HAPPY BIRTHDAY POOKIE!

One month old

And I woke up all teary-eyed pondering the significance of this particular birthday…

…it’s his last year to experience all the freedoms and luxuries of childhood. 

…this may be the last year he lives full time with me (depending on where he decides to go to university) – and while i joke about the limited real estate, I’m really (really!) gonna miss him.

…he’s changed so MUCH in the last year! I’ve watched a child leave and a young man slowly appear in my home.  I so rarely have to put on the “mommy hat” now that when i do he seems to find it hard to take me seriously.

…he’s just unbelievably smart, funny, confident, calm, cool and collected.  I’m truly enjoying what little time he spends with me now and really looking forward to the coming adult years when i hope i’ll not only be his mom but also his friend.

…every day i think about how lucky and proud I am to have him as my son.  He’s worth every single sacrifice and I’m still stunned he turned out OK (since for the most part i had to figure this parenting thing out by trial and error along the way).

…I’ll always miss waking up to hugs from chubby little arms, the wet kisses, a damp little hand wriggling its way into mine, the many gag-worthy mother’s day breakfasts, the bony prods and pokes from tween cuddles and being called mama, mommy, mummy.   I’m now just “Mom”.  But I think I can now at least? hopefully? retire my title as the “meanest mommy in the WHOLE world”.

I’ve now got my comfy viewing seat off to the side and i’m getting ready to watch him complete his journey into adulthood.

The Teenager sat me down last night for “a talk”.

He carefully explained to me that while he didn’t mind me using his computer, it was important that i remember to show a little more respect and reverse any changes i make to his desktop settings when i’m done so as not to interrupt his computer experience once he gets back on his machine.

It was all i could do not to twitch, slouch, pout, whine and make excuses about the non-existent ergonomics, the filthy desk, my back and neck pain, his ridiculously high monitor resolution that decreases desktop icons to the size of pinpricks, etc., etc. 

Instead, I hung my head, apologized and promised to do better next time.

…and yes (in case you’re wondering), his talk bore a striking resemblance to a chat i’d had with him a few months back when he’d borrowed my laptop. 

oh well, at least he kept a straight face through most of it…

Sinceit’s off forrepairs, I’mcurrently usingthe Teenager’spooter inthe basement which as you cantell has a malfunctioning keyboard space bar. 

Iaskedhim why didn’t he/fix replaceit? First, hejust looked atmelikei was insane (cuz of course ishouldknow by now that all hisfunds go strictly forvideogames and gaming paraphernalia).  Now,this child just spent severalhundred dollarsreplacinghis PS2gaming systemwhich he’d sold a couple yearsagoandsince regretted (cuzthey have the BEST games,mom!)and allthe gameshe’d had with it. He hasHUGE (like think’80s huge)$80 earphones to gowith histiny littleMP3(cuz it’sfunny in an ironic way andthey lookcool withthe ‘fro,duuuuh?). 

So when iaskhim whyhis keyboardhas missingbuttonsand has keys thatstick hisresponse tomeis “TYPE harder” andthen toproceeds todemonstratetome how i must HAMMER each key totypea bloody sentence.

Whatever.

Andifthisdamn keyboard wasn’t badenuf,i’malsosittingathis desk surroundedby violentvideogames (Most Wanted!Fear!CounterStrike!Enemy Territory!Battlefield!Ghost Recon!,etc.,etc.), dirty dishes,assortedcrap,dustbunnies andoldfoodstains,(despitethefactthathe’ssupposedtocleanthebasementevery weekend).  And I’mpretty sure every few keys strokessomething jumps upfrombetweenthekeys – i’mhoping it’sjust crumbs but mostly trying really hardnottothinkabout it. 

Sooo not conducive togood beady karma….

Now i’vegot lotstosay (as usual) and icould surmount my current pooter conditions however,this last issue is what doesmein every time and explains why i can’t spendmuch more than 15mins at his desk (just enough tocheck my emailand blog stats).

Flexibility. 

yup.  His pootersetup wouldmake an ergonomics expert burstinto fullblown whackedout,outtacontrol, sobbing tears.  Now i’ve seenhimworkandneverthought twiceabout his contortedbody position (are TeenagerseverNOT in somecontortedbody position???) but experiencingit myselfissomething completely different.  the monitor and cpu are tothe left but the keyboardfacesforwardsoifyou sit inthe chair facingforwardthen you havetotwistyourhead to the left toseethe monitor.  BUT becauseof the spacetakenup by the videogames the keyboardmustfaceforward soimagine- my wholebody andneckaretwistedtothe left but my arms and shouldersaretwistedtothe right…

huh.

I suppose the Teenager’s supple adolescence makes thisa non-issue howeverformy much lesssupple and flexiblemiddle-aged(whiletotally maintainingthe appearanceofultimate youth andhotness, of course) body is suffering.  withinabout 5mins of typingmyneck andshoulders usually start toache andright now mybackisstarting tothrob right in the area whereit’s twisted.

Ow.

Ihope y’allappreciatethe sacrifice i’vemade in typing this tokeep you upto date.  I’dplanned toposta pic as well but to behonestithink i’vereached my limit.  Will try again tomorrow. Right now i gottago findthe Tiger Balm…

p.s.OOOOOWWW!!!!!My neck hurts…

p.p.s. that Fearvideogame is actually pretty awesome.

p.p.p.s. good grief,i’mtrapped!  ithinkmy leftleghas fallen asleep!

Photo:  The Teenager enjoying a boat cruise at a luxury resort (c. 2004)

1. Child-free days off:  Gotta love ‘em.  I’m off work today but The Teenager had to go to school.  Significance? I am totally and completely free! I can guiltlessly do whatever i want for the next 8+ hours!!! Plus! no demands, whining, backtalk or moodiness will interfere with my good mood until approx. 430pm today.  Could a dedicated mommy ask for more? 

 2. I often think in glass rod colours: Doesn’t matter where I am, if anything (usually some passerby’s colourful outfit) catches my eye, i’ll start to calculate how i can recreate that design and which colour rods i should use: oooooo… that lovely abstract blouse? Hmmm…i think a clear base, with a Moretti white and Lauscha blue latticino and an assortment of Gaffer pastel frits, perhaps as a focal, in a barrel shape – or should i use a press…?

3. Bad piercings:  On friday’s bus ride home, there was a young woman standing directly in front of me with a lip piercing.  Now normally i don’t have an issue with piercings (some are quite attractive) but this one just looked painful.  It was in the corner of her bottom lip, with the metal weaving three times in and out through her skin.  I kept trying not to stare but really?  i wanted to lean over and ask her:  “Sweetie, would you like me to help you take that out?” 

4. Karaoke madness:  Saturday night I found myself in a cheesy piano bar with some friends enthusiastically belting out Barry Manilow’s Copacabana to a room full of dancing strangers.  Once the adrenalin wore off it occurred to me that a piano player, a mike, a binder full of lyrics and a cheering audience can delude you into thinking (just for  a moment) that you can actually sing.