Hey Lady! Update Your Blog!

Okay - I will!

You know what takes time? Updating your blog while simultaneously living your life with a little bundle of energy known as Mr. Buddy Pants/Ol' Franks/Willie Franco P.

Sometimes, for, like, say the last year or so, I have just lived without the running commentary online or through social media or by telegraph or smoke signals, or...you get it.

That doesn't mean I don't have things to say. I have something to say! I just haven't said it publicly. In today's world, does that mean it is somehow worth less than saying it privately? Probably to some. Not so much to me.

So, here it is, some nuggets of parenting wisdom for the ages:

**You don't know how funny it will be to see your kid transfixed by Seth McFarlane's Oscar-opening song We Saw Your Boobs, on repeat, sometimes up to eight times in a row. We don't know what it says about the kid, but it is hilarious. (We also don't know what it says about us. But, we don't care. Because of the hilarity.)

**You can't foresee the following: You are engrossed in the new Les Mis musical, empathizing with the poor (yet brilliantly on-pitch) peasants singing Look Down, when here comes your kid in front of the screen with a "We're Number 1" Steelers' foam finger on his hand, waving it like Ben just threw the game-winner to Santonio in Super Bowl XLIII. The juxtaposition is philosophically quite deep. Or, the kid is used to watching a lot of sports. Or both. You decide.

**When your kid wakes up and his first instinct is to "red up" the bedroom, you might have spent too much time "redding up" so far in his young life. (See also: a fascination with sweepers, a need to run full-on to any broom within eyesight, and unprompted sorting of...everything.) This is so cute now. It likely will be less cute when he needs some meds.

**When on long car trips, you don't know the benefit of mixing up the music effectively. This kid finds  both The Muppets soundtrack and Eminem absolutely hysterical. (As do I. That Marshall is a witty fellow.) This little experiment is likely short-lived, once Franco learns to talk, for repeating Kermit is okay, while impersonating Mr. Mathers is socially irresponsible. (Don't shoot the messenger! I didn't make the rules!) So, we are taking full advantage now.

**Having a kid changes you because, from now on, you have the kid. For me, that is really the extent of it. I am pretty much the same person I was before. I do most of the same things, within reason, that I always have. I don't always have enough time to watch Dance Moms, so I have to DVR more and catch up later. It is a sacrifice, but I manage.

I still wear high heels and dresses and the same clothes I used to. My hair is still long. I sometimes don't shower, especially in the summer when I swim everyday, but it's not because of Franco. I have always been that way. I know I am a brat because I get to stay home and play with him all day, but I am no more bratty now that I was before.

We went to Disney World and it was actually more fun with a kid, as are many things in life. You don't have to cart as much stuff around as people lead me to believe - maybe because I often carried a large handbag anyway, I already was used to it. (Thank you, Lindsay Lohan, for showing me the way to proper, responsible motherhood.)

Sure, some things are harder. But, isn't that always the way? Kids or no kids, life gets more challenging as we go along. Like Mike Tomlin might tell you, "It's a journey, a process."

That's all I have. I am always trying to do better, to be better. And to find the humor because once this time is gone, it's gone for good.

But, again, isn't that always the way?