Quiet Morning

Its a quiet morning alone in my Mom's house.  Everyone is at work or school and I have the place to myself.   

Yesterday was another fun day.  We went into Kansas City to do some shopping and take Mikey to the doctor. We were out most of the day.

We went to the T-Rex Cafe for lunch first.  It reminded me of the Rain Forest Cafe in Phoenix.  Mom said it was owned by the same place.  It had lots of animatronics, moving dinosaurs and such.  We sat underneath the t-rex and had to deal with the tail moving above us.  I don't blame Mikey for being a little freaked out about that.  It was really noisy too with crazy dino noises.  They didn't have those kind of places when I was a kid. 

After lunch we went to dig for dinosaurs. It was basically a big sand pit with buried "dino bones".  The bones were actually big bone shapes buried in the sand that the kids could uncover.  Mikey got a kick out of it and it wasn't long before all three of us were brushing the sand away from Mikey's latest "discover".  That's what he called them, his latest discover.  He's a fun kid to be around and always makes me laugh. 

After that we went shopping.  We ended up at American Eagle Outfitters and I bought some warm clothes.  Mikey ended up getting some matching clothes at Osh Kosh.  I told Mikey how when I was a kid I used to hide from Mom in the clothes racks.  So that's what he did.  LOL.

It was great weather to be outside.  It was really windy but the temperature was nice.  It was maybe 70 degrees.  Mom said it was the calm before the storm, snow is in the forecast for Thursday.

Mikey's appointment at the doctor was fun.  He colored most of the time.  I helped him pick colors.  He didn't want to do the fish hook yellow until I told him it was a gold fish hook.  Then he was coloring everything gold.  :)  The doctor seemed very surprised to find out I was Mikey's brother.  There's 23 years between us and Mom looks very young.  Its a reaction that amuses me more than anything.  Even before Mikey was born most people didn't assume she was my mom.

We got Chinese food for dinner.  I flirted with a girl with really blue eyes, who was way too young.  (thanks Mom!) LOL. 

The drive home was long but we had some really good conversations.  I always value time with my mom because of the things we talk about.  With the new job I've been thinking a lot about success and goals and retirement. LOL.  We talked about all of that.  Its easy to get caught up in the money and status but what's really important?  And so much has changed over the years.  My childhood was nothing like Mikey's and that's been on my mind too.  I take comfort in the way life can change in painful ways (my parents 'divorce) but lead to the greatest of joys (Mikey!).

My mom is my closest friend and I like the way we relate to each other at this point in my life.  Its always been a good relationship.  I think she's always seen me more accurately than my father, who I also have a good relationship with.  But its just different.  I think my mom is a tremendous person and even when I was a kid she treated me as an equal.

Here's a link to Mom's account of yesterday: link
And here are the pictures she posted: photos