Just a few of my favorites (and I have many):
- Ice diapers (genius!) (Darwin wanted to know if a maxi pad would work as well?)
- “And then I thought: if a goddamn monkey can do it, I sure as hell can.”
- “NEVER EVER talk to a mother of an ‘easy’ baby. EVER!”
Now, all about me. All this baby stuff got me thinking about—NO, not about having another one!—about my own childhood. Coincidentally, as I was cleaning up some files I discovered some old photos.
I’ve written before about how I didn’t like being a child—I found the powerlessness awful, and I had very few carefree experiences. But looking at these pictures, I was struck by how very unhappy I look in almost every one of them. See what you think:
This one is hilariously—oh, I don’t know the politically correct term, but let’s say underprivileged Caucasian:
This one I remember really liking, believe it or not (awkward age, anyone?):
The happy toddler in this one is my little sister; I’m the one huddled in the background:
“Playing” in front of our house:
My main pleasure in life at the time—and evidence of where HB gets his love of tight colorful outfits:
At my grandparents’:
About to perform in a play for a Medieval Renaissance festival (don’t I look festive?):
And finally, fun times at the beach:
My conclusions? I am happier than ever to be an adult, and I should worry less about HB’s childhood experiences, because it does get better.
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16 comments:
You do look a little, ah, not excited to be a child. Good thing you're not one anymore.
Yes. All those people who talk about how they wish they could be a child again... didn't have my childhood.
Not only do iced pads work well, the best trick is to freeze them business side up in a mixing bowl. That way they freeze in a more helpful shape. (they also squick out spouses who don't know why there's a bowl of pads in the freezer)
Wow . . . where'd you get the pics from my childhood? Being a grownup is way better . . . except for the bills.
Thing is, I kind of had the bills too -- I did our budgeting and checkbook balancing starting at age 12 because I was so tired of my mother bouncing checks.
I've never tried ice maxi pads. I can only vouch for diapers. I supposed that they might work as well, but I would worry about their "holding" power. Diapers are designed to hold A LOT of liquid. I've never had an ice diaper leak.
I would, however, recommend the newborn size (seeing as your friend is having her first, it doesn't really apply). I have used a variety of sizes (the joy of having multiple children in diapers simultaneously) and the newborn ones are just right.
Isn't that Jennifer Aniston dining with your grandparents?
I was gonna say the same thing. You've got a Jennifer Anniston pointy (but hot!) chin goin' on. To me, you just look thoughtful, focused, cerebral, and well, PRACTICAL. As if to say, "OK people, let's get this shit right." Like a documentary filmmaker covering some profound historical event.
Great pictures. You were a serious youngster! (Though in the one with your grandparents, it almost looks like you're kind of smiling a little.)
I was actually pretty happy as a kid, despite a rather bumpy childhood. But even so, I recall a lot of boredom and frustration with my lack of power. It was better to be an older kid, then even better to be a young adult, and better to be a full-on adult. So far, it's all been better. (Though having kids is another thing. It's a joy, but you give up some of those precious freedoms that come with adulthood.)
"Though having kids is another thing. It's a joy, but you give up some of those precious freedoms that come with adulthood." Oh, yeah. It's one of the hardest parts for me ...
yep. i hated being little. i was awkward and not really social. when we moved after 6th grade to where we are now, it got soo much better. my childhood was a horror. im 15 now and am muuuuuch happier.
Also, r3, I think you're right. (And Jennifer Aniston does make me feel better about my pointy chin.)
15! That's exactly when things turned around for me.
Jennifer Aniston???
http://doctorstube.blogspot.com/
i LOVE your sullen looking pictures. you must have been quite a force as a kid.
i just found your blog (i'm a peds resident) and we see eye to eye on a lot of things . . . i have seen MANY 'lists' like the one in your previous post; parents seem to love writing those sorts of things.
anyway, i really like your writing style and i will definitely be reading, so i just wanted to say hi!
oh, and i'm a runner, too (although injured right now). not a mama, though. yet.
I also thought you resemble Jennifer Aniston in these pics, especially the one at your grandparents' house.
I too was a sullen child, quite isolated and into my own head. It resulted in me being quite observant, hypervigilant in fact. I am the oldest and my parents split up when I was 12, so it makes perfect sense that the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I was also a people pleaser, and very smart.
So, weren't my hippie self-absorbed parents surprised and dumbfounded when I suddenly stopped going to school in 10th grade...mostly because it was so crowded there that I couldn't even get into the bathroom or to my classes on time. I was once shy. Now I'm just bitter!
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