Soooo... My son almost died today. Again. Still trying not to throw up. We walk to school and after much thought had decided to take a route which bypasses the crossing guard because it walks along much quieter streets with fewer business driveways. Unfortunately that involves crossing at a light where drivers consider red a suggestion. We were waiting at the cross walk and I saw him step forward - thank God, thank you God - and yelled his name. I didn't yell because I saw the car, because I hadn't, I yelled because he'd stepped forward. He stopped on his tiptoes, and his fingertips hit the red SUV speeding by as he windmilled his arms to stop. When we got to school I was still trying not to freak out, and he was explaining to his friends why he had a grocery bag instead of his backpack today. I don't think he knows just how close we came to losing him. He's only six, for crying out loud, and since he was in the womb (with a knot in the cord and another loop around his neck) he's had more near-death experiences than a lot of adults I know. We won't be taking that route again.

My kids are really great, and I love them to distraction, but it's mornings like today's that make me feel dishonest when people coo "Oh, your children are so well behaved!" Yeah... I slept in (sign of a bad mom), had breakfast, chatted with my offspring, all was well. My mistake was thinking I could take a shower. It was like some kind of transporter that sent me to reality. I stepped out to hear

"Give it BACK!" "NO it's MINE!" "I had it FIRST!" "Give it BACK!"

Wonderful. All drippy with a towel around me I went downstairs to be greeted by the sight of my darling children wrestling (in tears, both of them) over... what IS that? Oh, of course. A Lego Pirate head. Not the whole Lego dude, just the head. Sigh...