Saturday, June 14, 2008

Mistaken Identity

Today I went to the pool. With the kids, of course. I was standing in the deep end of the splash pool with my next-door neighbor, both of us keeping an eye on our swim-goggled children. I noticed her speaking to a kid I didn't recognize, so I said, "Oh, did you bring someone else?"

"What?" she said.

"Did you bring one of your boys' friends?" I said, gesturing toward the strange kid.

She looked toward where I was pointing, then looked at me and said, "What?"

"Never mind," I said. "I thought you knew that kid, because you were talking to him. He's not with you?"

"No," she said. "He's yours."

You know, I thought he looked familiar...

52 comments:

  1. Must...stop...laughing. I love this story for so many reasons! Mostly because it so comforting that there are at least two of us in the world.

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  2. AnonymousJune 14, 2008

    That's funny! Sounds like something I would do, especially since I can't see 2 inches in front of my face w/out my glasses. . .

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  3. Blahhaahaahaaaa!
    Mom-nesia

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  4. You are such a talented writer. You almost always make me smile. Thank you. Today, especially, I needed it.

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  5. I had to read this one to my husband. Too funny!

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  6. I am laughing my head off to this one! Great story! I'm sure you'll never hear the end to that one!

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  7. Bwahahahaha! Maybe they all look the same with goggles?

    Love the momnesia....I believe I suffer from that.

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  8. Like we're supposed to keep a mental log of what they look like when they're dry AND wet?! They grow - they're constantly changing - that's what kids do. How's a mom supposed to update that visual in her mind every single day? It's much easier for kids to know what MOM looks like and be responsible for keeping up with her!! =)

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  9. OMG! I am crying I'm laughing so hard. Only because I identify with you! Just the other day I proclaimed I would have to quit handing down bathing suits because now I can not keep track of my girls at the pool, as my little one is wearing big sis's old suit and my little neighbor is wearing her old suits!

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  10. WOW! Now that is good stuff!
    Thanks for the laugh, I sure needed it today.

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  11. This is not a good sign! I wouldn't let your son read this--he'll be milking it until he's 50!

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  12. Oh my gosh,that was the funniest! I bet you anything that she looked at you all weird and then sidled away. From now on, I am sure her kids won't be allowed to play with yours...
    ha ha ha, I am still laughing.
    What a nice person you are, to let us laugh at your expense.

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  13. That actually made me laugh out loud.

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  14. AnonymousJune 14, 2008

    Women take in too much of their world at once to be able to handle it all. That is something I would do though.

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  15. AnonymousJune 14, 2008

    Attribute it to heat stroke! Quick! Thanks for the morning laugh ...

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  16. Honey, get out of the heat!! You have fried your brain!!
    But that is really too funny!!!

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  17. Hee.. The boy goes to day care with a bunch of little other boys named Wyatt/Billy/Andrew, and they all have dark hair and dark eyes... and I can't tell any of them apart. I read on some other blog, "what a nice looking grain of sand you are, too bad you're laying on a beach..."

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  18. That may be my favorite post of yours EVER! And that's saying something.

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  19. That happened to a frind of mine!!!
    She was at a family party and asked her SIL who thet child was sitting by her feet...SIL looked a little strange when she replied...He's YOUR Tommy!
    MP turned bright red, of course!
    Hope Y'all have a nice Father's Day. Blessings, E

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  20. I can't stop laughing......that is great. I've done something similar, but I didn't say anything out loud so no one KNEW I didn't recognize my own water-logged child. :) Something about the wet hair matted down around the face....I can NEVER figure out which one is mine!

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  21. THAT is FRIGGIN' HYSTERICAL! Only because it is something that would happen to me.

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  22. I realized just this morning that I'd been lovingly watching the WRONG KID all morning in swimming lessons, oddly enough.

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  23. AnonymousJune 14, 2008

    Bahahahaha.

    You're hilarious. And with all those kids, totally understandable.

    Thanks for the giggles.

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  24. You've been so busy writing lately . . . undies, over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders . . . that, truly, it's no wonder you didn't recognize one of your own children.

    But I totally understand. The same thing happens to me whenever I have to pick up my sons from the cafeteria or playground because everyone looks the same in the school uniform of navy shorts and white polos. Sometimes I just stand there and yell for them . . . much better than getting the wrong child.

    God bless.

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  25. You're going to have start banding their legs like pidgeons.

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  26. hahahahaha!

    I did that the other day at the beach after I put t-shirts back on the boys "where's RC?!" Um, beside you...

    I had trained myself to look for an Elmo bathing suit, not an Elmo bathing suit with a red t-shirt on top.

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  27. AnonymousJune 14, 2008

    Oh yeah--that's classic! I mistook my own today since he got a buzz cut yesterday. It was only for a couple seconds, but an odd feeling!

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  28. Well you have so many. It was only a matter of time before you forgot what one of them looked like.

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  29. That is HILARIOUS!

    Heidi :)

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  30. That is hilarious!!!! I love it. I am just that disorentied at times.

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  31. ohhhhh gosh! That is to funny..

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  32. AnonymousJune 16, 2008

    If I ever happen to call one of my children by one of our pets' names (for the record--never happened), I can comfort myself; At least I still recognize them when they're wet.

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  33. Thanks for the perfect morning laugh! That sounds too much like something I would do.

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  34. I always look forward to reading this blog because it never fails that I laugh out loud. Thanks Suburban Correspondent!

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  35. You have mastered denial, grasshopper.

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  36. This makes me so happy.


    HAHAHAHAHA!

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  37. That was SO Funny! I'm sure you're not the first one to do that! Thanks for sharing...I had a good laugh!

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  38. I have 7 kids and I do this all the time--how embarrassing!

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  39. BAAAAAAAA!!! Oh, I think may have peed a little. That is so something I would do. It's nice to know I'm not alone.

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  40. i can't stop chuckling (snorting) at this unfortunate incident! don't you hate moments when you feel like a complete idiot? i have them fairly often, so i can relate! too funny.
    thanks for stopping by my blog. love yours. i'll be back!

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  41. That is freakin' hilarious!! Can't... stop... lauhging...

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  42. Too funny! I mix my twins up all the time---and it gets worse as they get older! (And yes, I have called one of my children by my dog's name---their names started with the same letter. Hasn't happened with the new dog. Totally different name.)

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  43. Excellent! That is my favorite parenting story ever!!

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  44. AnonymousJuly 23, 2008

    Ha! Happened to me a few months ago, I nearly picked up the wrong kid from kindergarten. Had already waved at her like mad, then walked over and asked her cheerfully how her day had been (and I did notice her different hairdo but thought some of the teachers had changed it), then suddenly as a reaction to the girl just staring blankly at me, I realized I had mistaken her for my girl...ummmm...who had seen me come in and excitedly gone to get her backpack...I can't describe how relieved I am to not be the only one like that out there!!! ha ha ha ha!!

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  45. Ha, that is hilarious!

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  46. I was away for a few days while my mom watched my 2year old daughter. My husband and daughter met me at the airport. However, what I didn't know is that my mom had cut my little one's hair while I was gone. I came out through customs, looked around, and noticed this adorable little girl running toward me. I thought, "aw, she's cute" and then proceeded to keep looking around until said cute girl grabbed my legs. "Oh, you're MINE!" And that's the honest truth. Hey, at least I thought she was cute, eh? It's also the truth that she didn't spare a glance for her long lost mother, she just wanted the present in the suitcase.

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    Replies
    1. That sort of thing happened to me once when my then-10-year-old daughter was wearing goggles at swim team practice (again with the swimming!). She walked right up to me and I was staring straight at her and didn't recognize her. Freaked her out a bit, I must say...

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