Raising an Occasional Genius

I want to share with you one of my favorite blogs. http://occasionalgenius.com/ Just pay it a visit.. you’ll see why. Besides, you’ll need a little background from it to fully understand who all the characters are in this post.

37 years ago the author of Occasional Genius started life out as my buddy in a way mother’s seldom, if ever, wish for. While granting her mother’s request for a newborn weighing less than 7 pounds (she weighed in at 6 lbs. 15oz), she rushed in a bit early with Hyaline's Membrane Disease.

It was an emotional week for OG (Occasional Genius) ’s family. At the time, HMD was not as well understood as it is today.. and was often fatal. We all waited, not so patiently, on pins and needles and prayers to learn if the little gal in the ICU incubator was ever going to come home with us. Had I only realized then what is all too obvious today, I would have known OG was just hanging out in that incubator coming up with ideas and planning …..! Had it been within her power at the time, she would have redecorated the entire ICU unit I certain.

In our clan OG is recognized not only as athe Idea Gal but as the ‘other mother’. Each one of her siblings has lived with her at one time or another since leaving the original nest. In fact I’m pretty sure she’d be MY mother if she had gotten to earth first. She just has this way about her that takes control.. creative control more often than not. Instead of the name found on her birth certificate, we should have just named her Polly Project and gotten it over with!

I’ve always felt a little guilty that when IT Guy proposed to OG, we didn’t either offer a disclaimer about how OG’s mind works or at least give him a friendly warning:

“Don’t let her think for too long and don’t leave her alone for too long. You’re never sure what you’ll come home to!”

Ah - but of course he knows more about that now than we do… He’s come home to torn down walls, removed back doors, sawn in half and reassembled sofas… The list is endless..

Ever eager to share her ideas and projects with the masses, today OG posted a contest on her blog.. The winner receives a gallon of gas and cookies made by IT Guy, himself.. Trust me.. it’s worth entering just for the cookies!

All you have to do is tell about your favorite disaster memory courtesy of one of your children. I ask you: What mother could resist… especially when the person asking is one of your own kids?

My entry went something like this:

For my contest entry (disqualified or not due to being related ,and because of the “who” on which I am about to squeal ) I have chosen one of OG”s very own creative events… I will call it -
The New Bedroom
Step 1 - Switching, between two floors, our bedroom for hers while we were picking her brother up on Christmas Eve at the train station.Step 2- Painting that bedroom blue then decorating the walls with hers and her little sister’s foot and hand prints using orange enamel and flat white paint.Step 3 - Spilling that blue paint on the carpet before school the next morning and, with no time to clean it up, laying a blanket over it inhopes her mother would be none the wiser!
I might add that in spite of going to school and bringing her home to adjust the error of her ways, .. and despite the fact that she yelled through the school halls “You are ruining my life!!!!” as we walked , nay, as I drug her to the car, this final step occurred on the day she won the Colorado District 51 Middle School 80 meter hurdles champion - 1985.. I like to think, in part, her success was due to the fact that she was not feeling any guilt about what she had left behind that morning. A mother can only hope!

Love you, OG! Great blog! You make me proud!And just in case.. gas prices here are about $3.39
What readers of Occasional Genius will not have read .. is the 'rest of the story':

We shall fast forward to 3 months after the birth of the cutie pa-tootie referred to as Caboose. It was the week of Code Red’s, B-boy’s and K-Girl’s annual summer visit to Grammie and Grandad’s. Code Red’s only rule for summer visits has always been - NO PARENTS! However, this summer Holly and the Caboose were invited along because IT Guy was off to Georgia on a work related conference.

The week prior to the family visit we had been taking bids on a floor for the back porch area of our park-size backyard. At that time it consisted of nothing more than packed dirt covered with wood chips.

It was early on the afternoon of their first Sunday with us. The shuttle had just left with IT Guy, headed to the airport. We all sauntered out into the back yard to enjoy the pleasant summer weather. OG and I were swinging in the log porch swing with Caboose. Grandad was sipping a cool soda across from us in a lawn chair while the three older grandchildren played . Eventually the adult conversation lagged. It grew dangerously quiet as OG stared at our covered porch area.

OG: How much were the bids on your porch?
Grandad: $3,400. Cement from here to here with planters at the posts.( Grandad indicates where all this will go)

There is a pregnant pause .. and in which I suddenly realize what’s coming..
Sure enough:

OG: Why wouldn’t you build a wooden deck?
Grandad: Turns out to be almost the same price.
OG: Then why not frame it out, cover it with treated plywood, and cover that with something like indoor/outdoor carpeting? I can do it for $750. You can use the left over money on another project!
Grandad: ummm…. I’m not sure your mother would go for that.

(There are two responses from my husband which are dead give-aways that he’s caving. One is the utterance, “umm’, and the other is any sentence with the phrase,’ your mother’ in it!)

OG: If you could do another project with the left over money??? Sure you would, wouldn’t you, Mom?
Me: Are you saying you’d come back this summer and build that for us?
CG: No, I’m saying I’ll build it this week.
Me: Correct me if I’m wrong.. didn’t you just have a baby a few months ago?
OG: It’s been the most uncreative months of my life.. I need a creative project.

(Picture this for a moment.. I’m holding Caboose , one of THE most beautiful and precious little girls ever and CG is saying it’s been the most uncreative period of her life?
Yes, Virginia, even parents of adult children are often left to wonder)

Me: (having recovered from my stupor) But it’s the kids’ week.. .. not build-Grammie-and-Grandad-a-porch week.
OG: Watch this! – Kids!.. come here a minute. (The Terrific Trio gather around) How would you like to film our own decorating show? Code Red. you’re the host of the show, B-boy, you’re the head contractor, and G-girl, you’re our decorating specialist. We’re going to build Grammie and Grandad a porch and surprise Dad with it when he gets home.

Terrific Trio: (Enthusiastic with a capital E) Cool! Yeah!!!!.. when can we start?

You’re not surprised.. right? After all, these are the offspring of OG and IT Guy…so likewise you won’t be surprised when I finish by saying Grandad rearranged his work week to be home a few days to help; I immediately went in the house to make sure our ancient video camera still worked, and; OG had the plans, complete with price list, drawn up in less than an hour.

IT Guy got home in time to help with the last few details… instead of it being a complete surprise. But aside from that one little glitch, we now have a gorgeous new porch just outside our back door
…on which we spend most all our free time in good weather
.. where we’ve hosted the dinner to one of OG’s Pirate parties ( oh I’m sure she will post something about those soon)

... where I hang out with Ella as often as possible
… and which did, indeed, cost $750.. Okay so it was $780.. but that’s only because Grandad had to buy a new drill

SO! Parents of small children who bless your lives with their little creative disasters for now.. Patience.. and rest assured.. it gets better! LOTS better!