I was at Freddy’s last weekend, picking up this and that when I noticed they had their summer clothes on sale for 50% off. All of my darn kids have grown since last summer (can’t this shooting up a size or two be like a bi-annual thing or something?), so I looked around for shorts for everyone.
I picked out a few things for the girls, and then moved on to the boys section. I looked around, and all I saw was plaid. Plaid shorts everywhere. Now I’m thinking these plaid shorts are pretty cool, but Tyler tends to be on the more conservative side, so I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about them. I called him up.
Me: So I’m at the store looking for shorts for you, and everything’s plaid.
Tyler: OK.
Me: Are you OK with plaid? Is that what the kids are wearing at school these days? (Is that what the kids are wearing at school these days?!)
Tyler: Yeah, plaid’s fine.
And then I proceeded to describe to him the different color/stripe thickness combinations to try to get a feel for whether there was a difference between cool plaid and dork plaid because, you know, I’d like to think I’m the kind of mother who wouldn’t buy the dork plaid. Actually, I’d like to think I’m the kind of mother who wouldn’t buy the dork plaid without any special instruction from anyone else, but frankly, I have no such confidence in myself. I have no idea what’s cool anymore. And did I mention I said, “Is that what the kids are wearing at school these days?”?! No wonder my children have taken to rolling their eyes at me.
I used to roll my eyes at my mother when she whistled along to Personal Jesus on the radio (you don’t whistle to DM!), when she said words like “annual” (it’s a yearbook, Mom!), when she came home from a shopping trip with the dork plaid. I swore to myself I would never be old. That Mom old. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Yesterday, driving in the car, I looked over at Tyler and the slight scowl he had on his face and realized he’s doing his best to settle into that prepubescent angst I’ve been dreading since the day he was born. I worry sometimes that he’s going to start seeing me as That Mom—the woman who has no clue, the one who doesn’t understand him (or anything else, for that matter) at all. The next few years are going to be tough. I’m hoping, at least every once in awhile, he’ll be able to see past That Mom whistling along to Boom Boom Pow (or whatever it is kids are listening to these days) and just let me be his mom.
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At the dinner table.
Tyler: Can I get a handlebar moustache?
Me: Like at the store?
Tyler: No, grow one.
Me: If you can grow a handlebar moustache, you can have one.
McKenzie: Why would you ask that?
Tyler: What? Handlebar moustaches are awesome.
McKenzie: No, I mean wouldn’t you just be able to decide for yourself?
Tyler: But I might still be living at home when I grow hair. You never know.
Maybe there’s hope for us yet.
3 comments:
Okay - that is too funny - I totally remember MOO whistling to DM - and I was just telling my kids about that last week! we are on the same page!
Yes, I think Aaron thinks that of me - he says I don't listen to him. It's true sometimes.
And I would LOVE to see Tyler with an handlebar mustache - and then I will gladly shave that off for him! LOL - kids these days - you did bring him into the world and you can just as easily take him out - just tell him to be forewarned! Or you can threaten him with Kimmie - that should make him quiver and shake - and LOVE you once again.
Oh my! You are too funny! That was awesome!
I know I'm totally going to embarrass my kids, but it will only be fair, as often as they've embarrassed me. Not that I will even have to try to embarrass them.
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