#1 mom

we had the pleasure of matt's company all day today, as his monday morning classes are done for the semester. we left for preschool and stopped to get snacks for coop's class. he told me to get cheezits and white milk because his friend griffin doesn't like apple juice. coop doesn't really like it either, so i obliged him. although, i'm sure the 20 other kids in his class were cursing his name. either way, we were nearly to the school when coop called out to matt. dad? no. father? no. matt? no. he called out, "hey, orthodontist! what are you doing?" we asked him to repeat himself and he said, "hey, orthodontist!" needless to say, it was hilarious and humbling at the same time. unfortunately for matt, after we dropped the kids off, i had a list of to-dos waiting for us. fast forward to the mall. i meet up with matt and tell him that i have put a few things on hold at the gap. when left to his own devices he buys shirts in size small and pants that wouldn't even pass for peddle pushers. and i have worn a size 9.5 shoe since high school. so why does he buy a size 8.5? because he doesn't listen and he doesn't pay attention. and then, when we met up after he went to the gap, he was cross. he accused me of taking all of the fun out of christmas shopping, to which i replied that he takes all the fun out of christmas morning because i usually have to return 80-85% of what he buys for me. honestly, i do it because it simplifies his life. wouldn't you rather know exactly what "someone-you-loved-more-than-anything-else-in-this-world" wanted, as opposed to being left to guess, poorly, and then watch her sad face on christmas morning when she realizes that you bought her shoes that would fit cooper? everything i do, i do for him. seriously. it's all about making him happy, eh?
ains and i spent the afternoon at the movie "enchanted." and we only had to pay for one ticket because the theater guy didn't believe me that she was three. i was trying to be honest. kids three and up have to have their own ticket. she's a pip squeak. she even told him that she was three. she told him about ten times, in an angry, high pitched voice. so we took our one ticket, bought popcorn, pop, and kitkats and took a seat in front of the only other people there. and the movie was great. the girl in it totally fascinated ains. she danced and twirled and cried about everything. basically, she embodied every trait that ainsley aspires to. and then ains picked out christmas presents for her brothers and we hurried home to find the house in complete disaster mode. it was pretty much downhill from there. instead of having a fun fhe about christmas and building a gingerbread train, we talked about listening and the proper order of prayer (we are not always as respectful as we should be. ahem, ainsley). i used my mean, lecture voice, the one that matt adores, and sucked every ounce of the spirit from the room. after the kids went to bed, matt told me that he thought the high point of the lesson -which he titled, "I'M THE BOSS!"- was when i threatened to take away their toys, their movies, their friends, and everything they enjoyed. we all have our moments and this was not one of my best. oh well. i still love them and they still love me, so, in the end, does it even matter?