Well, I've done it

So far, my Friday morning has gone like this:

Do any of you have those little old lady neighbors (or perhaps it's your mom...or your grandmother) who go outside first thing in the morning in their (usually) pink robe and matching nightgown and slippers to get the paper?  They got their hair set a few days ago, so they wake up pretty much ready to go, with a little teasing.

Well today was my first foray into old-lady-land.  I had to move my car out of the driveway because the painters are painting the exterior of our house.  The boss said, "Nothing like somebody dragging you out of your house in your bathrobe first thing in the morning."  And it occurred to me that if anyone drove down the street (which is the main street in our neighborhood and our house is less than a mile from the entrance to the neighborhood), they would see a glimpse of me in 50 years: in a hot pink bathrobe (because the nightshirt I was wearing was totally inappropriate by itself).  Sperrys instead of slippers.  My pajamas did not match my robe, and I wasn't getting the paper....but it was a glimpse.

Walking back from where I parked my car, I realized how serious things had gotten at the house: 5 vehicles, 4 men on ladders, and 2 men installing electrical-type stuff.  WE. ARE. SO. CLOSE.

As for Emma's Friday morning off, it has been a drive-Momma-crazy morning.  I checked my email, and Emma wanted to sit in my lap.  The word laptop takes on a new meaning at our house.  Emma loves to get in my lap while I'm on the computer at the kitchen table.  And it usually ends in frustration on both our parts.  This morning's interaction went like this:

(I log in to my email.)

"No, press dis button.  Dis one. DIS ONE!  DIS! ONE!"  (She pushes CTRL.  My password is now wrong.)

On the verge of tears: "No, dat's wrong!  What you do?" (Really?  I let you get in my lap, that's what I did.)

So I'm on my email...

"No, go der!  Over der!  Go der!  Over der!  Over der!"

"Emma, I will go over there when I am finished reading what's right here."

"Mason's pirates!"

"Where do you see Mason's pirates?"

"OVER DER!  LOOK!  WOOK!" (She beats on the computer screen as though beating it will turn the laptop screen into a touchpad screen.  She hits it so hard, the laptop flips over and knocks over the salt shaker.  Salt goes everywhere, but I can't see it on the tablecloth.)

"Oops!  You spilled it!"

"No, YOU spilled it, Emma.   But I have to clean it up.  Thanks."

"Cwean it up, Mommy."

End laptop session.

No one cried, including myself.  And now I am happily blogging while Emma plays with her toys in the den.  This will last 5 minutes, especially if she realizes I'm back on the computer.

But here's a moment that makes all my mommy frustration ok and worth it.  Emma snuggled in the bed with us this morning and asked me for some water.  Upon returning with the water, Emma suddenly had no interest in it because the only thing she cared about was hugging me so hard, so immediately, and for so long that I was still standing beside the bed and my back was starting to hurt from leaning over.  Totally worth all the "Cwean it up, Mommy" and "No, dat's wrong.  What you do?" comments.