Top 10 Family Moments of 2013, Part 2

Last week I gave you Nos. 10 through 6 of my most memorable family moments of this year. Here is the Top 5:

5. Funny Kids: There is always something to write about.

Try as they might though, my kids are often funniest when they don’t mean to be.

“Mom, what are you writing about this week?”

“How funny you kids are,” I replied. “You are just little comedians.”

I saw the flicker in my son’s eyes, the moment of thought and confusion.

“We aren’t comedians,” he said. “We are Republicans.”

4. Dancing Diva: Other than demanding to wear a princess costume and telling the dance instructor that her name was Rainy, my daughter’s first crack at an extra curricular activity was a success. She hopped, popped and tapped her way through with a grin from ear to ear. When another mom pointed out how well she did, the Princess, with her hand on her hip, all shyness diminished, replied, “Yes, I did!”

3. The Anniversary Card: Sweet gesture, but not so innocent.

The front of the card simply reads, “Since Dad is so good at math, here is a problem.”

Inside the card he wrote: lips + lips = kiss (you should do this). Funny, right?

While sorting through a pile of papers that were begging to be put away or tossed, I came across the card and read it again.

But, were my eyes deceiving me? No. After many lectures about erasing completely, my son failed to do so.

Lightly faded underneath the word “kiss” my son had written and then erased – sort of – “make out.” (GASP!) How does he know what that is? But the glaring question really is: how does he know to erase “make out” and write something else?

2. Childhood dilemmas: To be, or not to be president.

Our oldest doesn’t talk too much about what he wants to be when he grows up but he’s contemplating the pros and cons of becoming president.

“Mom, there are two reasons I do not want to be president,” he said. “Paperwork and meetings.”

“But there are two reasons I do want to be president,” he continued. “A bowling alley in the White House and a private jet.”

1. Boys scream, too and that’s no bull(frog).

Poor Ed. I had his best interest in mind when I approved the bullfrog rescue mission, but the mission went south when the dog escaped. Ed panicked and jumped. The boys yelped, Ed hopped and slipped, the dog attacked and Ed fell off the deck. I screamed. The Princess screamed. The boys screamed and Ed ended up in the clamping jaws of the dog. He finally dropped Ed onto the ground. Ed limped away as fast as he could and fell over.

“Someone flip him over!” I yelled. The brave boys looked at me like I was crazy.

“OK, then someone go get Grandpa!” (And, good news: Ed did not croak).

Many thanks to you for reading Motherhood. Happy Thanksgiving!

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