Friday, January 8, 2010

raising parker...part one

recently, parker woke up in the middle of the night and like always, josh was the one to deal with the situation. (i don't deal well with nighttime woes.) in the morning i asked josh why she woke up and why she had been so upset, because i remembered hearing crying. he said her covers had come off and she wanted him to put them back. but after he covered her up, she got more upset because she didn't like the order of the blankets. the order of the blankets.

i began to laugh. full on, tears streaming, gut laughter.

oh, and josh knew exactly why. . .

"what's it like raising YOU?" he asked.

now, of course josh did not witness my tyrannical childhood, but he has heard more than enough stories. stories with titles, infamous to my family.

titles like:
"my shoes aren't tight enough!"
"my pigtails aren't curling the same exact way!"
and "jamie's not going to school so i won't go to school! i won't, i won't!" (thus resulting in my dad dragging me the block to my school, in the rain, and depositing me at my third-grade classroom's door where my teacher rejected me and sent me back because even he didn't want to tackle that mess.)

and josh has also seen the beloved "christmas tree video", also a shipley legend. the home video of when i was about eight and threw a foot-stomping, head-shaking tantrum because my dad wouldn't let me cut down the christmas tree. (and it only gets funnier when my exasperated older brother gives me a chance at the saw and i quit after about twenty seconds.)

there have been many times i've encountered my childhood self resurrected in parker. and although initially it may be funny, inside i'm terrified. i, of all people, know what's in store for me. and being the sister of three saintly brothers, i know i was the only one who gave my parents grief and i'm hoping, hoping, that parker isn't as hard on me as i was on them.

but since i do know what's heading my way, i can prepare. no velcro shoes for parker (i know from experience that they're never tight enough), never let her hair get long enough for pigtails, and never let anyone stay home from school as to avoid any sort of jealousy meltdown.

and for our posterity's sake, may we always have a video camera when we pick out our christmas trees.


i may look angelic, but i'm sure i elbowed my brothers right after this was taken and made them cry.

11 comments:

craig shipley said...

hey! i'm not in that picture!...but you were never mean to me or elbowed me so i'll forgive you...

Janis said...

Yes, you were a pain at times. Actually alot of the time. But it was all worth it. Because now that you're grown up, you are awesome, we're best friends, and you're loads of fun.

And....I get to see you go through it with Parker! hee hee hee

robin said...

thanks mom. i knew you'd say that.

and craig, you don't remember, but i went through a phase where you were my #1 target. i used to love making you cry just so i could see how cute you were when you hugged me and forgave me.

i was cold-hearted.

brooke said...

i think your comment about craig should be in the original post...that is angelic...

Kera said...

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/44350

interesting read.

jamie said...

dear robin, good luck.

and i'm glad you inserted that bit about craig. because i was about to inform your readers for you. but isn't it heartwarming (love that word) that your family still loves you in spite of those magical years of childhood. 'cause i know once you were a teenager, you were a golden child. right?

B-Rad said...

I want to see that video of you and the Christmas tree. Next hometeaching visit have it ready. Thanks.

anita said...

I can picture it: Dad with you over his shoulder walking down Willow Street.

I'll probably do the same thing with Abby or Lori one of these days. Or should I learn from Dad's experience?

Sweet J said...

Dear Robin,

I was the worst child you could possibly imagine and I was the only one. I was the girl who screamed in the store and pounded her fists when she did not get the Barbie she wanted. I was the one who was irritated because her mary janes got the tiniest of scuffs on them so I refused to wear them and even threw one at my mom.

It could be worse......

You could be spoiled.

I am sure I am in for the children from hell.

Jen

Trina said...

So funny!
So far, I think that Scott and I got the energetic kids that we deserve!

Fulkerson Clan said...

ohhhh robin, i've been having the EXACT same experience raising evan! i think we moved from each other too soon...the commiserating should not have ended after birth apparently...anyways, i too was no angel, but now i have a deep and abiding appreciation for my parents and them not killing me as a child :)