She begins by explaining that Rory really wanted her to read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I know that this REALLY means that Kennedy just wanted to play on the iPad because that is where the book is. She goes on to say that since they were reading it without me (because we have been reading it together), she would just tell me everything that happened in the chapter they had just read. She then decides that maybe she should just READ me the chapter (this is all decided in her very long voice message). She then proceeds to read.

"Rory..LET....GO"...keeps on reading....."LET GO!!!!" ..... keeps on reading....in the background I hear..."KENNEDY LET ME HAVE IT!!!"  fumble, rustling, mumbling...keeps on reading.

And then I get this text after the voice message:

"Sorry about that Mom, Rory thought he should have the iPad, but I explained to him that you needed to know what was going on in the story for when you come home."

Wow. Defending the iPad from a perilous journey into the room of Rory, keeping me up to date on Mr. Wonka, AND a typical bedtime routine despite miles between us. Guess my free spirited children aren't turning out so badly after all. What a wonderful way to end my trip to Winnipeg. I can't wait for morning to see them and hear all about those silly little "Oompa Loompa's" in chapter who knows what.

This is Rory.

So Rory, What did the principal say to you today?
I dunno
Oh good, I am sure he will be happy to tell you again tomorrow. I will let him know you have forgotten.
Oh. Actually.....
And Mom...he likes the Leafs....he has Leafs stuff in his office.
You aren't supposed to be in his office. Tomorrow is a fresh start. Please let it be filled with good choices.
I love you anyways Mom. I love you anyways too Rory.

My son is the most remarkable young man. As remarkable as every other son to their mother.  He is remarkably frustrating, loving, anxious and beautiful in the same breath. He causes me so much stress that sometimes I just sit after he goes to bed and worry. Sometimes I laugh at the things he has invented. Sometimes I have to get angry because he sneaks out of bed because he "just has to tell me something." His view of the world is always skewed from the angle of a small boy who views the world as a happy place where Mom and Dad love him and will always hug him goodnight despite the day he has had. This is Rory.

A boy whose arse is often glued to a bike seat with a dog running along beside him.
A boy who struggles to sit and do school work in a classroom full of noise and distraction.
A boy who is already capable of seeing that he would work best alone, could he just bring his school work home everyday?
A boy who loves spaghetti...but without anything on it. Macaroni...without cheese.
A boy who when he IS in a bit of trouble, begins every apology with "Mom, Your hair looks really nice today."
Believes that the first day of hockey is a national holiday.
A boy who loves his baby cousin so much that when he hears we are visiting her, he jumps and cheers.
A boy who pretends not to notice when his friends leave him out but cries before bed after it happens.
A boy who knows that with each morning is a fresh start.
A boy who wants to save the world by taking photos on his ipod of people running the stop sign beside the field that he and Daddy are in.
A boy who forgives and forgets in a second.
A boy who loves to cook in the kitchen, learn by doing, and create with endless supplies.
A boy who will stop anything to cuddle on the couch to hear a chapter of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
A boy who is giving his teachers a lot of gray hair but who loves them dearly.

Is it Friday yet?

On turning 29 and 363 days

I am not in my 30's. Just for the record.

I did, however, enjoy a good giggle this morning when my sister in law texted me "Happy Birthday". I was practically on cloud 9 to write back "Thank you, but it is not my birthday."

But turning 30 is better than the alternative. And I always felt that 30 would be the ideal age. Too bad I am not 30.

Steve has been 30 forEVER. He seems to be handling it well.

I used to lie about my age so people would take me seriously. Now I realize that not many will ever take me seriously...but I am going to keep lying about my age so that I can at least be ID'd.

One of my students guessed my age to be 50 today when I received a beautiful bouquet in my classroom.

I kindly explained that it was a celebration of my 29 and 363days birthday.

Okay, so if I ever do turn 30, here is what I want for the day:

1) It to be on a Sunday so I can sleep in and be at home with my awesome kids.
2) For it to be during the most beautiful month of the year.


I am not hard to please.

But I am not 30.