I have become my parents

When I was a teenager there was a rule in the house, no calls after 9pm. I thought this rule was absurd, to say the least. My other friends didn't have this rule as was evident by the number of calls for me after 9pm. My friends usually got Rick's wrath if he got to the phone before I did. I was quick though. But my quickness to pick up the phone before 1/4 of a ring was complete didn't preclude him picking up the phone and telling us to get off it... in not so many words.

Now as an adult, I think this rule should be the rule of the land. Let's just go ahead and legislate it. The only calls that should come after 9pm should be emergencies. And you know, most adults realize this. ESPECIALLY when you are calling a house where a baby resides.

There are two whole people in the world who have missed this common courtesy in life. Who will consistently call our house after 9pm, and it won't be an emergency. Or at least, not a "real" emergency. Sure it maybe an emergency to them that it just dawned on them that they need to know where someone is, and that we - the ones who live 2000 miles from everyone - might know. To which I would respond, "probably in bed like the other sane people of the world".

Ok, I know, seriously now. No, I am not in bed at 9pm. We have, in our house, at 9pm usually just gotten Leif down at 8:30pm and are looking forward to some adult time. Adult time being watching a TV show together, starting a movie, talking about our day, basically winding down. We ease into our evening, Leif asleep, but not deep at this point... yes, anything WILL wake him up after going through our 45 minute ritual to get him down. That INCLUDES the phone ringing!! And let it be known that I can shoot daggers with my eyes at Hans when the phone rings. This puts him on my shit list. A place he finds very unpleasant.

And yes, sometimes I *am* asleep. Hans - rarely so. Any idea how it feels, 9 months pregnant, sleeping soundly (very rare at 9 months pregnant) and the phone jolts you awake at midnight? Oh it happened LOTS last summer. Plain R.U.D.E.

So this weekend, the phone rings at 9:30pm. Leif isn't feeling well, I feel horrible, and had just dozed off on the couch while watching a movie. Hans had started dozing too. When *jolt* - I am awake, Hans is awake, Leif wails, daggers are piercing Hans skin as he sprints to the phone... This person's response to Hans saying "can we talk tomorrow?"

Classic... "Why are you sleeping at 9:30 on a Saturday?" My question back would have been - had I been the lucky one who answered the phone... "Does it matter if we were sleeping? Is 9:30pm on a Saturday night the best time to try and reach someone? THINK ABOUT IT!"

So when you pick up the phone to call someone, things to think about.
1. Does this person have a small person in the house that is likely to be asleep?
2. Is this person you are trying to reach likely to be enjoying his/her time with the small person asleep?
3. Can it wait 12 hours? Oh hell, can it wait 8 hours... our small person is up at 5:30am on weekends.
4. What else MIGHT the person you are trying to reach be doing? Would you like to be interrupted doing that? (Watching a movie, snuggling with spouse...)

Vent done.