Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." --Genesis 21:6 NRSV
The above verse actually references the news of Sarah's upcoming pregnancy in her nineties. This verse makes me giggle as well, not because of her age but her reaction. I appreciate that she chose to respond with laughter. I appreciate that reaction because there are many moments of parenthood that you can't help but laugh.
As you prepare yourself for parenthood one tends to question their beliefs, their actions, their reactions to crazy off the wall dramatic scenarios. My husband and I had a lot of conversations how we would answer some of the big questions - How many children do we want? Will I breastfeed or bottlefeed? Will we encourage college? Is it important for kids to get a job? Do we give them an allowance? If so, what age? And the list goes on and on?
And though it seems crazy as you grow your little blueberry to a strawberry to an orange to a full-fledged watermelon you discuss their possible needs of two days, two years, ten years, and even twenty years into the future. What you don't question or imagine are the real scenarios and the immediate impending daily pop quiz life will offer with detrimental consequences if answered incorrectly. Most of those consequences including a bodily fluid of some sort.
For instance, as we prepared for parenthood we imagined a daily question would be:
Aren't you the cutest sweetest most perfect little boy ever born ? And for the most part is asked daily but not nearly asked as often as the following?
WHY? REALLY? UMMMMM? Will you please stop? PLEASE!?!?!?!
Did you do this? Can you even reach that? HOW?
These are some of the more common questions that tend to occur on a daily basis. This blog topic came from our question of tonight. One of those questions that I didn't even dream up in my wildest scenarios of raising a child. But as we asked it tonight took on a certain air of importance and a little bit of true discussion and a few attempts at trial and error.
What is this important question? Pants or No Pants? Hmmmmm. The clock is ticking. We went with pants. Our son had worn himself out falling asleep as he held a private lecture for his best friend Lionel and perhaps other stuffed figures in his room. He did reach out for support from Mom and Dad but after the ninth encore we bid adieu! So as my husband did one of five nightly checks of our son he whispered "We have a conundrum." Me acting all smug and replied "Is he asleep on TOP of his blanket?" A question we have faced numerous times. He replied "Nooooo....um...*silent beat beat* He has no pants." UGH!!! Now for some parents with it being late November its a unanimous pants. But our son has had the hardest time sleeping lately. Which means mom and dad have not had an easy go at the sleeping. This phase will pass I realize but we are tired individuals. Plus our son is such a light sleeper. We sometimes have to peek from afar as the kid's ability to hear rivals any top-secret sonar equipment out there. But after discussion we confirmed Pants are better than no pants. Then we had to discuss best strategy. Should one lift and one slide pants? Should one control the whole scene and slide pants over legs stretched out across crib? I took the reins or the pants and slid. Uh oh - abort mission. Kid has scrunched into ball form. Approach from behind with slight lift. Stirring stirring - all freeze immediately! Stop breathing let moment pass. No eyes thats good - uh oh reaching there is reaching - stand back wait for it - yes grasp of Lionel's paw. Eyes shut? Finish sliding pants - flutter blanket - and together hightail out of danger zone.
It takes teamwork some days to strategize, to laugh, and to question everything and appreciate the answers are never quite what you expect. I have to confess this need to discuss the random questions we face has been after a week of laughter and many many questions. Here are a couple of pictures to share what are day truly entails.
Exhibit A:
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| UMM? Really? After my son fully dressed jumped into a bathtub filled with water. |
Exhibit B: Why yes that is a garbage bag of dirty
diapers and yes those are indeed our truck keys. The
sad part is we didn't even know the keys were missing.
How?
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| How? Why? |
May your HealthFULL Journey lead you with questions but always leave you with some hope, laughter, and a few answers at least every once in awhile :) 'Til we meet again. . .
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