I Scream You Scream!

Okay you guest it. We All Scream for Ice Cream. So the other day while chatting with Jennifer she was telling me about a little trip they took to see some plantation homes in southern Alabama. I thought it was a good idea. Well sometime during the trip my son Aiden started to act up. So they took him to a nearby park to let him blow off some energy. Well when it was time to go, Aiden decided that he wasn't exactly ready to get into the car for an hour or so. So of course he threw a fit. Well with all of my wifes wisdom she decided to try and bribe a two year old (what was she thinking). So she made a deal with Aiden. If he were to behave, then she would take him out for ice cream. Well of course kids only hear what they want to hear. He heard Aiden you want to go get some Ice Cream! So of course for the remainder of the trip Aiden repeatedly cried out Mommy, I WANT ICE CREAM! over and over and over.......you get the picture or do I need to go on. Over and Over. So eventually they made it home and he got his well overdue hard earned bowl of Ice Cream.

Now hearing about my son's desire for Ice Cream reminded me of another moment in my childhood. As we all now kids will do anything for a trip to the ice cream parlor on a hot summer day. Well my trips came, but not exactly at the right moment. Now I understand it was designed to benefit me, but I really think my mom got the best out of the whole or deal. You see when I was younger I lived in Folsom, CA (the Sacramento area) and my dentist office was in Rancho Cardova. Well right around the corner from the dentist office was a 31 Flavors Baskin Robbins (aka a kids dream come true). So when I was even younger I had a different dentist, but after biting him every time he tried to probe around in my mouth, he decline his service to the family (I think that is how the story goes). So we or should I say "I" got a new dentist. I believe his name was Dr. Bueller (or very close to it) Now, my mom to would bribe me with the ice cream, and of course my sweet tooth always got the best of me. She always would tell me before going to the dentist chair of hell, that if I behaved and didn't bite the dentist, she would take me out for ice cream afterwards. So of course I would always be on my best behavior. For me this is was that quality time I would get to spend with my mom without the interference of my 4 other siblings. I guess it is true I was a mommas boy (hey I love my mom). So as I sat there in the chair allowing the dentist to poke my gums with a dull needle and shoot litacain (I think that is what it is called) into my mouth, then drill aimlessly on my teeth. Well for those of you who have avoided the dentist for a while (Jennifer) or are cavity free, litacain numbs the mouth so you won't feel the pain the dentist is inflicting. Well as most of us know it is only temporarily, it will last about an hour or so. Well after an eternity of being strapped into this contraption of a chair the dentist would release back to my mother. Which I was always glad to see. Although I was mad at her for making me go through this pain, I was always happy to see her. Well on the way home she would take me to the ice cream parlor. As I said earlier every kid will do anything for ice cream on a hot summer day. Well not only would my mother take me to the ice cream parlor she would also allow me to get two scoops of whatever I wanted. So of course the first scoop was always bubble gum, and the second chocolate. Well not realizing that my face was still numb and using my eyes to build my hunger for ice cream I would get to eat about four bites of chocolate and wear the other ten bites on my cheeks. The whole time my mother is laughing at me. After the first scoop is gone she helps me clean up my face, before I continue on to the next scoop. Now the bubble gum. Well four gumballs in my mouth and ten on the floor. For my mother it was equivalent to a kid feeding a dog a spoonful of peanut butter. Know that is funny.

After awhile I caught on to my mom's scheme with the ice cream after the visit to the dentist. But as I said before kids will do anything for a scoop of ice cream. I hope you enjoyed another true short story about me. You know when your kids do something odd, funny, or just straight dreadful. Don't just get caught up in the moment. Look back at some of the stuff you did as a child and try to compare it to what he or she has done. As we all know I never was a poster child for the definition of perfect, but however I believe I was a strong influence to the creator's of Dennis the Menace (okay, I know is like 30 years older but.......). I really hope for Jennifer's sake Aiden mellow's out before he turns more into his father. Although that wouldn't be a bad thing. You know there is this relatively steep hill in front of the house. Maybe I should build him a soap box car when I come home? I think Aiden says it best UH-OH!