Kids

When I though about being a parent, I never even considered it would be like this. Throughout the whole 9 months of hell (pregnancy-we do not belong together) I could not wait for it to be over. I wanted to see my child. As I casually once mentioned, my biggest pregnancy fear was that I would have an ugly baby. One of those babies who always got the "awwww" from others but you could see the pained look on their face. I was positive that would be my child. Luckily, I was wrong. The kid is beyond adorable.

With the cuteness comes a price. The kid regularly makes me insane. He doesn't eat vegetables-actually starts each statement involving food with "no vegetables, right?". He never stops talking. And I actually mean never. Like even in his sleep he talks. He has way too many questions, has absolutely no boundaries or censor button on his brain. He asks questions like, "why does your mommy love another man?" with the daddy sitting right there. It makes dating a challenge.

But then we have days like yesterday. It was the kids first swimming lesson. When we got there, he was not in any way interested in getting in the water. Actually had the begginings of a fit. I tried prodding him in and then decided the best thing for me to do would be to leave him with the instructor. It is her job to deal with kids like him, right? I went into the office of the pool and took care of the payment. When I got back to the pool area 5 minutes later, he was already chatting the ear off the instructor and had made friends with the two other kids in class-splashes and giggles galore.

He was having so much fun. He was getting much more confident around the water. The teacher had them practice putting their heads underwater. He did it like a champ. I don't know what got into him after that, but he got up some courage to try taking his feet off the ground and swimming under the water. The kid is a fish. He had no problems-he was actually swimming! He pops his head up from under the water and has the biggest grin. You could see how proud of himself he was. He excitedly has the teacher watch. Then one of the kids. Then the other kid. The he yells at me, "Mom!! Watch this!!" and does it again. He comes up again-still with the big smile-and gives me a thumbs up. I completely melted. I also had to contain myself from turning to any stranger who would listen and telling them that was my kid.

They tell you this will happen when you become a parent but I always though that was a lie just like the one they tell you about pregnancy being a magical experience. It's your kid so you have to love them right? The difference here is loving this child is not a have-to experience. Days like these it's a want-to experience and helpless-not-to experience. I have no control over loving this kid. And I am fine with that.