Happy Birthday, my little man…

It’s done….my baby has hit double digits today.  He’s 10.  My youth is behind me….I am the mother of a 17 year old and a 10 year old. 

Now that doesn’t make me as ancient as some, like my mom (joking!) but I am feeling my age today. 

It wasn’t that long ago that I was sitting in my L&D room, watching Jerry Springer, waiting for SOMETHING to happen, was it?

It wasn’t that long ago that Maggie was my only one, was it?

It wasn’t that long ago that this little, wiry, red person curled up in my arms for me to love forever, was it?

No….it wasn’t.  10 years isn’t THAT long….

but it feels like forever ago. 

Don’t be in a hurry to grow up Riley.  Don’t rush…..mommy wants to enjoy this last bit of innocence with you.  It will be gone before we know it and you won’t be my little man.  You will be my grown son. 

You were the happiest baby….well….once we got through the croup….which almost sent mommy over the edge….

You were the happy, smiley, roundest, slobberiest child I have ever seen.  You laughed at the joke when no one else was around.  Like you got it….even as an infant….you got it.

I remember you lying in your crib, just cooing and giggling.  Like angels were whispering in your ear.  I would come to you and you are there, waiting patiently for me to pick you up and hold you.  I never wanted to put you down.

Oh, my little man.  You are my protector, my youngest love.  You will be a lover and a fighter, you will be a gentle soul and a warrior.  I know this, I see this in your eyes.  You have the ambition, the drive, the tenacity of greatness in you.  I see this. 

You are the man of the house Riley.  You are the punching bag to your sister and the smile on her face.  You are loved by us all and we are better because you love us back.

Happy Birthday my little Prince.  I am so glad you’re here.

Vast reflections from my vast mind….

It’s been awhile since I have been out here, gracing the WorldWideWeb with my presence.  I didn’t feel inspired….

Until now…..

Let’s see….gas is down….to $3.79 per gallon by my casa….and who would have thought the statement would be gas is down to $3.79 per gallon.  When did that happen?  That we would be GRATEFUL to only pay $3.79 per gallon.  Man….these oil folks got it figured out….”If we jack the prices sky high and then gradually lower them, we can still keep the prices up and yet the American public THINKS they are getting one over on us….ha!  fools!”

I thought the same thing two years ago when gas went UP to $2.50 per gallon….oh, those were the days….SEE?!?!?!?? it just happened.  I waxed melancholy on gas being $2.50 per gallon….yup….those ExxonMobil execs are smart….not ethical, but smart.  And ballsy…as gas prices go up, they post record earnings per quarter.  I know, I know….money isn’t MADE on the gas sales….its in the “refining” of the oil….I get it.  I work for a gas distributor, so I know that the convenience stores and gas stations don’t rake it in on gas sales, I see what we pay and what we charge them….and the owners of these places, make about $.015 per gallon.  that’s it……

ummmmm……I woke up to find an extra body at my home this am…..a boy body…..and I am still not sure why, what or who thought that having the extra boy body sleep on my living room floor without my knowledge was a good idea, but since it’s not quite noon yet, the teenagers aren’t awake.  I may let the daughter stew in her fear for a while before I completely come unwrapped.  I love this boy….he is one of the three that I trust around my daughter and he is respectful, fearful and intimidated by me.  I am sure there is a good explanation, but it was not what I wanted to see FIRST THING THIS MORNING…..

Speaking of seeing…..I stopped to get cash at the ATM down the street from my office this morning….as I have been extorted into donating to an “office gift” for the two soon to be college students that help me/make me work hard/make me redo their work.   Is it extortion when the HR Director comes by your office EVERYDAY and asks if I am going to donate?  If I wanted to, wouldn’t I have already done so?  If I had it, wouldn’t you think I would have offered?  Well, it’s Wednesday and she has stopped by EVERY MORNING for the past three days, “Are you going to donate?”  “Are you going to chip in for their present?”  I would gladly donate and have my money for them today….but it’s a sticking point that MY HR Director walks the floor hustling for the cash…..  It’s just another way in which I am shocked by some of the things that happen around the office….Great place to work, love the guys who own the company and I essentially work for….I have a couple of issues here and there, not anything to quit or sabotage my job here….but there are some folks that walk a very thin line between professional conduct and a lawsuit waiting to happen…..

anyway, I digress….so I go to get this money this morning on my way in….and out of the corner of my eye, I catch what I think is two guys going at it, swinging at each other in an Office Depot parking lot….what I realize is that it’s a guy and a girl FIGHTING like heavyweight boxers in this parking lot!!!!  It’s early so the lot is empty save this one car, but there is one or two people walking through the parking lot, staring, trying to figure out how to step in, if they should step in, or just what the hell is going on.  I loop around, trying to find a phone to call 9-1-1 and I see that she is whooping his ass.  He is pulling her out of the way, trying to get in the car and get away from her.  And she is all over him.  By the time I get back to the lot, he is driving away and she is walking to the train station, just as if nothing had happened.  I put my phone back in my purse and turned back around….

so here I am….I cannot wait to see what the REST of the day holds for me…..