Hiding

Right now I'm hiding. I am sitting at the computer, right where it usually is but I'm hiding. I'm not making any sudden movements and I am tapping the keys as gently as I can because I am hiding. I am ignoring the Clown Town song that is blaring on the TV and the Jedi light sabre war that is raging in Dude's bedroom. I am keeping my eyes on the screen so I won't see the explosion of dolls all over the family room or the trail of cereal down the basement stairs. I am hiding.

Today is a Professional Development day in our school division so the wee ones are home for the day. Because the kids are off for a few days my sister drove out here with Bizzy to spend the weekend with us. Four kids...before 9am...coffee hasn't taken effect...I'm hiding.

I have already been found this morning several times. Mischief barged into my room at about 7:30 to ask where his favourite movie is, Dude came by at about 8 to see if I was having a good sleep in and at 8:07 Crafty could be heard in the hallway, loud whispering to everyone that they should be quiet because I was sleeping. At that point I realized that hiding in my bedroom wasn't going to work.

So I got up, made coffee and decided to hide in plain sight. I have been sitting here for about half an hour and no one has said a word to me. No one has touched me, poked me or even looked at me. I am invisible.

I have wondered something for a long time and maybe you can help. Why is it that a mother can sit and do nothing, not read a book, not talk on the phone, but literally sit in a chair and do NOTHING for hours, probably even days, and her children won't even look at her? She could probably sit there, doing nothing, for a hundred years and the kids would let her be but as soon as she moved, as soon as she picked up a book, answered the phone, started a task the kids are sure to be all over her.

Maybe kids are like T-Rex's, maybe they can't see things very well until they move? Or maybe they have short term memory issues and they don't remember they have mothers until she draws attention to herself? I don't know what it is but I am sure of one thing. Kids have an internal something that triggers them to search for their mothers as soon as their mom enters the bathroom for any reason. So moms, NEVER HIDE IN THE BATHROOM...it's the first place the little critters will look for you!