I was being helpful

Approaching the near-empty bag Ziploc bag of home made chocolate chip cookies, I thought:

"Oh good, there are only two left! I can eat the last ones without feeling guilty, because the kids would just fight over who gets the last two anyway."

I took another step closer.

"Oh, there are three left...

Well, they would never go for each just getting one little cookie (and one was that sad bottom-of-the-bowl cookie that only had a single chocolate chip in it!).

Three isn't that bad. They're small. Still mine."

I reached in to claim the cookies.

"Oh. There are four left...

Four is too many. I am not going to eat four cookies. That would be gross."



(I ate four.)

So near and yet so far

Last Friday night, the girls were invited over to their friend's house.

When I told them about the invitation, two of them jumped at the chance. One, however, was looking forward to a night of 'just staying in'. Because apparently she's 40.

I mentioned this was on a FRIDAY NIGHT, yes?

So I suggested, I coaxed, I cajoled...I tried everything in my arsenal to convince her to go.

Sure, I could've played it cool, but let me review: All 3 kids. Out of the house. Friday night.

Finally, she burst out, "What is UP with you? Usually you're like 'that's fine, you don't have to if you don't want to' but tonight you're all 'go, go, GO!'"

There was a pause.

She squinted.

I squinted.

Somewhere, the theme from The Good, The Bad and the Ugly played.

And then...

I blinked.

"No reason," I sighed.

And the three of us curled up on the couch. She, on her tablet. He, watching The Curse of Oak Island (I'm assuming). Me, looking through the flyers.

Somewhere the 'you lose' music from The Price is Right played.

Great Moments in Parenting, number 643

As we were dropping off the kids before school today:

"Mummy, I didn't get my agenda signed because you were swearing and I didn't think I should disturb you."