Diminshed Moose? I think not!
A little necessary background...
A few years back H and I took a long weekend and went up to New Hampshire with friends. In addition to some great hiking we were also determined that we'd see a moose. We got up early one morning, and drove to a lake that moose were known to frequent. Pulling out the binoculars we began to scan the far coastline for moose - and it was far. Very far, but with the binoculars we could at least make things out.
We were standing in a cloud of black flies and mosquitoes. They were thick and literally feasting on us, but we stayed out because, darn it, we were GOING to see a moose. It was my turn with the binoculars, and I was slowly tracking the far coast of the lake, looking for anything moving. When... could it be??? (looking more closely) Yes - yes! It is! A bull moose! I can see the body moving - it looks tiny because it is so far, but based on the trees around it I could tell it was very large, and I could see the giant rack of antlers on him. OH MY GOSH!!!
I frantically motioned for the others, handing over the binoculars and describing where I was looking so they could see him too. They all looked, but either they didn't look in the right spot or he moved on, because no one else could find him.
H began to tease me, saying that it wasn't really a moose. That I probably just saw a log, or a tree. Maybe a deer. But not a moose, and certainly not a bull moose. I looked at him in shock and disbelief... was he really doubting me? Trying to make my sighting somehow less exciting because he didn't see it? "Are you diminishing my moose?!?!" I asked.
Well, no one else saw it, he replied. Implying again that I was mistaken. That it wasn't a moose I saw. "You're diminishing my moose? Well, I'll have you know... blah blah blah. I went on a bit of a tirade, exalting the veracity of my moose. Exclaiming far and wide that I had, indeed, seen a moose. A real, live, giant moose. Right across the lake. H just kept poo-poohing me. Nonchalantly dismissing the possibility that what I saw could have been a moose. It was probably a mouse, not a moose. I knew he was teasing me, but couldn't help but be irritated. It was sour grapes - he hadn't seen it so he couldn't admit that I saw the moose.
(Later in the trip, for the record, we did all eventually see a moose. Close up. It walked out of the woods and nearly into the Grand Cherokee we were driving. Our friend was driving and had kept his camera out for hours waiting for the perfect shot, and moments before we saw the moose gave up exchanging his Cannon for a sleeve of Pringles then threw chips everywhere in his shock when she popped out of the woods right in front of us. H developed a very short-term case of Tourettes, spouting words that would have made a sailor blush. My companion in the back seat had become carsick and was frantically looking for a plastic bag. And I sat there with my mouth agape, utterly shocked at how positively giant it was up close. Talk about a Keystone Cops moment - if someone had only caught us all on video!)
Since then this has become a running joke. If we want to somehow belittle something the other person has seen/done (in a loving-but-extremely-bratty way) we diminish their moose.
Back to current day, in NJ.
This weekend Colin got quite sick. He started spiking a fever on Saturday night, and when we took his temperature it was over 102. We immediately administered Motrin and plopped him in a cool bath, and got his temp back down to a normal range. We dealt with a floppy miserable and feverish child all day on Sunday, and I worked from home yesterday as he was much too sick to go to school. This morning he spiked another 102.9 so there was no chance of him going to school again. I had an important meeting this morning, so H stayed home with Colin, then I came back at lunch to work from home again and hopefully help our little guy get better.
This afternoon Colin seemed to be feeling much better - practically frisky. He took a long nap, but when he woke up he was ready to roll! He was playing with his toys, and crawling around, trying to get into trouble with the dog's water dish again... and frequently crawling over to the stairs and starting to climb, then looking back at me with a smirk on his face, making sure I was coming!
My work day was almost over, so I let Colin crawl to the top of the stairs. He headed for the guest room (aka H's closet, someday to be Colin's bedroom), and I had him alone in the corridor where Sydney couldn't lick his face, which is what she does (somewhat obsessively) whenever I try to let the little guy walk. She's being loving, and adores the boy, but she's always right in his face whenever he's standing.
Well, for once she couldn't get to him. So I helped him to his feet, taking my hands gradually away so he was standing on his own. He did so quite well... balancing on his own and not teetering or tipping. Then I scootched back a couple of feet and held my hands out. He fell to his knees and was going to crawl to me, but I stood him back up and tried again.
And...
He took two steps and fell into my arms. HE WALKED!!! I swept him into my arms hugging and praising him, and generally whooping it up like a complete blithering idiot.
Then I thought maybe I imagined it, so I tried again. Stood him up, backed up, held out my arms. And... step-step-step. He did it again! (I gushed and hugged and squealed with delight!) I tried again - and he did it again. (more motherly gushing and hugging) WHEEEE!!! He didn't take his first step at school (one of my great fears). It was at home. With me!!! In spite of his horrible sickness, he did it! Just 8 days after his first birthday. Today, May 4, 2010 at approximately 4:30 PM Colin took his first independent steps.
I was so incredibly thrilled I went downstairs and immediately sent a text to H. I would have called, but knew he was having a meeting with a client. But I had to share it with him. I felt awful that he didn't see it, but wanted him to know the moment it happened. How exciting!
About an hour and a half later H must have had a quick break from his meeting, because he sent me a text. The text was:
Diminished moose...
But seriously glad u were first to see it
What? You're diminishing my moose? WHAAAAT?!?! On something like this you're really, truly diminishing my moose???? You must be kidding me!!!
I was so annoyed I let Colin climb the stairs, and practiced with him some more. I can't wait for H to get home so I can show him. Our son is walking. Then again, maybe I won't show him. Maybe I'll just wait until Colin can walk across the room. Then we'll see who has a diminished moose.
PS
Oh my gosh. I just realized. My son... is... walking. Soon to be running. Running amok. AAACKK!!!!
OH NO!!!!!
A few years back H and I took a long weekend and went up to New Hampshire with friends. In addition to some great hiking we were also determined that we'd see a moose. We got up early one morning, and drove to a lake that moose were known to frequent. Pulling out the binoculars we began to scan the far coastline for moose - and it was far. Very far, but with the binoculars we could at least make things out.
We were standing in a cloud of black flies and mosquitoes. They were thick and literally feasting on us, but we stayed out because, darn it, we were GOING to see a moose. It was my turn with the binoculars, and I was slowly tracking the far coast of the lake, looking for anything moving. When... could it be??? (looking more closely) Yes - yes! It is! A bull moose! I can see the body moving - it looks tiny because it is so far, but based on the trees around it I could tell it was very large, and I could see the giant rack of antlers on him. OH MY GOSH!!!
H began to tease me, saying that it wasn't really a moose. That I probably just saw a log, or a tree. Maybe a deer. But not a moose, and certainly not a bull moose. I looked at him in shock and disbelief... was he really doubting me? Trying to make my sighting somehow less exciting because he didn't see it? "Are you diminishing my moose?!?!" I asked.
Well, no one else saw it, he replied. Implying again that I was mistaken. That it wasn't a moose I saw. "You're diminishing my moose? Well, I'll have you know... blah blah blah. I went on a bit of a tirade, exalting the veracity of my moose. Exclaiming far and wide that I had, indeed, seen a moose. A real, live, giant moose. Right across the lake. H just kept poo-poohing me. Nonchalantly dismissing the possibility that what I saw could have been a moose. It was probably a mouse, not a moose. I knew he was teasing me, but couldn't help but be irritated. It was sour grapes - he hadn't seen it so he couldn't admit that I saw the moose.
(Later in the trip, for the record, we did all eventually see a moose. Close up. It walked out of the woods and nearly into the Grand Cherokee we were driving. Our friend was driving and had kept his camera out for hours waiting for the perfect shot, and moments before we saw the moose gave up exchanging his Cannon for a sleeve of Pringles then threw chips everywhere in his shock when she popped out of the woods right in front of us. H developed a very short-term case of Tourettes, spouting words that would have made a sailor blush. My companion in the back seat had become carsick and was frantically looking for a plastic bag. And I sat there with my mouth agape, utterly shocked at how positively giant it was up close. Talk about a Keystone Cops moment - if someone had only caught us all on video!)
Since then this has become a running joke. If we want to somehow belittle something the other person has seen/done (in a loving-but-extremely-bratty way) we diminish their moose.
Back to current day, in NJ.
This weekend Colin got quite sick. He started spiking a fever on Saturday night, and when we took his temperature it was over 102. We immediately administered Motrin and plopped him in a cool bath, and got his temp back down to a normal range. We dealt with a floppy miserable and feverish child all day on Sunday, and I worked from home yesterday as he was much too sick to go to school. This morning he spiked another 102.9 so there was no chance of him going to school again. I had an important meeting this morning, so H stayed home with Colin, then I came back at lunch to work from home again and hopefully help our little guy get better.
This afternoon Colin seemed to be feeling much better - practically frisky. He took a long nap, but when he woke up he was ready to roll! He was playing with his toys, and crawling around, trying to get into trouble with the dog's water dish again... and frequently crawling over to the stairs and starting to climb, then looking back at me with a smirk on his face, making sure I was coming!
My work day was almost over, so I let Colin crawl to the top of the stairs. He headed for the guest room (aka H's closet, someday to be Colin's bedroom), and I had him alone in the corridor where Sydney couldn't lick his face, which is what she does (somewhat obsessively) whenever I try to let the little guy walk. She's being loving, and adores the boy, but she's always right in his face whenever he's standing.
Well, for once she couldn't get to him. So I helped him to his feet, taking my hands gradually away so he was standing on his own. He did so quite well... balancing on his own and not teetering or tipping. Then I scootched back a couple of feet and held my hands out. He fell to his knees and was going to crawl to me, but I stood him back up and tried again.
And...
He took two steps and fell into my arms. HE WALKED!!! I swept him into my arms hugging and praising him, and generally whooping it up like a complete blithering idiot.
Then I thought maybe I imagined it, so I tried again. Stood him up, backed up, held out my arms. And... step-step-step. He did it again! (I gushed and hugged and squealed with delight!) I tried again - and he did it again. (more motherly gushing and hugging) WHEEEE!!! He didn't take his first step at school (one of my great fears). It was at home. With me!!! In spite of his horrible sickness, he did it! Just 8 days after his first birthday. Today, May 4, 2010 at approximately 4:30 PM Colin took his first independent steps.
I was so incredibly thrilled I went downstairs and immediately sent a text to H. I would have called, but knew he was having a meeting with a client. But I had to share it with him. I felt awful that he didn't see it, but wanted him to know the moment it happened. How exciting!
About an hour and a half later H must have had a quick break from his meeting, because he sent me a text. The text was:
Diminished moose...
But seriously glad u were first to see it
What? You're diminishing my moose? WHAAAAT?!?! On something like this you're really, truly diminishing my moose???? You must be kidding me!!!
I was so annoyed I let Colin climb the stairs, and practiced with him some more. I can't wait for H to get home so I can show him. Our son is walking. Then again, maybe I won't show him. Maybe I'll just wait until Colin can walk across the room. Then we'll see who has a diminished moose.
PS
Oh my gosh. I just realized. My son... is... walking. Soon to be running. Running amok. AAACKK!!!!
OH NO!!!!!
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