Wearing Both HATS......

 

This weekend was the “introduction to summer” for the children.  We had a birthday party, race track time, and pool party at our house.  By Sunday at 6:30, all of us were completely exhausted and looking forward to going to sleep!

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to leave my daughter with some friends and head to the race track for some mother/son time.  We were meeting some friends there to watch and enjoy “shop talk”.  It was a nightmare parking and we soon found ourselves plopping down to watch the cars drive by..  After about a ½ hour, my son decided he wanted to go look for our friends that were driving in the race.  As we journeyed through the area, I soon found myself giggling at the names of the race cars (C%$ck Blocker, B#@ch Beater).  I look over at my son and he says “mom, these cars are very inappropriate).  I smiled and said “yes they are”. We then continued to walk until we located our friends.    My son was speechless.  He couldn’t get a word out.  He had never seen our friends in the “racing” environment. As we left, I asked him why he was so quiet and his response “I didn’t realize they were that famous”. HA HA.  We then continued to work our way back to our group and pass a man and women riding on a little 50 motorcycle.  She was only wearing shorts and “pasties”.  Need I say more?  I instantly look at my son and say “that is inappropriate”.  He immediately responds with “no mom that is HOT”.  

So over all, I have been successful in teaching him that “dirty words” are not appropriate. You can’t “shelter” them from it but I think we would have been better off sitting side track where the words traveled by too quickly to interpret the meaning behind it.  I have no comment on his reaction to the “pasties”…I guess boys will be boys! 

We laughed, talked, and enjoyed the smell of gasoline, burning rubber, and pure body odor.  It was a great afternoon!  As we were driving home, my son was quiet in the car (probably completely worn out from the heat).  As we got closer to home, I heard the words that I love so much.  He said “mom, I know you are not a guy, but you are the coolest mom”.  I instantly looked in my rear view mirror and said “you are the coolest son”.  The remainder of the ride was quiet as I got lost and took us 5 miles out of the way.  I looked back in the mirror one last time and realized that he too was pondering.  I wonder what was going through is mind. Was it the girl with the pasties or was it thoughts of burning rubber?  Does he miss his dad at events like this or does he just not want the day to end? I wondered if he will brag about this activity or will he see it as just another Saturday? 

When we got home, we quickly prepared for more friends to come over.  YUP, I must be crazy!  I fired up the grill, made a second round of meatballs, prepared dips, and got the pool ready!  Another great ending to a great weekend! I managed to go to a birthday party, go the trace track, and host a party all by Saturday at 9:30PM.  I also managed to meet their father at the park on Sunday, get ice cream, and then pool time on Sunday.  B-R-E-A-T-H It was crazy BUT I wouldn’t change a thing!

So in Keeping it REAL, you never know what you can accomplish as a single mother.  Wearing both hats can be challenging and rewarding.  When I am with my son, I put on my “dad” hat and think of all the awesome things my dad would have done with me.  My son is lucky that I like doing these things with him, but I am lucky that my dad taught me to love them…   With my daughter, I put on my “mom” hat and begin baking cupcakes or playing Barbies.  There is no challenge that they bring forth that I won’t attempt to conquer.  We all have it in us; we just need to find the confidence to tackle the obstacles.    And remember, whether you succeed or fail, when you look in the rear view mirror; there will always be a smiling face looking back.  A face that his “happy” just because you “tried”.  It is a great day to be single…and life in the backyard is getting better every day!