No Kiss for Mom

             This morning I got up at the unbelievably ugly hour of 6am...actually it was more like 5:55 (damn that internal clock!). I robotically  started the day by getting my daughter and son up for school. Mindlessly I made two breakfasts and packed two lunches. I ran downstairs to get the clothes I washed and dried at 11pm, then I ironed and made sure everyone looked their best. I, on the other hand sported a lopsided pony tail and wore a flowered print pajama top and a completely different patterned pajama bottom. Hey, its clean! My daughter, who is in middle school caught the early bus and I drove my son to his elementary school  for before-school-activities. As I walked with him to the school doors I leaned to give him a kiss and he turned his face away. Naturally I thought he was joking so I tried to kiss him goodbye again. He said in a whiny bothered tone "Mom,.....stop."  I was getting the BRUSH OFF the HEAVE HOE The SEE YA LATER ALLIGATOR The DON"T CALL US WE"LL CALL YOU. ....ME...MOM! He's nine! Isn't this supposed to happen when he's 12 or 13? I mean I wasn't wearing the mismatched PJs anymore. Just last night he gave me a big hug. What the heck happened? I 'll tell you what happened. I have officially become embarrassing to him. There is a stage in a child's life where the mere presence of a parent within ten feet of  them and their friends will send a child into a mortified frenzy. So shocked and yes a tiny bit hurt I came home and took ten minutes to look at pictures of my son; from birth to now. So sweet, and always by my side. he's kind and loving and creative and now HE DOESN'T want to kiss me goodbye. I was having a virtual pity party until....I found a picture of me; in it I was about 10. I remember feeling a bit embarrassed whenever my mother was around when I was with friends, but eventually kids find out that every parent is embarrassing to their own kids and they come around. I kiss my mom and my husband kisses his parents hello and goodbye. So I spent ten minutes longingly looking at snap shots of the past and being grateful that there are more to come. He's healthy thank God; and I'll wait patiently for tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that... until I get my kiss.