Secrets revealed. I had an “authentic” From the Edge of the Map moment today. We experience many quirks and eccentricities at the Edge, from ALL of us here, but a PURE Motherhood From the Edge of the Map moment, from the very child who inspired that very identity,…well, it’s a little bit like capturing a Leprechaun! And if you know us personally, well then, you’ll REALLY get it.
M, my amazing little 5-year old Kindergartener has always had a (by nature and, quite frankly, by definition,) a narrow focus of interests…We might revisit the time when he was TWO YEARS OLD and informed me, in no uncertain terms, that the “STAR“ from his Tupperware Shape Shorter “ is a decagon.” He recently wrote a poem called “Numbers That I Know” that was nothing short of a mathematical equation ending in “1600.” And it worked out. The kid likes math. He also likes writing sentences, “making potions,” drawing “signs” (such as “No Monsters Allowed”) and Legos. I’m sure it goes without saying that within his narrow, intense foci, there also runs a deep, if not, expert understanding (rendering me feeling “simple minded,” as my Grammy would say, most of the time…) It is always a happy day when we are able to lure him away from Legos or Star Wars…or Lego Star Wars long enough to try something new.
Luckily, Kindergarten has opened countless doors of interest for him, and being a 5-year-old child, he is soaking it all up like a Sham Wow! 
His most recent interest is American History. Specifically pre-Civil War (he LOVES learning about Abraham Lincoln and his part in state’s rights and abolishing slavery) and even MORE specifically, American Presidents. I knew that he could recite the first handful or so by memory, however today, as we were driving together and talking, he was asking me very pointed questions about the Presidents, such as “Which presidents are still alive?” (I *think* I got ‘em all…!?) and “How did [insert president] die?” (LOTS of “I don’t knows,” and there I go, wanting to burn my diplomas for not knowing…again…)
He decided that he’d LOVE to have his birthday at the Lincoln Memorial with a “Penny” Birthday Cake (which I thought was TOTALLY creative and my mother responded with “NERD ALERT!” ( Grandmother of the Year, right?!) So I decided, off the cuff, to test his “skills.” (He has now changed his mind to a “Spiderman” birthday, but whatev…)
“M,” I asked, “What number president was (I thumbed through my mental rolodex and selected, semi-arbitrarily…) Grover Cleveland?” (My father was from Cleveland, after all! So it just popped into my head.)
Without skipping a beat he responded…
“Number 22 AND Number 24.”
I called my Mom for an “internet confirmation.” To both of our amazement/excitement/horror/delight…He was correct. OH. Who knew? Certainly not me. Not when I was in kindergarten. Not when I was in high school and…not now…well, until then.
And that, my friends, is Motherhood From the Edge of the Map.
