Great Mornings

start off with your son lying next to you smiling in his sleep and you wonder if he's dreaming about being an awesome little boy who always listens and obeys. You know like a mini-Jesus.

Then your mother says, "You went to sleep leaving light in the house on."

You pause and think, my light was off, Rowan's light was off, both bathroom lights were off, the living room and dining room light was off so translation really is you went to sleep leaving the light in the family room off and the light in the kitchen on. So the slightly annoyed voice is bothered because I left the light in the family room on, where she was sitting and watching TV as I headed off to bed, and because at some point she went into the kitchen and forgot to turn the light off. Hmm...

Then comes, "Don't you wake up at night?"

Yes, our favorite topic is on the table. How do you approach this? With the tried and true, remember we aren't the same person. You're Oma, I'm me. Or do we answer the question directly? Directly.

"I never wake up in the middle of the night."

"Not even now that you're a mother?"

"No, I don't wake up in the middle of the night." That's you. Remember we're two different people. You are the one that wakes up at every little footstep. I sleep like the dead. The only time I woke up in the middle of the night was when Jory, Willow, and Sasha woke up every four hours to eat; when Jory wet the bed at night and woke me up; and when Layla would wake up at 1AM or 2AM sick of her crib and crying until I took her out of it and put her next to me.

Omas you gotta love them. You wonder if one day, you'll be telling your kid their hot simply because you're hot. I wonder if I would become a millionaire if I took India.Arie's I Am Not My Hair, changed it to I Am Not Your Clone, and marketed to adult children?

Great mornings start when your baby is crying for you because she fell asleep in Rowan's and Jory's room and she woke up without you and as soon as she hugs you stops crying and is happy. No whining baby asking to watch Scooby Doo or the semi-annoying Handy Manny. She's just a giggling delight in your arms.

Great mornings end with leaving early enough for home to hit up Macy's one day sale to return the shirts you paid $12.99 for to rebuy for $9.99. You know on that off chance, you and Oma pull two male family members name in the great pulling name Christmas gift exchange. SCORE!!!