Laughter and kids are a good medicine

They say laughter is like a good medicine. Well I am here to tell you that it is not only good for you, but has consequences! So watch out. Be wary. Be on your guard!

As a mother, I can't help but look at the world with a whole new meaning. And sadly, I find myself acquiring new antics and goofiness even at work. I can't help it. Children just naturally do something to us. Call it silliness or exhaustion, whatever.

My kids love to take bubble baths. And when I say "bubble" I mean bubbles galore. I don't know how many bottles of my favorite Dove shampoo they have emptied in the tub just over the past few months. Shampoo is not always cheap you know. I might as well give them the Dawn dish liquid because it can be cheaper than my shampoo.

And to my horror, even my friends at work have found me guilty of putting too much dish liquid in the sink basin at work. Oops. Bubbles galore. But they can't say the silverware is not clean. And I will hesitate to mention the floor cleaner in the bucket. I had to mop three times just to get the bubbles up from the floor. Now do you see what my children have done to me?

Now when I take them grocery shopping it doesn't bother me to argue with them aloud in the store amongst the masses of people. Why should it anyway? I am a parent! Before I became a parent I shied away from people in general. And God forbid someone looked at me on the checkout line. Now I just look back and raise an eyebrow, thinking to myself: "What are you looking at?"

And I see those "fancy" clothes being advertised on television with the anorexic models waltzing down the runway. I think to myself: "You have got to be kidding me." Wal-Mart clothing is just fine. Save money. Live better. You know, that motto.

I used to get embarrassed at my brother's when they passed gas at the store or around me in general. Now when my kids do it I just sigh to myself. It is a normal process. What can I say? But when they do it at the store in line I just have to remind myself that this is part of being a parent! Take it or leave it. I have taken it and run the marathon. Still running it.

And I have come to grips with the reality that a "quiet" "peaceful" evening does involve watching some sort of cartoons with popcorn. An actual adult movie? Give me a break. I like watching cartoons with my kids more. But it always involves popcorn. And no matter what we are trying to watch, kids are going to make noises and bounce around no matter what.

Just like they do around the dinner table. Paper airplanes have become part of everyday living in our house also. And dogs. And no matter how many times we take trips, it is always the same remark from both of my kids: "Are we there yet?!" "How much longer?!" Good grief. I sing that in my head every time we go somewhere.

Or the ever famous: "Bubby keeps looking at me!" That is what they make a radio for in the car. Thank God. I love being a mommy. Every day is a new surprise, vexation, or experience. And we might as well laugh while we are raising our kids. Life is way too short.