Ponderings...

• Is handing-down underwear between brothers nasty? Gavin doesn't really seem to care (or notice - observant, that one) but I sometimes wonder if it is something I should be doing. The underwear aren't stained, but they might have the occasional hole and may be a little dingy (men are almost as rough on underwear as they are on shoes). I would have been grossed out if I had to wear my sister's old underwear (no offense, sis). Is this because I am a female (and thus have standards)? Gavin would rather run around nekkid anyway so if I'm going to put him through the injustice of having to wear britches at all, what does it matter if they have someone else's skidmarks in them?
• Is it rude to breastfeed at the dinner table? We were having our usual Sunday evening family dinner at home and Rowan just would not stop fussing. In the interest of actually being able to hear our conversations (he is by far the loudest of my boys, during the baby stage anyway - Gavin is one of those REALLY LOUD TALKERS), I fed him right there at the table. I doubted he was really hungry but there are few ills that a boob won't fix. Nobody else seemed to care but it still felt weird to me. Granted, I can't pee without someone coming in and busting out a month's worth of soliloquies and they will probably need years worth of therapy for as much as they've seen my boobs in the last 4 months but still...

I'm sure there's more but we'll cross that bridge later. I've probably traumatized you enough for one day.

Well I never!

Gavin came home today with an invitation to a birthday party for a little boy in his class (they invited the whole class) - incidentally the same little boy whose mom RSVPed to Gavin's party a few weeks ago and never showed up. A couple of things struck me as odd.

For starters, the party is being held at a gymnastics center in town. I'm sure they have tumble parties or whatever but it seems odd to me that a 6 year old boy would choose that for his party. I guess it's better than a 12 year old boy choosing that for his party, huh?

Also, included in the Spongebob invitation was a folded up piece of paper asking us to bring an unwrapped toy for this little boy to give to the Women & Children's Rescue Mission in lieu of a gift for the birthday boy. While I applaud the effort (and honestly, I do) it seems kind of Mommy Dearest to me and we're not talking Joan Crawford rich here. This is a middle/lower class suburb in Virginia and I think there is a better way to teach social responsibility than to deny a 6 year old birthday gifts (who here thinks the parents voted for Obama?). I have a hard time believing that he chose this on his own. Even if he is all for it (and he very well may be) I would bet the farm that his parents urged him to do it.

Then again, M & G don't play with most of the stuff that they got for their birthdays anymore, so maybe (probably) I'm talking out of my ass.

Maybe I'm feeling guilty. Like maybe I should have made my kids give their gifts to charity. Heaven knows Marshall chokes up when he asks about the less fortunate, so I'm sure he would have done it ("happily done it" is perhaps too strong a sentiment). But then again, Marshall chokes up at lots of things.

Still, I'm kind of cheesed and feel put-upon. What was the point in adding the little note in the invitation? So that us other parents would feel guilty about it? I mean, they could have quietly taken all the gifts to the mission after the party without letting everyone know. It's almost like they're boasting or something. I almost feel horrible for saying that.

Am I also supposed to feel guilty if I don't take Gavin to the party? Like I'm shorting the needy children one less toy? I mean, this child didn't come to Gavin's party, even after his mom said he would be coming and I still don't know why. It's weird, I tells ya!

So what say you? Should I take him to the party? Am I being a snot about the charity thing? I am navigating uncharted waters with both questions here.