July 2008

This summer I did something I’ve never done before… I planted six teeny tiny tomato plants.

I’m not a gardner. So this, as you can imagine, was quite an accomplishment.

I watered them, staked them and then the yellow flowers showed up, then the green tomatoes. And Benjamin, like any 2.4 year old would be, has been enthralled by the tomatoes. He tries to pick them, talks to them, smells them. We’ve been patiently waiting for them to turn red.

This morning we headed to the Farmer’s Market to buy some red tomatoes and then I found 12 sunflowers for $10.00! And who says money can’t buy happiness. The flowers were the perfect touch to our magnificent morning. No major messy disasters, just Benjamin and I full of energy – cleaning, playing, dancing. When we got home we both went about our business.

Me in the kitchen arranging the flowers… and Benjamin outside with his little bicycle and the tomatoes.

But while I was doing this …

he was doing this…

As you can see … some of those tomatoes have been in there for a while. He was collecting them quietly and discreetly, hiding them in the trunk of his Radio Flyer. But today, it was an all out tomato attack, he couldn’t wait any longer.

The massacre ended when Benjamin popped up to the screen door, “Mommy! I got Matos.” Then he dashed away.

“Tomatoes. You have toma— OH NOOOOOO.” I ran outside, and then I saw them. Some were strewn on the sidewalk, the others were in his hands and the rest – in the trunk. I’m over it. And it was so damn cute…worth the story. It also reminded me to write about something I’ve been meaning to get to …

We are single moms. We can’t keep our eyes on our kids every single minute. Not like any mom really can, but I think, because we don’t have two parents around – our kids have more freedom to reap mayhem when the opportunity presents itself. (I think this is a plus – Benjamin is an incredibly independent kid). But the casualties, like an entire crop of garden tomatoes, can be a bit painful.

Do you have any single mom casualty stories? Have things been lost, destroyed or taken advantage of when you’re busy doing something else?

P.S. Benjamin has been THE most amazing little guy lately. No more tantrums. So courteous, so funny … and so damn happy. My little tomato is turning out just fine and I couldn’t be happier. Now if I could just grow eyes in the back of my head, my real tomatoes might be fine too.

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