Bits and Pieces

So instead of a daily blog entry,

or an every few days blog entry,

I am trying the Highlight blog entry.

In other words, I love my blog and want to keep it up

but I'm floundering. :-)

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Trey and I were in lazing around in my bed the other day.

He said or did something and I pretended to cry.

He knew I was kidding but when I looked at him,

his eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"Why are you crying?" I asked him, surprised. "I was just kidding!"

"Oh, I know," he replied, "there is just something wrong with my nervous system. When I see other people cry, I have to cry with them."

I was really touched by that comment he made. He is an oddly sensitive child. That is the thing with this parenting gig- I keep unfolding or uncovering things in my kids over time that I didn't realize were there. I'm not sure if other people do this or I am just obtuse or what. I mean, take Trey for example. He seems, on the surface, to be the toughest of all my kids. He is the most willing to get into trouble, whether at school or at home. He just doesn't seem to care as much about consequences. He will jump on your every last nerve until you are nothing but jangling raw nerve endings. On the other hand, he is self-conscious and extremely sensitive. Some of these other behaviors are a foil for what he feels inside. He would rather be funny than show vulnerability. He would rather act badly and get into trouble than show how much something affects him. As I realize this more and more, I also get a window into my own self and how I handle my own emotions. I have always recognized Trey as being the most like me of all my children and as he grows older, I see it even more clearly. I too feel things very, very deeply. Horribly, painfully so, in fact. My response is often to deny those feelings, hide them or find some way to lash out or divert people from noticing.

Trey was sick this week with a mild stomach virus. Last night he was feeling better and I was tucking him in.

He gave me a big hug and said "You'd better be glad I'm not wearing lipstick right now!"

"Um, yeah..." I said after a pause. I was puzzled. What the hell was he talking about?

"Why?" I asked.

"Because when I cover you in kisses you'd have it all over you!" he crowed gleefully. It was adorable and silly and fun. He made sure he thanked me for taking care of him when he was sick. Who does that?? He's a sweetie.

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I'm making slow but steady tiny incremental changes to our health as a family this year.

Some of it is going over well,

some like a lead balloon.

We are trying, following my brother and Michelle's lead, to have a vegetarian dinner at least once a week. Last week I made a vegetarian tomato sauce for me and added meatballs for the kids and we also had a grilled cheese and tomato soup night.

We are trying to eat at least one serving more of fruit or veges a day.

I am now buying organic milk, which has resulted in me freaking out and hounding the kids to "ONLY POUR AS MUCH AS YOU WILL DRINK!!!!!" like a milk-Nazi.

I am looking for ways reduce processed foods.

If you don't hear from me, the family has locked me somewhere and they are now happily eating Cheetos and Doritos with greasy, fluorescent colored fingers.