Kids

You know one of the best parts about having a kid? Foisting your kid off on somebody else for a couple days.

You guys know I love my little lady, right?  This morning when I opened my eyes, she was sucking her thumb and had her other little marshmallow hand on my cheek, and was face-gazing me like crazy.  "I ludwyou, Mommy," she said.

Kids are so awesome. My kid is so awesome.

But.  Like yesterday? Bryan, Dessa and I were driving to the fun, 4th-of-July-themed activity we had planned.  It was 11:30, and we were really late and I hadn't had any coffee and Odessa was being a pain in my ever-loving ass.  The sound of her voice felt like someone was dragging one of my eyeballs across a nutmeg grater.  Also, I hadn't had any coffee.

I turned around to glare at her in her carseat and I was like, "DESSA, I TOTALLY H-A-T YOU RIGHT NOW."

This didn't phase her at all.  At all.  Mostly because it didn't make any sense, even to people who can spell.

About 20 minutes later, after we had stopped to get me some coffee, Odessa was singing along to The Little Mermaid soundtrack, and was really feelin' it.  It was so crappin' cute, I reached back and squeezed her leg and said "I love you, Dessa."

Bryan started laughing.  "I thought you H-A-T'ed her."

I did.  I H-A-T'ed the hell out of her right at the moment I said it.  But that's just part of being somebody's mom, I guess.

Being a parent can be a complete disaster sometimes.  Normal things normal human people get to do can feel strangely illicit: like peeing by yourself with the bathroom door closed, for instance.  For me, never having any privacy results in my walking around feeling constantly hunted.   Since I've become the parent of a 3-year-old, I've started grinding my teeth at night.  I have a hard time falling asleep.

Not sure what to do about that. I guess we'll grow out of it.

But today, Bryan's parents are just picking her up and taking her home with them for a couple days.  I can't even really process this information yet.  It's amazing.  I mean, sometimes people take Odessa away for a couple of days when Bryan's gone, but I don't remember the last time we were both at home and she wasn't.

This might even result in my husband and I having an uninterrupted conversation--I mean, it'll be uninterrupted if I don't faint in the middle of it.

Thanks Oma and Popeye! We'll see you on Saturday! Or, you know, Sunday if you want!  How's Monday for you?