Love Me to Death

I know AK loves me because she tells me she does. A lot. Maybe like 10 times a day. And because she gives me a lot of kisses. And, no I don't really ever get tired of either of these things. I totally accept them both as sincere, even if they aren't (as in "I-love-you-mommy-smooch-now-can-I-have-candy?").

But honestly, the kid causes me physical pain almost as often as she tells me she loves me. I think she has come close to giving me a concussion at least twice in the last week.

One night, as I was laying in bed with her, she suddenly jumped up, head-butting me, because she wanted to switch pillows. It hurt me so much, I yelled out, "OH MY GOSH!"And she cried. But not because it hurt, because I screamed. It amazes me that I see stars and she feels absolutely no pain from the same impact.

For the record, the Hoos was in the next room with LP and did not come running. Later he said he hadn't even heard anything.

Last night I took the girls to the JCC for open swim after school. They have both gotten more independent in the water and wear bubbles, but I still go in with them as an in-water lifeguard. They were having a grand old time (I was freezing!) floating around, jumping in and splashing like crazy while I observed from a safe, central, in-water, spot. All of a sudden, AK jumped in and body slammed my head.

I was standing about a foot from her and a couple of feet below her. I think I got whiplash. I was concerned that AK had broken her solar plexus on my head. It didn't help that she burst into tears. I looked at LP and told her we were leaving. Not loudly, not yelling, but firmly. She understood and quickly came out of the pool. I wanted to get AK into the locker room so that I could check her out and quiet her down (and avoid the dumbfounded stares of the parents watching their kids have swimming lessons).

I whisked them both into the locker room, sat AK down and asked calmly if she was okay or if she was just scared. She looked directly at me and said, "Momma? Are you mad at me?"

So we are all okay... Until the next time AK decides to smother me with her love or guilt me to death.