The Gender-Identity Crisis Part 2

While driving to Walmart last week, Sacha suddenly piped up from the backseat: "Mommy, I think I gonna marry a boy after all.  I gonna marry Kees because then I can have a Smart Car faster."

Stunned, and somewhat perplexed at where this was coming from, I had to get the basics out of the way: "Sacha, you cannot marry Kees. He is your brother. You have to marry someone else who is not your brother, or cousin, or mommy or daddy."

Sacha: Oh. Well, I still think I gonna marry a boy so that I get my Smart car faster.

Me: Sacha, you don't need to be married to have a Smart car.

Sacha: But who would sit next to me?

Me: You could choose whomever you want. Kees, Daddy, Maman, Jacob, Stef, anyone. You get to pick.

Sacha: But I still think I gonna marry a boy. Because then I can get the Smart car faster.

Me: Sacha, why can't you get a Smart car if you marry a girl?

Sacha: NO, I get one FASTER if I marry a boy because boys can't have babies in their tummies.

I had to think for a while before I continued, trying to piece everything together in my mind. Finally, it all clicked together.

Me: You want to marry a boy because then you won't have any kids.

Sacha: Yeah, because if I have kids, there is no backseat for them in my Smart car. So if I marry boy, I won't have kids and then I can get my Smart car faster!

Although based on somewhat erroneous assumptions, you cannot argue with that logic.

My not-so-secret guilty pleasure

I love Twilight.

Yes, I am a mom. Yes, I am in my late 20s. Yes, I have better, more productive, things that I could be doing. But I'd rather be reading Twilight. The whole saga.  I have read it twice in the last 6 months.  I will probably read it again.

Here is the other secret: I am not alone. There are many of us, mothers, who love Twilight, who love Edward, who love Jacob. There are even maternity shirts to prove it.
Seeing how the premise for these books is so cheesy and rooted in vicariously satisfying our insane teenage romantic angst, one may wonder why there are so many moms who love it to the point of plopping their kids in front of the TV so that they can read just ONE MORE CHAPTER,  and then sleep on Edward pillowcases while their husband snores away next to them.

Why do moms love Edward?

1. Edward is perfect. Every woman loves a broody, dangerous man, a man that hints at adventure, but wants to protect you and not let you into his world for fear of corrupting you. That is Edward. Corrupting without intending to corrupt.
2. Edward is 17. Forever. Seventeen. Wouldn't we all like to be sleeping with a 17-year old forever?
3. Edward wants to protect your virtue. How many 17 year old guys wanted to protect mine? None. That's how many. Not that I was giving it away, but there were enough that wanted to steal it and run away to Fiji and bury it in volcanic ash so that I could never find it again.
4. Edward sparkles. Everyone likes sparkles. Especially moms who can admire the brilliance of it without having to vacuum it up for months afterward.
5. Edward is ok with you having guy friends, even ones you are potentially in love with but don't know it yet. This may be seen as pure stupidity from Edward's perspective, but not really. When one guy is jealous and the other is kindly and gently waiting for you in the wings, who do you run to? The sparkly one. Who will be 17 forever.
6. Edward plays the piano and writes his own music. He can serenade you anytime you want with your OWN lullaby, written just for you. And if you drag your piano outside, he'll sparkle while he plays.
7. In the midst of global warming, Edward is natural and free AC.
8. Since vampires don't sleep and have extraordinary speed, he could clean your house for you while you sleep and get your beauty rest.
9. Dude is loaded. Not that I am a gold digger or anything.

Jacob has his good points, too.

1. Jacob has a nice complexion, so no need to sunscreen him up every 30 minutes when playing outside.
2. Jacob is so tall you will never need a stool to reach for things in the cupboard anymore
3. Jacob can keep dogs and cats from digging up your flower beds.
4. Jacob is super hot - temperature, that is. As a female who is habitually cold, this appeals to me. And this would save on rising energy costs.
5. Jacob will grow out OR cut his hair for you. It's all a matter of preference.
6. You could have a baby with Jacob without it trying to eat its way out of your womb and breaking your spine during delivery.
7. Jacob will grow old with you and will eventually die of natural causes.

Either way, moms love Twilight. So much so that you can now buy your own bite-sized Edward to keep on your nightstand. Or to bite at your own leisure. He could sure bite me anytime...



**And many thanks for my dear husband who feeds my addiction by buying me said action figure. Did I mention it sparkles?  Just saying...

The Meaning of Easter

Last week, we asked Sacha if he knew what happens at Easter.  He replied: Jesus died on the cross and we hunt eggs!!

He got it mostly right. Just forgot about the resurrection part.

Have a happy Easter!