One Of These Moms is Not Like The Others

I sometimes forget that I am the odd one in a room. Many of my opinions and beliefs do not gel with the popular masses, and I am completely cool with that. In that vein, since most people around me are similarly minded (at the very least, respectful of the choices I make) I am often surprised by what I hear when out and about.

I took Izzy to dance class this weekend. I was dying to see her dance. She talks about it all week long, begging to go back. I met her teachers, fellow classmates and the dance moms. There was the mom yelling through the glass at her 3 year old for forgetting the moves they had practiced so faithfully. There was the pack of competitive moms, attempting to garner sympathy from one another over the wicked schedules their preschoolers had. I mean I could barely refrain from sneering or rolling my eyes. These kids (at least two of whom attend full day preschool) are being dragged from ballet and jazz to swimming lessons, gymnastics, skating lessons...etc. I mean really, does society really need such well rounded toddlers?

These moms were stressed and frazzled. They complained of fatigue, exorbitant costs and less than cooperative children. I mean, come on. Am I the only one who finds this absurd? Sure my kids do a lot of activities but we don't do school so we can take part in many activities and still have plenty of down time.

Sometimes I feel so out of place.

...because it's funny

I think this is fundamentally why Rob and I are so compatible. We have the same appreciation for all things twisted and bizarre. Though completely unintentional, Alex offered up something morbidly funny...and his parents couldn't have been more amused.

The theme in art class this week was portraits. The teacher gave the class a great lesson on how to draw a human face. Heck, I learned a lot. The kids were given water-colour crayons that you brush with water after you finish drawing. Alex decided that his person should have red skin. He started colouring in the face, between the eyes, and then lost interest pretty quickly. Before I knew it, he declared it was finished.

He hasn't quite figured out why all the adults laugh when they see the painting. Thankfully he is still innocent enough not to realize that he painted something that can be construed as a person who met up with a quick and terrible demise.

What can I say, Rob and I couldn't be prouder. Is that wrong? LOL!

We have no will power...

We usually don't, not when it involves our favorite thing in the world, books. Yesterday we went into the city to pick up Rob and head over to that big toy warehouse that is only open from September until Christmas. Beyond a few things for babies, it is mostly junk with a few key exceptions - tons of Crayola art stuff and books, books, books!

I found a few box sets but passed this time around. I already have several with Harry Potter and the Spiderwick Chronicles to work through next. Instead we went nuts for the science and nature material. Little books, usually a buck or two, put out by Readers Digest or DK Books that are perfect for the kids. We must have been a funny sight. Rob holding open a big red bag as we all grab and holler to one another, "Did someone grab this volcano book yet? How about mammals? Or this one on spiders? Nocturnal creatures, anyone?"

Two giants stacks later it was time to force ourselves out. Alex was so cute. He didn't even realize they were all for us. His eyes lit up and smiled brightly when he found out we were taking them home. I think we have successfully passed on our addiction to the kids.

Only one draw back though, eventually I will run out of places to put more bookcases.