Say it to my face

I get a healthy dose of schadenfreude-laced amusement out of STFU, Parents, but there's something that's come up over there a few times that is pissing me off to no end. I don't know why I let it get to me since most of the people featured in the submissions are self-absorbed morons, but for some reason it drives me to distraction. Quite often in a post about working moms vs. stay-at-home moms, a smug SAHM or two or three will comment about how SAHMs are superior because they are able to keep clean houses and do the laundry and cook for their kids. I think it pisses me off because my house has never been cleaner than it is now that Nico's sharing it. I do laundry religiously and never have piles and piles of it lying around come the weekend trying to eat my child. And granted, tonight I did eat leftover Super Bowl deli meat pinwheels and an apple for dinner, but Nico had a meat-and-vegetable toddler meal, and we had homemade spaghetti last night and pasta with fish and steamed veggies the night before. Oh, and that was courtesy of my husband, who not only works a full-time job but also teaches a college class and cleans the bathrooms. (Besides, show me someone who never resorts to frozen pizza for dinner and I'll show you someone I never want to meet up with for a beer.) I guess it bugs me so much because it's so utterly baseless and ridiculous. If you're going to bag on me for being a working mom, at least pick something I can't deny, like the fact that I spend the entire workday away from my son while he's being spoiled stinking rotten by his grandmother, his grandfather, AND his aunt raised by strangers.

Speaking of my sorely neglected child, who probably totally sits around in his diaper eating pizza rolls that he microwaved himself because his working parents are too busy putting their careers first to wash his clothes or prepare his meals, he's so much fun right now. He has 3 signs (more, please, water) and more than 20 words. He's constantly trying to figure out the world and put names to things and it's so fantastic to watch him learn. His collection of board books was vastly increased by the back-to-back Christmas / birthday extravaganza, and every time he settles down to page through them, my heart sings at the sight of my little nerdlet in action. When he sees a picture of any wheeled vehicle in a book, he makes his version of engine noises. He knows how to stick his Mega Bloks together and how to take apart the things we build for him. He plays pretend with the little pots and pans in his kitchen. He loves to share oranges with MB. He's learning to treat Mom & Dad's pets gently and tries to share his baby crunchies with Indy. If I try to type on the computer while he's around, he'll come over and grab my pinkie and pull my hand away from the keyboard. He's funny and sassy and sweet and as much as I miss having a little baby, having a little boy is pretty great, too.



Reading:  Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Playing:  The King is Dead by the Decemberists