If all parents were completely honest I think almost every one of them would admit to wishing they’d see a little of themselves in their children. When we found out I was carrying a boy, I still held out hope that even though we wouldn’t be playing with dolls or playing “beauty shop”, perhaps my son and I would share some interests. When he arrived looking like the spitting image of his dad, I had to come to terms with the fact that he didn’t even look like me.
It has almost taken us 4 years, but Praise Jesus, E.B. and I have found common ground. Deep down I knew he had to get something from me, and I found out those little somethings were my secret favorite things from my childhood. Bubble wrap and Pac-Man.
While helping my mom take down her Christmas decorations, E.B. discovered that bubble wrap made this fantastic popping sound. And it’s so addicting to pop, too. He popped every piece of bubble wrap my mom had and was counting on to protect her holiday treasures until the next year. He even demanded more when that all ran out. Good thing his mom works where there is a daily supply in book shipments we receive at the store. When I was growing up, my mother would also bring this fantastic plastic treasure home to me from where she worked. I could literally entertain myself for hours with that stuff…or until it ran out, whichever came first. I called it “poppy paper”. And as I watched E.B. jump and stomp his heart out on that bubble wrap, I couldn’t help but beam with pride. Over my child. And bubble wrap.
Then E.B. also discovered his dad’s old Gameboy Color, complete with Pac-Man. I’ll just inform you all right now that nobody, and I do mean nobody, could beat me at Pac-Man back in the day. And you will never be able to convince me that there is any better video game in the world. Ditto for the Atari gaming system. As E.B. struggled to figure out Pac-Man on the tiny little screen, it dawned on me that I had bought Cracked Daddy this plug and play game thingy for Christmas several years back. I just knew if we could find it that it would be the perfect thing. Cracked Daddy spent all of Saturday afternoon digging through our storage room and he finally found it and we have suffered from Pac-Man Fever ever since. And as I watched E.B. say, “Aww, man!!” everytime the little ghost would catch his Pac-Man, I couldn’t help but beam with pride. Over my child. And Pac-Man.
When you are grasping for any similarity, you’ll take what you can get. Even if it’s the dorky stuff.
P.S….I couldn’t end this without sharing this and this. Oh, go ahead! You know you want to!
I suck at Pac Man. Always have. Always will. But I love it and will play any chance I get!
Growing up, we had a tabletop Mrs. PacMan machine in our basement. It was set to give you 5 men instead of 3 and there was always a bowl full of quarters to feed into it.
I also was so facinated with bubble wrap that one year, that’s what my Mema gave me for Cmas.
Love bubble wrap.
I used it in school to help the ADD kids!
Love bubble wrap.
I used it in school to help the ADD kids!
Love bubble wrap.
I used it in school to help the ADD kids!
Glad that you had the bubble wrap and Pac-Man experiences come along to enrich your lives. Often, it’s little things in life that have such a positive impact.
Mine all love bubble wrap too. I could probably give them all a huge roll of it for Christmas and they would be happy! 🙂
I can definitely sympathize with you on this one. With two little boys it was often hard to connect to my childhood. As my oldest has grown up we have similar interests, but he is much for like my hubby. My parents say that my little monkey is much more like me. Hmmm…it shall be interesting to see 😉
thank you for sharing my love of “poppy paper”!! can’t get enough!
Oh yes, I couldnt have been prouder that when Gavin started getting into Star Wars because this momma is a star wars fanatic!
how exciting!
my son is my spitting image and i know it bothers my husband- lol! however, the older my son gets, the more obvious it is that he is exactly like his father…
i like the layout btw…seems everyone is doing a lil New Years blog tweeking!
We got The Child one of those plug and play Ms. Pacman things and I think maybe it has Pole Position, too? Some other old school Atari game. He loves it and I have to say, I love hearing the sounds of Ms. Pacman. Ahh, takes me back. 🙂
I know that feeling. Both of my kids look exactly like dad and in most ways act just like him as well.