So the bad news is that I am neurotic and the good news is that apparently my condition is getting better.
Nine years ago Hubby surprised me with a seven-day cruise to the Western Caribbean. When I say surprised, I mean total shocker. We hadn’t talked about it or anything, I just opened up my Valentines card and there it was. Lovely man, I know.
Nine years ago I only had one little one. Meg was about three. I was still perfect mom. You know what I mean, I did it all right and I could tell anyone how to raise a perfect kid. Meg was a dream child in so many ways and I attributed it to me. Hubby too. But Me.
I was a wreck about leaving her. I was sure we would die on the plane and not be around to enjoy watching her grow up. I was positive that a week with her grandmas would spoil my perfect child. So I did what every perfect mom would do and I created a pamphlet, yes a pamphlet, for the grandmas. The title of the pamphlet was: How to Raise A Meg. Really, that is what I called it.
The trip came and went, all was well. Apparently my perfect child at one point jumped up on the counter and called my father in law a “lily-livered-codfish”. I, of course, thought that she was a genius for reciting Peter Pan (a personal favorite) but my father in law wasn’t impressed! She did fine and was not spoiled forever, we lived to see her again and the pamphlet was forgotten.
Until last night. Going through old pictures, by mom showed it to me at our Super Bowl get together. Oh my gracious. How embarrassed was I? Reading this pamphlet was eye-opening. I must have been an obnoxious bitch of a mom at that time. I am able to laugh at myself, but it was enlightening to see how condescending I was back then. At least I hope it was back then.
We are leaving for Hawaii on Sunday. When I say we I mean, Hubby and I. That lovely man did it again and surprised me on my birthday last year. The kids are staying home mostly with my mom. My mom in law and my sister-in-law on deck to help out as needed. I’ve called in a few favors to help with the picking up and dropping off that is needed with school age kids. There will be no pamphlets this time around as I do not have the time to make four of them, nor is there room on a piece of paper to explain all the craziness in my head that is parenting. I do have a schedule made out, a menu planned, general rules for the girls and the necessary permissions for my mom, dad and mom in law to take care of the kids.
So the good news is that I am no longer, neurotic mom. Or maybe it’s not that I’m no longer neurotic, it’s just that I don’t have time or energy to be. Hmmm.
Working with new parents I often hear the term sleeping through the night. I get a kick out of this phrase. Why? Because kids never sleep through the night.
