What's a Girl to Do?!

There was a little game that my dad and I used to play.

Before Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder had a name, I suffered from it.
For example, if I turned around in one direction, I would have to turn the other way before being able to continue what I was doing.

Today, I have to cut the fringe off my rugs, because I cannot stand for the fringe to be all messy looking.

Your fringe? That's O.K. Your fringe doesn't bother me. It's my fringe--the fringe that I have to live with--that bothers me.

My OCD? It's not what I would call extreme.
It's really just...a bother.

I have passed some of the tendencies on to my kids, genetically speaking.
Or maybe I should say, I have passed the tendencies on to some of my kids.
Notice the change-in-placement of the word "some."

That's right.
I have a son who does not seem to be bothered by, say, which way the bread on his sandwich is placed.

As I was saying, there was a little game that my dad and I used to play.
And now, I see, I am playing the same game with my son...in reverse fashion.

Picture this.
A mom (me) makes a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich for her beloved son (Joshua) to take on a trip to the museum.

Suddenly, Joshua begins "messing" with his sandwich.



"What are you doing, Joshua?"
Response?
A smile. Just a smile.



Joshua peels the top bread from the sticky insides of his sandwich, all the while, smiling.



Then, just as quick as you please, he flips the top bread. This causes the top of the bottom bread to be lined up with the bottom of the top bread!
Are you picturing this?!
This sandwich is all backward!

And the crazy thing is, he did it on purpose.
And he is totally enjoying his sandwich this way!

As for me?
It absolutely drives me crazy!



Many moons ago, my dad would do the very same thing.
He would sit there, right in front of me as he was making his sandwich, and with a flourish all his own, he would slap that top bread on upside down.
And smile.

Try as I might to switch it around...sometimes even on the sly...he would catch me and put it back the way he made it.

It became a little game for us.
One that I secretly enjoyed.
And one that I had nearly forgotten until last Thursday morning.



Teasing=Love in our house when I was a little girl.
And apparently, it still does.