It was a relatively ordinary year at our house (if abnormal can be considered, in fact, normal). I won’t bore you with the details – if you want those you can check our home video’s (syndicated nationally and loosely disguised as a fictional television offering entitled, “Malcolm in the Middle.”)
Thing 1 played baseball, took swimming and skating lessons and lost his first tooth in 2001 – but when asked what he remembered most about the year, he responded without hesitation, “Grammy R’s hot cinnamon rolls.”
Thing 2 also learned to skate, took swimming lessons and started school last year. He would not, however, surrender his most memorable moment of 2001 but that shouldn’t surprise anyone since he rarely surrenders anything without a fight, bribes or complex diplomatic negotiation (usually instigated and won by him). That’s not to say that Thing 2 is an overly contrary 4 year-old, however he does have his moments. Point in reference: December 29, 2001 he hit’s his 11 year-old cousin and makes him cry. Later that night, when I take him to the bathroom for his midnight whizz, still half asleep, his eye’s suddenly open into Spaghetti Western slits and, while ordering me to leave him alone, he smacks me in squarely the face.
Ma learned that she should be careful what she wishes for. I don’t think 7 days in the hospital just prior to Christmas was the Club Med vacation she was looking for. On second thought, one week of breakfast in bed, room service and cable television – without the boys and I, our laundry, lunch and listless, listeningless behavior might not be such an unpleasant memory after all.
And Pa you ask? What was his most memorable moment? Did I mention that Thing 2 smacked me in the head a couple days ago? I’m not sure that’s a legitimate number one memory so much as it may be my only memory courtesy of the ensuing brain damage.