Adventures In Parenting

I'm reminded of a joke I heard told by Bill Engvall (giving credit where credit is due). He said, "It's true that if Parents truly told what Parenting would be before anyone had kids...we'd all have a lot more dogs in our lives."

I laugh because I think it's true. And while I believe I'd still be massochistic enough to go through with being a parent, there are times I look at my husband and say, "Dogs. We could have just stuck with dogs..." and we laugh.

I fully realize that there is that point when you cross in your child's eyes from being a revered amazing superpowered person, to just a complete imbocile. I did however expect that time to come a little closer to the teen years, you know, around 11 or 12 (being optimistic). I think 8 is a little early for this dance to begin.

Case in point...Saturday evening we had tickets to go to the Zoo's Winter Wonderland, which took place after the zoo had closed. A special evening event. When the sun goes down, what happens to the temperatures? Yep, things tend to cool off a bit.

We checked the weather forecast and it was supposed to be in the upper 50's / low 60's for the time we'd be there...a beautiful fall night. We planned accordingly jeans, light sweater and a jacket. I said to our daughter, "We're going to be leaving at 5:30 to go to the Zoo and I would suggest and encourage you to put on long pants, long sleeved shirt and to grab your jacket." Upon hearing the news and scrunching up her face and giving me the "Mom you're cracked" look, I finished it with, "But what you choose to wear will be your decision."

Before it was time to leave, I restated the suggestion 3 times and her father also made the suggestion (crazy to think that Mom may actually know what she's talking about!). Nope, not changing her mind, totally good with her choice and nothing we say can dissuade her. We said, you're going to stick by this decision AND if we arrive at the Zoo and you decide that you're in fact cold, we will not be leaving. Yep, solid in my decision and good to go.

We arrive at the Zoo, get out of the car and don't even make it to the gate when she's got her arms wrapped around her and shivering, "I'M COLD!". My Husband brings up that she was sure of her decision, blah blah blah, but that all pales in comparison to icicles hanging off of her nose from freezing in 63 degrees of Florida "early winter" weather. LOL

My Husband (DH) wants a picture with the cold and cantankerous child who was NOT happy. Then it was a picture with a person dressed up in a Rudolph costume...the face is priceless! One that will go with her Kindergarten picture in which she is so surly, you'd think they were beating children who smiled that day!

We then walked back to the car where she was aghast at the thought of going home already. DH produced his jacket for her (he had on a warm vest underneath) and I produced a pair of sweater tights to put on under her shorts, "sure it will look goofy, but your legs will be warm" was apparently not the words to say to sell the fashion look.

Once warmed up, her attitude changed and we had a good time at the Zoo. Saw lights, saw critters, saw Reindeer (who were loosing their antlers due to our weather being warmer than New York, where they came from), light displays and giant inflatable slides in the Reindeer Games locations.

It was a fun and memorable evening and the pictures will be worth gold when she is in college and brings home that one special young man who will have captured her heart. Then we can pull out the special pictures and say, "This is what you're getting in to...she's all yours, congratulations!"

Yep, I can see why dogs are so popular. But we wouldn't trade her for the world...most days.