Why I Became A Parent

I didn't become a parent to post videos of my inconsolable infant on TV. I have been awake since 4 am because Andrew wakes up snuffling and crying and wants holding, and will fall back asleep either as I enter the room or as I pick him up, only to begin crying again as my head hits my pillow. As he finally fell asleep, the other two woke up, so here I am. But that's not why I became a parent, either.

Yesterday, while I was folding laundry, I notice Nicholas was running around the house with a tennis ball I had given him to keep him busy. At one point he stopped and turned to me. "Mommy," he said, "We're playing baseball, and when you get a home run you go to jail!"

I tried not to smile, but it was hard. "I think you mean you run HOME. When you get a home run, you run to the Home Plate."

Nick shook his head. "No, in Daddy's game you go to JAIL." (Remind me to speak to Steve about what he's teaching the children.)

Then he turned to Nathan and started listing off instructions on how to play. I honestly wasn't paying attention anymore, but his last words caught my attention. "And Nate, don't forget your cell phone."

I collapsed into giggles, trying to imagine what kind of baseball game involved cell phones. Nicholas turned to me. "Why are you laughing?" "A grown up joke," I said. The Nick smiled. "We're playing baseball, and I'm the HOT team, and Nate is the COLD team."

And conversations like THAT re why I became a parent.