We discovered on long car rides the best antidote for entertainment is not to install an expensive dual headrest TV/DVD players for the children, but to simply surrender hand-over our iPhones.
It works wonders to keep the peace. There is music, games, and a camera. A gazillion options of fun. There is no fighting in the back seat and the only worry is how many car chargers do we have if those suckers run out of juice.
On this particular road excursion, last November, the car ride home took four hours and could best be described as – most blissful car trip EVER!
iPhone!
Then something crazy cool happened…….
My oldest step-daughter (age six at the time) taught herself how to text. The little booger was reading at age four. Spelling at age three. It wasn’t too surprising that she easily figured out the icon, the key pad, and the art of texting. Mostly because of her older step-sister sitting next to her who can text a billion messages a minute and holster the phone in her back pocket without blinking an eye.
I must admit, when I first read the text, I was confused. Why would Jason text me while driving? More importantly, why would he text me while driving and while I was sitting next to him? The message was from Jason. Then, I remembered who had his phone. I took a peek at the backseat and heard a giggle. That’s when I figured it out and replied back.
Our conversation went like this.
With each reply, the giggles increased, and dang if she wasn’t pretty fast at texting too.
I was completely enamored. They are the sweetest messages!
As sweet as a bowl of chocolate Cheerios in a heart-shaped bowl. My little text buddy.
These precious little pearls of devotion are what will get me through those days (like Mondays) and step-daughter teen years. I latch onto these nuggets – knowing the future is shaky in blended families – and cherishing the good times. Someday – I might hear those knife-through-the-heart phrases; You’re not my mom! I don’t have to do what you say! I don’t love you!
I will read this.
I will remember.
I will save it forever.
A picture of love via iPhone.
She told me this Sunday (which I heard was un-officially Step-Mom’s Day?) that if it was or wasn’t….she would do anything for me. Really? Anything???? Anything.
I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Way too tempting! Foot massages, cleaning, and laundry. Oh the possibilities!
This girl has the purest of intentions when it comes to sharing her adorations. She is such a treasure.
The funniest (and scariest) thing about the text messages that night? Well, Jason and I got to wondering……..if she was smart enough to text me…….. Was she smart enough to text anyone else? And if she did? Who?
Yeah.
About that.
She DID text someone else.
Her Mom.
Jason’s ex-wife.
Thankfully, the message wasn’t near as descriptive as mine, because HONESTLY? What would she have possibly thought getting a text message from her now married ex-husband chock full of affection for her? I can only imagine. Ummm, yikes!
When we read the text Molly sent to her, it wasn’t near as bad as we thought. Instead of being downright awkward, it only bordered sheer creepiness.
The text read: Goodnight.
Love, text, and an iPhone.
Don’t you just love technology and super smart children?
Have you ever gotten (or sent) any embarrassing texts?
**this post courtesy of my iPhone photo gallery**
Living, Loving, Laughing.... 
Too cute! And thank goodness she didn’t text anything else to her Mom. Lol!!
I often mix up messages to my friend Molly and my daughter Molly. Usually they’ll just text me back and say “wrong Molly”.
She is so sweet. I hope you sail through those teenage years!
♥Spot
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Everyone has their own way of “cutting corners”, text is ours. The text plan on the iPhone is extra so my hubby and I have elected not to have it. There are so many other ways we can communicate. Not having kids allows us that option, I think. It seems like “texting” and children just go together now-a-days.
I love the text she sent you. Thank you for sharing. You are smart to save it.
Hugs to you!
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Love this post – take advantage of all the special moments you can and hold on fast. It’s not that they are few and far between so much as it is a wonderful bolster to our backs when we are up against a wall of teenage angst!
My husband doesn’t send texts at all. He hates taking the time to do something that is easier to do by calling. I text quite a bit to our middle son, who is a big-wig at a cell phone compoany, and he relies on it – even though he knows that I only have the use of one hand, so texting is laborious. He does call me occasionally, which is a lot easier for me.
Otherwise, I text short msgs. and send picture messages occaionally, but I guess I’m too old to do it to the extent that some (a lot) of the younger folk do! I’ve never sent or received an embarrassing text, but probably only because I don’t text enough – yet, at least – to have made that sort of error. And, horror of horrors, neither I nor Hubs has a “smart phone.” Just your garden variety, cell that will take photos. Mine has a qwerty keyboard attached – but that’s as fancy as I’ve gotten – or paid for.
I have a feeling that one is in my future, though, because our phone-exec son has been bugging me to get one. I told him he’d have to get it for me. . .:-D
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this is so precious! She is one smart cookie!
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That is too funny! I mean, it’s adorable…but funny at the same time. Oh, kids.
Kids….
I think I’m supposed to be having those at some point…
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Holy puppy poop Angelia…you had me with the “awwwww cute factor” and then I just died laughing. Would love to have you share this on The Toolbox…Wanna?
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Awww Man! She’s so sweet! Loving it so much…
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She’s really sweet and pretty smart, too… What a wonderful way to make memories…
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Enjoy the sweet girl’s loving innocence. I’m sure it will stay that way, forever! You’ve been through lots of good times together. And don’t say you’re jealous? Hahaha! Been a long time Sweetie!
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How blessed you are to have such a close relationship with your step daughters. It speaks to how awesome of a step mom you must be!
It is amazing how quickly they can pick up the skills of today when for many of us it was such a process.
My daughter and son have both sent me messages from their father’s phone ( my ex). They have learned to first type “This is …..” before typing anything else!
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The texts she sent you are so sweet!
I, too, am scared of the day Boo or Radley utter the words “You’re not my mom.”
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That is so sweet!! Love it!
Kids pick up on things so quickly these days! Is it sad that Noah is almost better with the iPad than I am?
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Awww soo cute!
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http://www.annieshomepage.com/stepmothersday.html This is where I got my info from years ago 🙂 Glad you’ve got such a sweetheart on your hands! Chances are, she won’t lash out at you, but come to you when she’s frustrated…I’ve never had those words said to me by my stepson, and its been 9 years!!!
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http://www.annieshomepage.com/stepmothersday2.html and this is the original story 🙂
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Big Boy is so good w/ an iPhone. He plays all these games . . . I have no clue to even use one. I can’t text on it right. Your step-daughter is just so precious. I want to squeeze her cheeks. (OK, that’s pretty creepy sounding)
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It never ceases to amaze me what this generation can do, and expects to be able to do. Everything they can imagine can be done in the car, on the go, in miniature. I really need to buy a car charger for my Iphone – it sure would make my life easier. Of course, my kids already have a DS, Digi, DVD player and headphones for the CD player so they can listen to whatever they want without annoying us in the front seat. I think next time we go on a trip I am just going to pack a book or two and tell them to imagine they have gone back in time!
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That is one smart little booger! Thank Goodness she didn’t text anything else to her mom. That could have been super awkward. Can you imagine what she would have thought? She was probably already wondering why her ex would even text her goodnight!
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