Friday, April 1, 2011

April Foolin...

Today is Friday, and that means I stay home with my kids instead of going to work and we usually run around like mad people trying to get done all of the things that don’t get done during the week. I had a weird workday yesterday (i.e. – nothing went as planned), so I was able to slip in the weekly Target trip and a few other errands. That meant that this morning, we were able to sleep in. Okay, well, our younger son N and I slept in. My husband got up early with our older son (H), read endless books, fed fish (and H) and went to work. Before he left, and I had had a full cup of coffee, he and H managed to slip in an April Fool’s trick. Being extremely gullible (and the mother of two adventurous and energetic boys) I fell for it when H said he had thrown his stuffed fish into his fish tank. Before I could barrel up the stairs to check the damage and start grousing, he shouted, “April Fools!”. Ha, ha.


After my husband went to work, I plopped with kids down with a tub full of matchbox cars and Super Why. Then I sprinted upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. After four or five interruptions, mission complete. As I stood in front of my closet wondering if there was anything to wear besides jeans and a t-shirt. In a completely inexplicable act, I picked a corduroy skirt instead of jeans. Feeling pretty good, I went downstairs and walked past my kids into the kitchen. In an instant, H turned around, looked at me and shouted, “April Fools!" I stared blankly at him for a minute wondering what I had missed, when he asked, somewhat exasperated, "Where are your pants?” And so I went back upstairs and put on pants. I felt better too. [I also laughed hysterically for about 10 minutes].


What is hilarious about this is that ANYTIME I wear a skirt, H asks where my pants are. He is SO unfamiliar with me wearing a skirt that the question is not, “Why are you wearing a skirt?” but rather “Where are your pants?” So, what have I learned today in my life accompanied by children? Here it is:


Children are incredibly perceptive. They are “little pitchers with big ears” as the adage says. Also, one of the most fabulous things about being a parent is when you see your child doing something that you do, or your partner/spouse does. And I think that this is what makes them a part of us and who we are, just as much as we are a part of them and who they are. And sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves. H knows that I don’t wear skirts – I don’t like them, I can’t run in them or climb the play structure in them, or walk in the woods in them (and yes, I usually do these things on any given day). So, I listened. No April foolin.

3 comments:

  1. Funny thing: I was just thinking yesterday that one of the very few things I miss about my pre-kid life is wearing skirts. I have repeatedly wondered how old BP will have to be before I can wear them again without flashing America at every turn. Any answers?

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  2. No. Though I did wear a lot of wrap dresses when I was pregnant with N. They were so comfortable given my girth. And I was trying no to pick up H as much, and wasn't spending as much time climbing on things/rescuing small children from their climbing on things. Now, though, I can't even imagine when the next time will be. But that is partly because a) I don't like wearing skirts, and b) two boys who are without fear has compounded my need to not be restricted by fears of showing my butt to America :).

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  3. Ha - I bet the next time with be at CLT's wedding!

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