... we are all selfish.

Yes, I know. That's a bold statement. But it's the truth. Think about it. When someone cuts us off in line at the store, why do we get mad? Because we were there first and we have to get in and out of the store in under 10 minutes so we can get onto Main St by 2:37 so we can be in the car-line by 2:50 so our car can be seen from the school door and little Timmy/Billy/Suzy/Ashley doesn't have to wait for us to move all the way up the line before getting in the car. Because clearly nuclear bombs would fall from the sky if we ended up at the back of car line, all thanks to the jerk who cut in front of us in line at the store.
When we can't find the specific item we are looking to buy for a gift, we get upset. Why? Because so-and-so really wanted that gift. Right. And also wrong. We also get upset because we wanted to be the one who gave so-and-so that gift, so that so-and-so could say "Don't you just love my blah-blitty-blah?? What's-her-name gave it me!!" We want the credit. Why? BECAUSE WE'RE SELFISH!! Oh sure, we want to see the look on our children's faces when they open up that perfect thing you know they'll love. But in truth, we also secretly relish knowing that we were the ones gave them that perfect thing we know they'll love. We love knowing that THEY know Mommy and Daddy delivered the goods.
And ladies, why do we get upset when our husbands/boyfriends/girlfriends/person we pass on the street doesn't notice our new jeans/sweater/shoes/haircut? BECAUSE WE'RE SELFISH! We want someone to gush and ooh and ahh over whatever shiny new thing and tell us how wonderful we...I mean, it is. Ahem.... We get upset because we have a basic, primal need for attention and we need someone besides ourselves (because that could be awkward) to say "Oh! Look at you!"
What most of us fail to realize is that this basic need extends to every aspect of our lives, and if not properly managed, can be dangerous. Wives get upset and nit-picky because husbands don't stand up and applaud us when we manage to successfully balance laundry, dinner, bath-time, bed-time and sex all in one night. They don't realize all the skillful maneuverings and mental plannings that took place during the workday, trying to plot out how best to accomplish all the things on our to-do list that evening. (And yes, husbands, sex is on our to-do lists). So when we manage to check off all the boxes on our list, we feel victorious and a bit like Superwoman, and all we really want is someone else to say "you kicked some serious to-do list butt tonight!". Instead, we usually get....nothing. So then we get mad, and stew over the fact that we slaved over a hot stove and washed his nasty socks, and bathed his child, and blah blah blah, and he didn't even notice!!! Not because we're crazy. BECAUSE WE'RE SELFISH! We get so wrapped up in needing someone to pat us on the back, that we forget that dinner needed to be cooked, laundry needed to washed, the kid needed to be bathed and put to bed, and we were probably going to have sex anyway. We get mad and create problems and pick fights because we can't just come right out and say "I just need you to notice." It's okay for us to be mad at little things, like leaving laundry on the floor all the time (...ugh, the basket is RIGHT THERE!), but it's too much for us to admit that we are mad because we feel like we aren't given enough attention. Why does it feel selfish to admit that we are selfish? Admitting we need more focus on us, as moms/wives, is - for some reason - really hard to do. And right or wrong, sometimes I just need a gold star for making it through the day. I confess that my husband does not always get the credit he deserves because I don't always see how much he does to help out, because I'm too focused on the credit I'm not getting. I confess that while yes, I may in fact be crazy, mostly I'm probably just selfish.

...rocks are better than Karts.

I am not one of those people who dreads the arrival of their birthday. I freaking LOVE my birthday. I love having a reason to celebrate, I love having a day just for me. And of course, like any one else, I love presents! (Whatever. Don't judge me. I'm not materialistic. You love stuff too.)
So this year, I gave my husband very specific suggestions for gift ideas. I was very specific. I even told him where in which store what item was located. This was a no-brainer birthday for him. Go to said store, pick up said item, bring it home, give it to said birthday girl. Because my husband is usually spot-on with gifts and cards, I got pretty excited as my birthday drew near in hopes of the new shiny things I was sure to get.
However, a few days before my big day, Jason dropped a few hints that he was out buying birthday gifts that day. After putting Nick to bed, I was summoned to the living room to see what Jason got that day. In my hand he placed an item I was completely baffled by. I had no idea what this thing was. He helped me along by putting some of the pieces of the puzzle together. As it turned out, this item was a Wii adapter of sorts. Upon further investigation, I soon discovered our Wii menu now included the old school version of Mario Kart. Jason hands me Wii-mote and says with a large grin, "Happy Early Birthday!"
Um.
What?
Seriously? Did you just buy "me" a birthday gift for you to play with? After all my instructions (forget hints, these were all dead giveaways) for gift suggestions, you bought me Mario Kart??
As it turned out, that was NOT my birthday present, but a gimmick to throw me off the birthday gift trail. Later that evening, my wonderful, lawless husband risked incarceration to steal me a piece of Wilmington history. Last week, local TV crews begin demolishing what was known as "the Rivercourt" on one of my favorite shows, One Tree Hill. It's just a concrete pad used as a river-side basketball court. Jason snuck over to the site and stole 3 large chunks of the court for me. It may sound REALLY lame that my husband got me chunks of rock for my birthday, but those chunks of rock were the perfect gift I didn't even know I wanted.
Overall, my 1st 29th birthday was pretty amazing. In addition to my treasured bits of concrete (and of course, Mario Kart), Jason also gave me some gorgeous jewelry, a tear-jerker of a card, and time to myself. Which, as all mommies know, is really the perfect gift after all. I suppose I'll keep him around another year ;)