Junior high

Right now, as we speak, my son is walking around in blue striped pajamas, clunky brown dress shoes, and a straw fedora that’s just a hint too small. He’s singing to himself and trying to open a plastic band-aid container, feeling grown-up and completely awesome.  And you know what? He is. If anybody tried to tell him any differently, I’d have to beat them to the ground and make them cry (Don’t ever cross a mama cow. That’s right. I said it. Nate told me last night that cows with calves can be even more aggressive than bulls, and I’m thinking a cow might possess similar fighting skills to what I might… That paired with unbridled rage. You don’t want any of this, that’s for sure). It doesn’t matter what Milo is wearing (even if it’s nothing but a pair of tennis shoes and he’s peeing all over the floor…), he knows who he is and that he’s loved.

Do you know that? Or do I, for that matter? Because it seems like every time I get dressed to go out lately, I get concerned that I don’t have anything new to wear, my hair’s a mess, or I haven’t had time for a bit of make-up. Somebody might see me looking a hot mess and think I’ve just let myself go, and I can’t have anyone assuming anything’s wrong. Wait a minute. Why do I care again? Last I checked, Milo and Nate love me, fancied up or not.

Jen and I used to talk about this feeling where we were positive everyone was looking at us whenever we went somewhere. “Junior high mentality,” we called it. It’s embarrassing that I still fall into this even though I’m officially in my thirties now (see how I just embraced it like that?)? Because honestly, everyone around me is probably just as concerned that somebody is looking at them, and none of us have time to really notice what anyone else looks like.  There’s something comforting in that fact, don’t you think?

Anyway, here’s to striped pjs and lessons learned from my 18-month old son, who just stole the computer mouse and ran off giggling. That’s my cue. 51615617 (That, my friends, is what Milo has to say about it.)