Growing up I hated math. HATED it. I clearly remember saying "why do I need to do this stuff, I'm never going to use it again in my whole life". Well, life proved me wrong as I basically do math for a living. Algebra and all.
Math has changed a lot since I was in the second grade. They have this newfangled NEW math now. The schools really should have night school for us parents who use "olden days" math. Case in point:
Tommy brings home this math homework before Thanksgiving. It was called "Ballpark Estimations". First of all, why do we need this? If they want a ballpark estimation for 59 + 63 why don't they just add the two together and have the correct answer instead of a close enough answer? Anyway, I read the instructions on the back of the worksheet and we went to work on it.
Yesterday the homework came home. They were ALL wrong. All of them. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person so I was slightly offended that none of them were right. And here is the kicker...I'm not sure WHY they were wrong!!!!
I'm volunteering in Tommy's class on Friday and asked his teacher if I could stay after and have her show me what the !@#$%^&*!!! I did wrong. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Black Friday
I never participated in Black Friday until I had a child. Sure, we used to go with our mom the day after Thanksgiving, but that was back in the olden days when stores still opened at a normal time.
Two years ago the furnace went out and it was FREEZING in our house, so I got up and went to Walmart at 5am. What a disaster and I proudly claimed that I would NEVER do that again. The next year I got up at 4am and went to Kohl's. I was in such a fuzzy state I'm still trying to figure out who I bought all of that stuff for, and yes, I claimed NEVER AGAIN.
Of course I got lured in again this year by a video game that Tommy wanted that was nearly half off at Target this year, so I planned to go. I convinced my friend, Leslie to go with me, and then on Thanksgiving we recruited Lexi and Ally to go as well. To kill time I took the girls to a movie but first we needed coffee so we hit the McDonalds Drive Thru. TWENTY FIVE minutes later we had our coffee, which we had to guzzle down (my throat is still in pain) and went to the movie. We swung by and picked up Leslie and went to Target.
For some reason I had it in my head that they opened at 10. Nope. Midnight. Crap. Now we have 90 minutes to kill. Went and got some gas, thought about going to Walmart, even got so far as the bank across the street to park and then nixed it. So we went to the other Target and the line was wrapped around the building. We sat in the car where it was warm and Leslie and the girls played trivia on her phone. A few minutes before midnight we made our way to the front of the store realizing we would have to wait until the entire line was inside first.
We saw lots of people we knew, everyone was in a happy, cheerful mood. No pepper spray or stampeding, so that was a plus. About 1220 the line was inside so the rest of us were allowed in. We decided it was too difficult to drive a cart, we would just carry our purchases...good thing I brought my elves with me.
I sent elf #1 (Leslie) off on a secret mission. Lexi had to make a pit stop so Ally and I headed to electronics where there was a huge line. I stuck her in the line and headed to the video games. Luckily I found what I was after right away and I went to rescue Ally from the line.
Then we headed off to housewares. Their uncle just moved back here from Taiwan and he's setting up a household, so we got a coffee maker, toaster, etc. This is where the elves came in handy. We all carried boxes to the front and checked out. We were out of there by 1245.
The next day after sleeping in I headed up to Evergreen to my friend, Larae's store, Marmalade. She sells the best jewelry, really unique and beautiful. I knocked off some gifts from my list all while supporting small business, and headed back home.
Then after dinner with my hubby, we hit the mall. My sister was at the mall at Midnight and said it was crazy but she got some good deals. The place was still busy at 7 o'clock that night, especially the Apple store. They had a good system though, an express check out. You basically walked in, said what you wanted and paid. Of course we got behind the people who were asking a million questions and taking forever, which didn't go over real well with Adrian. But another checker outer showed up to rescue us. I don't mind that store, but seriously, turn on some A/C...it was about a thousand degrees in there.
All in all, Black Friday was pretty fun. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I probably will go Black Friday shopping again next year, as long as my elves are available!
Two years ago the furnace went out and it was FREEZING in our house, so I got up and went to Walmart at 5am. What a disaster and I proudly claimed that I would NEVER do that again. The next year I got up at 4am and went to Kohl's. I was in such a fuzzy state I'm still trying to figure out who I bought all of that stuff for, and yes, I claimed NEVER AGAIN.
Of course I got lured in again this year by a video game that Tommy wanted that was nearly half off at Target this year, so I planned to go. I convinced my friend, Leslie to go with me, and then on Thanksgiving we recruited Lexi and Ally to go as well. To kill time I took the girls to a movie but first we needed coffee so we hit the McDonalds Drive Thru. TWENTY FIVE minutes later we had our coffee, which we had to guzzle down (my throat is still in pain) and went to the movie. We swung by and picked up Leslie and went to Target.
For some reason I had it in my head that they opened at 10. Nope. Midnight. Crap. Now we have 90 minutes to kill. Went and got some gas, thought about going to Walmart, even got so far as the bank across the street to park and then nixed it. So we went to the other Target and the line was wrapped around the building. We sat in the car where it was warm and Leslie and the girls played trivia on her phone. A few minutes before midnight we made our way to the front of the store realizing we would have to wait until the entire line was inside first.
We saw lots of people we knew, everyone was in a happy, cheerful mood. No pepper spray or stampeding, so that was a plus. About 1220 the line was inside so the rest of us were allowed in. We decided it was too difficult to drive a cart, we would just carry our purchases...good thing I brought my elves with me.
I sent elf #1 (Leslie) off on a secret mission. Lexi had to make a pit stop so Ally and I headed to electronics where there was a huge line. I stuck her in the line and headed to the video games. Luckily I found what I was after right away and I went to rescue Ally from the line.
Then we headed off to housewares. Their uncle just moved back here from Taiwan and he's setting up a household, so we got a coffee maker, toaster, etc. This is where the elves came in handy. We all carried boxes to the front and checked out. We were out of there by 1245.
The next day after sleeping in I headed up to Evergreen to my friend, Larae's store, Marmalade. She sells the best jewelry, really unique and beautiful. I knocked off some gifts from my list all while supporting small business, and headed back home.
Then after dinner with my hubby, we hit the mall. My sister was at the mall at Midnight and said it was crazy but she got some good deals. The place was still busy at 7 o'clock that night, especially the Apple store. They had a good system though, an express check out. You basically walked in, said what you wanted and paid. Of course we got behind the people who were asking a million questions and taking forever, which didn't go over real well with Adrian. But another checker outer showed up to rescue us. I don't mind that store, but seriously, turn on some A/C...it was about a thousand degrees in there.
All in all, Black Friday was pretty fun. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I probably will go Black Friday shopping again next year, as long as my elves are available!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
I'm pretty sure my husband's car is out to get me
I have had nothing but trouble with that car since the day it arrived. I took a day off of work to take delivery of that car. From this point on I will refer to the car as Black Widow, or BW for short.
The guy off loaded BW into the street and parked her kind of crooked. After he drove away with his load of cars, I tried to put BW into the driveway, but it would not start. Turns out, it was out of gas. I was nice and went to the gas station, bought some gas, put it in the car, and pulled it into the driveway. Later that day Adrian discovers it has no dashboard, none of the gauges are working.
So while he was out of town I dropped BW off at the shop and went to pick her up a few days later. But the place was CLOSED, in the middle of the day! My friend Susan had to take me to get Tommy at school and drop us off at home, only to head back up there an hour or so later to get the car.
Those were just minor things, right? Well, I have been pretty vocal that BW is going to get pulled over because the windows are tinted too dark for Colorado law, and there is nowhere on the front of the car for a license plate, also a Colorado law. Well, BW is pissed at me for talking smack about her.
Friday night as the three of us are going to dinner, I get inside the car and RRRIIIIPPPP something tore in my lower back. I literally could not get out of the car. Adrian had to help me out and up to the bed, where I have been the most of the weekend. This morning we ventured out for some breakfast and as I walked past BW in the garage, I swear, she snickered at me as I hobbled by.
Adrian leaves for a road trip tomorrow and he's taking Christine, I mean, Black Widow, to the airport. I get a few days of reprieve from Adrian's killer car. In the meantime, feel free to bring over any pain killers you may have squandered away, I can put them to good use!
The guy off loaded BW into the street and parked her kind of crooked. After he drove away with his load of cars, I tried to put BW into the driveway, but it would not start. Turns out, it was out of gas. I was nice and went to the gas station, bought some gas, put it in the car, and pulled it into the driveway. Later that day Adrian discovers it has no dashboard, none of the gauges are working.
So while he was out of town I dropped BW off at the shop and went to pick her up a few days later. But the place was CLOSED, in the middle of the day! My friend Susan had to take me to get Tommy at school and drop us off at home, only to head back up there an hour or so later to get the car.
Those were just minor things, right? Well, I have been pretty vocal that BW is going to get pulled over because the windows are tinted too dark for Colorado law, and there is nowhere on the front of the car for a license plate, also a Colorado law. Well, BW is pissed at me for talking smack about her.
Friday night as the three of us are going to dinner, I get inside the car and RRRIIIIPPPP something tore in my lower back. I literally could not get out of the car. Adrian had to help me out and up to the bed, where I have been the most of the weekend. This morning we ventured out for some breakfast and as I walked past BW in the garage, I swear, she snickered at me as I hobbled by.
Adrian leaves for a road trip tomorrow and he's taking Christine, I mean, Black Widow, to the airport. I get a few days of reprieve from Adrian's killer car. In the meantime, feel free to bring over any pain killers you may have squandered away, I can put them to good use!
Monday, October 24, 2011
I would like to take this opportunity to publically apologize to my parents
When Marne and I were growing up we wanted a dog. We swore we would take care of it, clean up after it, etc. So after enough convincing on our part *ahem* we got a puppy named Mazie. All the promises we made lasted about, oh, a week. Mazie soon became our Dad's dog. He fed her, took her to the groomer, cleaned up the yard after her. Pretty much we shirked all responsibility of caring for the dog. We just loved her.
I bring this up because the boys in my house wanted to get another pet. Tommy's friend, Jack, recently got a guinea pig. I should rephrase that to say that Jack's mom, Susan, got a guinea pig. She takes care of it, cuts up it's food, etc. Jack does help out cleaning the cage and such, but pretty much Astro belongs to Susan. Adrian thought Tommy should have a guinea pig. Because I have seen what happened at Jack's house, I put my foot down. I take care of the dog, and I fully admit she is MY dog, but I'm not taking on another pet.
Tommy and Adrian came home with a fish aquarium. When I got home it was in pieces on his bedroom floor. Here's how the conversation went:
Me: I told you I am not in charge of this project. Why is the tank in pieces?
Adrian: Because! It's a mess, I can't figure it out!!
Me: It amazes me that you are a writer by trade, yet you cannot follow directions.
Adrian: It's too confusing, they make it too hard!
Ugh. So the next morning Tommy asked me if I would put it together (and who can resist that little cutie?) so I told him I would work on it later. I asked why Daddy didn't put it together...his response, and I quote:
"Daddy was reading the directions and then he yelled My Eyes! and threw it all down on the floor".
Basically they bought a tank and some rocks. In the process of putting it together I realize you need something special for the water, which they didn't buy. Also, they didn't buy anything fun like plants or rocks for the bottom of the tank. So Friday after school Tommy and I head back to the pet store to get such items. We get it home, put everything in place, and we are ready for fish in 24 hours.
Saturday, back to the pet store for fish. Fish are picked out (Irving, Max and Jimmy), yay....but wait, we need other goo for the water. OK, got that. Oh wait, we need food for the fish...got that, and it REEKS! Oh wait, do we know how to clean the tank? Of course we don't, so we get the hose water sucker outer thingy. Ca-ching, more money spent. Here is the finished product.
I very pointedly show Adrian the tank cleaner and tell him I'll figure it out, but HE is responsible for the weekly cleaning of the tank. I can see it now, Ginger Boy is going to get a glazed look on his face, say he can't do it, and you know who will be responsible for cleaning that tank.
Pretty much this is another payback from my childhood. Sorry Dad, but I'm getting mine now with the fish pooper scooper. Just like I bred my own little bathroom inspector. What karma lies in wait for me next?
I bring this up because the boys in my house wanted to get another pet. Tommy's friend, Jack, recently got a guinea pig. I should rephrase that to say that Jack's mom, Susan, got a guinea pig. She takes care of it, cuts up it's food, etc. Jack does help out cleaning the cage and such, but pretty much Astro belongs to Susan. Adrian thought Tommy should have a guinea pig. Because I have seen what happened at Jack's house, I put my foot down. I take care of the dog, and I fully admit she is MY dog, but I'm not taking on another pet.
Tommy and Adrian came home with a fish aquarium. When I got home it was in pieces on his bedroom floor. Here's how the conversation went:
Me: I told you I am not in charge of this project. Why is the tank in pieces?
Adrian: Because! It's a mess, I can't figure it out!!
Me: It amazes me that you are a writer by trade, yet you cannot follow directions.
Adrian: It's too confusing, they make it too hard!
Ugh. So the next morning Tommy asked me if I would put it together (and who can resist that little cutie?) so I told him I would work on it later. I asked why Daddy didn't put it together...his response, and I quote:
"Daddy was reading the directions and then he yelled My Eyes! and threw it all down on the floor".
Basically they bought a tank and some rocks. In the process of putting it together I realize you need something special for the water, which they didn't buy. Also, they didn't buy anything fun like plants or rocks for the bottom of the tank. So Friday after school Tommy and I head back to the pet store to get such items. We get it home, put everything in place, and we are ready for fish in 24 hours.
Saturday, back to the pet store for fish. Fish are picked out (Irving, Max and Jimmy), yay....but wait, we need other goo for the water. OK, got that. Oh wait, we need food for the fish...got that, and it REEKS! Oh wait, do we know how to clean the tank? Of course we don't, so we get the hose water sucker outer thingy. Ca-ching, more money spent. Here is the finished product.
Jimmy is the striped one, the black one is Irving, and Max is usually hiding somewhere, he's shy.
I very pointedly show Adrian the tank cleaner and tell him I'll figure it out, but HE is responsible for the weekly cleaning of the tank. I can see it now, Ginger Boy is going to get a glazed look on his face, say he can't do it, and you know who will be responsible for cleaning that tank.
Pretty much this is another payback from my childhood. Sorry Dad, but I'm getting mine now with the fish pooper scooper. Just like I bred my own little bathroom inspector. What karma lies in wait for me next?
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I now truly understand the meaning of the phrase "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"
For the past couple of years I have been making an annual trip in the Spring to Vegas with Joan and Kristel. The first year Lori went as well and the 4 of us had a fabulous time. Something seems to always happen that just makes the trip.
That first year we were drinking at the bar in the Flamingo casino and met some very young college boys. Somehow by the end of the night I ended up with a booty text from one of those young men. THAT is the moment that pretty much defined that trip.
Earlier this year we went and sadly Lori couldn't join us, so it was the three of us. We found part of a latex glove in the bottom of our pile of nachos...hence our term "latex nachos". Since there were three of us we had a roll away bed that we nicknamed the snapping taco. Both things were mentioned several times over this past weekend when we converged upon Sin City once again.
When Kristel and Jim decided to elope to Vegas I was thrilled to be one of the very very few people who knew about it.
Here is how our trips start out. I arrive hours before Joan so I can play black jack. Generally I am a leetle bit tipsy and have several of strings of mardi gras beads around my neck. I did not disappoint. Joan and I checked in and had lunch and wandered around a bit.
We met up with Kristel and Joan at Margaritaville which is a traditional stop for us. Jim, whom we met for the first time on Saturday, didn't miss a beat. He ordered up some non-latex nachos and off we went from there!
Joan and I decided that since Jim didn't have any guys along for the wedding the three ladies took him to a strip club for a bachelor party. Because my husband thinks I'm going to get fired because of some of the things I write in my blog, I'll just leave it at that.
On Saturday, the newbie cab driver that got lost driving me from the airport to the hotel, picked us up at the outlets. What are the chances of THAT? Nine zillion cabbies in Vegas and I get the newbie with the map and GPS twice in two days!!!!
On Monday while waiting for Jim & Kristel to come downstairs for the limo, my celebrity crush, Anderson Cooper walked by. From that point on we were on a mission. After a beautiful wedding we pretty much tracked AC down at his broadcast booth where Kristel and Jim got warm wishes, a kiss and a handshake, from AC himself. *swoon*
We had a fabulous dinner at Craftsteak, where apparently people willingly pay over $100 for steak. Really? A slab of meat? I could buy half of a Coach for that!!! It was delish and Kristel had always wanted to eat there, so it was perfect.
So this year's recurring topics: strippers and Anderson Cooper. I'm not sure we can top that next year!!!
That first year we were drinking at the bar in the Flamingo casino and met some very young college boys. Somehow by the end of the night I ended up with a booty text from one of those young men. THAT is the moment that pretty much defined that trip.
Earlier this year we went and sadly Lori couldn't join us, so it was the three of us. We found part of a latex glove in the bottom of our pile of nachos...hence our term "latex nachos". Since there were three of us we had a roll away bed that we nicknamed the snapping taco. Both things were mentioned several times over this past weekend when we converged upon Sin City once again.
When Kristel and Jim decided to elope to Vegas I was thrilled to be one of the very very few people who knew about it.
Here is how our trips start out. I arrive hours before Joan so I can play black jack. Generally I am a leetle bit tipsy and have several of strings of mardi gras beads around my neck. I did not disappoint. Joan and I checked in and had lunch and wandered around a bit.
We met up with Kristel and Joan at Margaritaville which is a traditional stop for us. Jim, whom we met for the first time on Saturday, didn't miss a beat. He ordered up some non-latex nachos and off we went from there!
Joan and I decided that since Jim didn't have any guys along for the wedding the three ladies took him to a strip club for a bachelor party. Because my husband thinks I'm going to get fired because of some of the things I write in my blog, I'll just leave it at that.
On Saturday, the newbie cab driver that got lost driving me from the airport to the hotel, picked us up at the outlets. What are the chances of THAT? Nine zillion cabbies in Vegas and I get the newbie with the map and GPS twice in two days!!!!
On Monday while waiting for Jim & Kristel to come downstairs for the limo, my celebrity crush, Anderson Cooper walked by. From that point on we were on a mission. After a beautiful wedding we pretty much tracked AC down at his broadcast booth where Kristel and Jim got warm wishes, a kiss and a handshake, from AC himself. *swoon*
We had a fabulous dinner at Craftsteak, where apparently people willingly pay over $100 for steak. Really? A slab of meat? I could buy half of a Coach for that!!! It was delish and Kristel had always wanted to eat there, so it was perfect.
So this year's recurring topics: strippers and Anderson Cooper. I'm not sure we can top that next year!!!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Bullying sucks
As much as this topic is in the news these days, I can't believe how much it goes on. For the last month or so Tommy has come home from one of the houses on the street saying he's been bullied. This is such a hot topic these days and I know it's discussed in school. However sometimes when he says he's been bullied, I feel like he's exaggerating and maybe it should be "bullied" in air quotes.
Today was different, he came home crying, elbow bleeding a bit and said he got a dodgeball thrown into his back, a football thrown into his face, and pushed onto the concrete. Then he realized he had left his phone down at this kid's house and got hysterical at the thought of going back to get it. I wasn't sure what to do and I was pissed. I wanted to go down there and knock their heads together (I am a GREAT role model for anti-bullying) but I didn't. I marched down there instead of flying on my broom, and I confronted them.
The bully was actually a stranger kid, one I had never seen before. But he looked like a typical bully. Crew cut hair, freckles, square shaped (twice as big as Tommy, apparently a 4th grader), almost a charicature. He looked like his name should be Butch or Buster.
He said they were playing dodgeball. OK, 3 kids on 1 isn't dodgeball, and what a stupid game, it practically promotes bullying. I asked what game they were playing that constituted throwing a football in Tommy's face. No answer. I asked what game they were playing that constituted knocking him to the cement and he said he didn't do it. I KNOW when kids are lying, he kept denying it. So I played a trick on him and said "what if I told you I saw you do it?"
Dead. Silence. I'll say right now that I did NOT see him do it and I'm not condoning lying to a child, but once he thought I did boy did he back off, apologizing all over himself. Anyway, long story short, he lives in the neighborhood and I told him I would involve his parents if it ever happened again. I also told Tommy to stay the EFF away from that house. It's bad news. The kids do whatever they want, the whole time I was yelling in their garage the dad never came out. I speak in a shout, imagine how loud I am when I yell.
So how does this keep happening to kids? Adults have to go to diversity training in some occupations so that they don't get in trouble for offending someone of the opposite sex, or someone of a different minority, etc. The schools should be more involved but where are they going to get the money? Already our school is down to a part-time librarian, they get P.E. one week out of the month (it's no wonder obesity is a problem), same with music, art and computers.
I wish I had the answers, it's just amazing to me that it's discussed everywhere you look, but it still happens down the street on a regular basis. Sometimes being a parent stinks.
Today was different, he came home crying, elbow bleeding a bit and said he got a dodgeball thrown into his back, a football thrown into his face, and pushed onto the concrete. Then he realized he had left his phone down at this kid's house and got hysterical at the thought of going back to get it. I wasn't sure what to do and I was pissed. I wanted to go down there and knock their heads together (I am a GREAT role model for anti-bullying) but I didn't. I marched down there instead of flying on my broom, and I confronted them.
The bully was actually a stranger kid, one I had never seen before. But he looked like a typical bully. Crew cut hair, freckles, square shaped (twice as big as Tommy, apparently a 4th grader), almost a charicature. He looked like his name should be Butch or Buster.
He said they were playing dodgeball. OK, 3 kids on 1 isn't dodgeball, and what a stupid game, it practically promotes bullying. I asked what game they were playing that constituted throwing a football in Tommy's face. No answer. I asked what game they were playing that constituted knocking him to the cement and he said he didn't do it. I KNOW when kids are lying, he kept denying it. So I played a trick on him and said "what if I told you I saw you do it?"
Dead. Silence. I'll say right now that I did NOT see him do it and I'm not condoning lying to a child, but once he thought I did boy did he back off, apologizing all over himself. Anyway, long story short, he lives in the neighborhood and I told him I would involve his parents if it ever happened again. I also told Tommy to stay the EFF away from that house. It's bad news. The kids do whatever they want, the whole time I was yelling in their garage the dad never came out. I speak in a shout, imagine how loud I am when I yell.
So how does this keep happening to kids? Adults have to go to diversity training in some occupations so that they don't get in trouble for offending someone of the opposite sex, or someone of a different minority, etc. The schools should be more involved but where are they going to get the money? Already our school is down to a part-time librarian, they get P.E. one week out of the month (it's no wonder obesity is a problem), same with music, art and computers.
I wish I had the answers, it's just amazing to me that it's discussed everywhere you look, but it still happens down the street on a regular basis. Sometimes being a parent stinks.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Things that keep me up at night, Volume 1
Our son's given name is Thomas Alan Michael Dater. Yes, he has 2 middle names. My husband doesn't have a middle name so I thought if Tommy had two, it would bring the universe back into balance.
Lately I've been wondering if I have scarred him for life by calling him "Tommy". Tommy was very appropriate for a new born. Even though he was all wrinkley like an old man, calling an infant "Thomas" or "Tom" didn't feel right. Quite honestly I don't think I was the first one to call him Tommy once he was born. I was pretty disheveled after the whole experience and I don't think I called him anything but "Pumpkin" for a couple of days. Once we got home he was being fussy and I remember my mom saying something like "Oh Tommy, what's the matter" and from then on that's what we called him. I guess I needed to hear someone else call him that first or something, I don't know.
So getting to my point. He's 7 and Tommy is still appropriate. I know my dad had all of these little old lady aunts who called him Tommy until they died. So even as a fully grown man, he was still called Tommy. My Grandma doesn't call him Tommy though, I wonder if she ever did?
What if Tommy doesn't want to be called Tommy when he gets older? He has all of these friends at school and none of them have names like Mikey or Jackie or Benny. They are all Michael and Jack and Ben. Even his friends in the neighborhood have names like Zachary (NOT Zach), Pablo and Raphael. When I was a kid we had kids named Billy and Scotty and Jimmy.
Growing up my friend Julie had two brothers, Tom and Bobby. Tom was never referred to as Tommy in my recollection, but Bobby was always Bobby. Maybe because he was the youngest, or the baby of the family, I'm not sure. I wonder what he's called today? I know she reads my blog so maybe she'll let me know.
What if Tommy comes comes home one day and says "don't call me Tommy anymore, call me Tom"? I'll tell you now that my heart will break. But I can also understand if he doesn't want to go through high school, college and beyond as Tommy. I just don't see him as a Tom or Thomas. My only hope is that it doesn't happen any time soon!
Lately I've been wondering if I have scarred him for life by calling him "Tommy". Tommy was very appropriate for a new born. Even though he was all wrinkley like an old man, calling an infant "Thomas" or "Tom" didn't feel right. Quite honestly I don't think I was the first one to call him Tommy once he was born. I was pretty disheveled after the whole experience and I don't think I called him anything but "Pumpkin" for a couple of days. Once we got home he was being fussy and I remember my mom saying something like "Oh Tommy, what's the matter" and from then on that's what we called him. I guess I needed to hear someone else call him that first or something, I don't know.
So getting to my point. He's 7 and Tommy is still appropriate. I know my dad had all of these little old lady aunts who called him Tommy until they died. So even as a fully grown man, he was still called Tommy. My Grandma doesn't call him Tommy though, I wonder if she ever did?
What if Tommy doesn't want to be called Tommy when he gets older? He has all of these friends at school and none of them have names like Mikey or Jackie or Benny. They are all Michael and Jack and Ben. Even his friends in the neighborhood have names like Zachary (NOT Zach), Pablo and Raphael. When I was a kid we had kids named Billy and Scotty and Jimmy.
Growing up my friend Julie had two brothers, Tom and Bobby. Tom was never referred to as Tommy in my recollection, but Bobby was always Bobby. Maybe because he was the youngest, or the baby of the family, I'm not sure. I wonder what he's called today? I know she reads my blog so maybe she'll let me know.
What if Tommy comes comes home one day and says "don't call me Tommy anymore, call me Tom"? I'll tell you now that my heart will break. But I can also understand if he doesn't want to go through high school, college and beyond as Tommy. I just don't see him as a Tom or Thomas. My only hope is that it doesn't happen any time soon!
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