Some mothers don’t have to do a daily morning safety check throughout their home. Some moms have daughters or kids that look like Harry Potter and sit and read books all day. I have three boys that I will have to eventually write a book about or someone will write a book about me once one of their experiments goes awry and I am blown to bits. My mornings consists of mad chaos while I cook and pack lunches and play drill sergeant.
While wrangling three boys our patient dog stares me down to say, “Feed me!” and “Let me out!” and my husband yells, “Abbie, did you pack me a lunch?” and “Stop yelling yelling at the kids so much!” and “Boys, stop beating each other with pool noodles at the kitchen table!”
You would think that after dropping them off at school I would sit in silence and drink my coffee.
Not in our house. I have to be sure that our house will still be standing when Jim comes home from work and I am still alive when everyone starts screaming, “When is dinner!” Mother’s of all boys also know boys are born with two stomachs to accommodate the Hobbits meal plan.
I walk through our home and look for signs of mayhem or hopefully pre-mayhem to nip in the bud. The house was looking pretty good other than the odd light that they left on. Toilets were flushed. Faucets were all the way off.
I was walking past our first grader Peter’s bedroom when I saw this…
Why would his nightstand drawer be glowing?
Here is where I do that walk that all mothers of little boys do. I walked with eyes squinted, holding my breath and thinking about the exit strategy to get whatever it is quickly out of the house and thinking about how many more days until the garbage man comes.
I open the drawer and find a Robin’s egg wrapped in a towel and with a reading lamp on and inside as well.
Oh, my sweet little Peter.
I had found the egg while out gardening. It was completely intact and I called him over to show him. I explained that it had been out of the nest long enough that it would no longer hatch and that if it gets broken chances are it will be rotten and stink.
“But isn’t it beautiful!” I said.
When he asked if the mothers was sad I told him I was sure she had already laid another egg and these things happen when eggs are up in trees.
I kept on gardening.
A little while later he came outside and asked how long you would have to sit on the egg to make it hatch.
I patiently told him that if he sat on the egg it would break because he is not a bird and reminded him that it was old and would never hatch.
Then he came out and asked how warm it would have to be to hatch.
I told him, “So help me Peter if you put that egg in my microwave!!!!”
He snickered, “I am sure. Like I would do that. That would cook it.”
I thought that was the end of it.
Until I found the night stand incubator.
When he came home from school I told him I found his little experiment and while it was very smart and sweet I told him he is lucky he didn’t burn the house down.
His reply (said with a minor head shake and slow blink that all little boys do to their mothers), “That is why I used an LED cool lamp. I am sure, like I would use a regular bulb. That would catch on fire.”
I know far too much about rotten eggs. Read my post, “Exploding eggs and nakedness” and follow for more stories.
Please do not try to incubate an egg this way. That would be dangerous. 😉
Thanks for letting me share and I hope you are “following” our stories,
-Abbie, All that makes you smile, laugh, think, love, cry or cry laughing. allthatmakesyou.com
Sharon Greenthal says
Someday when your son is a successful scientist/vet/inventor you’ll look back on this and laugh!
Sharon Greenthal recently posted…A Life Well-Lived and a Place Well-Loved
Jenn says
This sounds like something my daughter would think about doing…but then get distracted by a strange shaped leave, funny bug or pretty rock…and then forget about the egg until it went through the wash.
#youdontwanttoknowwhatifindatthebottomofthewashingmachine
#Ineedtocheckpocketsbetter
Jenn recently posted…What I’m Reading Wednesday: Alias Hook
Abbie Gale says
I was always afraid of finding things in pockets but so far it’s only golf tees and balls. My yard and garage is an ADHD experiment though. Thanks for coming over!
Cindi Schultz says
This is golden. My two sons are grown now but there was the day my oldest decided to run a phone line to his bedroom. He was 10. It worked. Now he builds big gorgeous things all over the world. Love your blog!
Abbie Gale says
Love that! I used wrapping paper rolls to make a “phone” and strings and pillows to turn my light switch on, no off. 🙁 so my boys may have come by this madness honestly.
Carol Cassara says
Why didn’t I have a mom like you?? LOL LOL and LOL
Carol Cassara recently posted…Dr. Oz: on the hot seat for hype
Abbie Gale says
Dude, you have no idea the mad house I live in. I simply surrendered. 😉
Joyce says
I found a robin egg as well outside just a couple mins ago! I do not have a LED light, but i need to make an incubator with 90F so the lil birdie will hatch. How can i make one?
All that makes you... says
I really have no idea! Don’t burn the place down! Ha ha! My youngest did this and it was dangerous.
beachmum says
I keep reading because every day you post something more hilarious than the last. I think I see a book deal in your future. Seriously!
All that makes you... says
Wouldn’t that be awesome! He he he! Thanks and wow that kind of sets a standard. I am sure I can keep you entertained with the stupid things that happen to me. After all, I did get a curling iron stuck in my hair. 😉
DefiningMotherhood says
This made my morning. I’m suddenly feeling better about the regurgitated owl pellets on my coffee table.
All that makes you... says
Oh, you should still feel bad about owl pellets on the table! Ewwwww… I finally had to train mine to put gross stuff in ziplock bags. That meant rodent skull in quart sized baggie on kitchen counter. Then I had to teach them what “unappetizing” means.
Teresa Cleveland Wendel says
Oh dear. Another boy like my son.
Let me warn you. He never grew out of it.
All that makes you... says
Awwww….that’s good! I need to stay on my toes. I never thought to check for lamps in drawers before!
Julie Catherine says
Aww, you have to admit that’s awfully sweet … hehehe. Loving this site and your stories! 🙂
All that makes you... says
Thanks. He is sweet but he has such a funny grumpy tone. He makes me laugh.
Caddo Veil says
Oh gosh–smiling at the safety check of the house, and thinking it must be wonderful to have a Peter who is so sweet and caring about the bird family, and brilliant, and tolerant of you–an LED cool lamp, of course! God bless y’all.
All that makes you... says
He is obsessed with critters. Obsessed. I bought him the reading lamp for fear he would accidentally throw a blanket over it in bed while he was reading. He started reading at like three so his wealth of information is dangerous! Have a good weekend!
All that makes you... says
Oh and you will love this…horrible that I am sharing! He just called me from school and told me his butt itches!!!! Oh my word! No shame! I have been trying to get him to wear shoes so I told him about pin worms, (my mothers parenting strategy to tell a horrendous story and then let the kid decide) and he must be obsessing about it! Bahhahaha!!!!!
christine says
You have to admit this is awfully sweet… but I am really glad your house didn’t burn down.
All that makes you... says
I too am happy the house didn’t burn down. We can NEVER turn anything into our insurance company again. That is a whole different post! One insurance claim found me on the front porch unable to come inside and laughing uncontrollably while talking to my insurance agent on the phone, (whom I woke up out of bed.) He kept saying, “But Abbie, you HAVE TO GO BACK INSIDE!” I opened the front door and lost it again at my husband running up and down the stairs screaming and screaming, “How is any of this funny?!” Then I was back outside laughing alone, in the dark. This is why I house check.
christine says
Um, you can’t give me that and leave me hanging. When do I get to read this post?
Julie Catherine says
Uh, yes, inquiring minds MUST know about this one! Please?
All that makes you... says
OK, so I will totally write about it next week. It would have to be a two parter. Was stupid and all of my neighbors turn their water off before they go out of town, (8 days).