1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

I am known to engage in obsessive compulsive behavior.  Looking back, I remember always being this way. I remember drawing a boat, which turned into 25 boats in a few hours. Once that was perfected I moved on to houses. I am sure it was hard for family members to say something positive after boat #3.  Today I often question when my mom brings up such stories, "how did you NOT see there was something odd about me?!". She usually just laughs and says, "it was just who you were!". Another memorable story was when I decided one evening that I was going to tie my shoes.  It happened...at approximately 3 AM after many tears and frustration shared not only by me, but my parents as well. Call me stubborn and obsessive compulsive, but I prefer driven.  At least that is my positive twist on it.

Everything I do is to the "nth degree". Sometimes this is positive and other times it is not. It depends on the situation and whether I am moving forward alone or dragging someone along with me.  Matt is very patient with me...well most of the time. He has learned to reassure me FIVE times before what he is saying will actually sink in when I am worried.  It is strange it takes 5 times, when I subconsciously count to SIX repeatedly throughout the day.

This behavior or temperament, or whatever you want to call it has been around for generations and is seen throughout both sides of my family.  As a matter of fact, my cousin Jessica and I went out for dinner one night. We were sharing with each other how our anxiousness seems to worsen as we get older.  I then told her how I panicked the other day because some of the calk was peeling away from where the shower and the shower walls attach.  I yelled for Matt in a panicked voice, "Matt! You have to come see this!!". He ran in, probably thinking one of the kids had gotten hurt or perhaps an earwig had invaded the room. I said anxiously, "you have to fix this!". He didn't seem as alarmed as me so I carried the worry of the situation around for DAYS. I then told her that what went through my head in SECONDS after seeing the peeled calk was that, water was now seeping inside of the shower, which was now in the walls, therefore creating moisture and black mold, which would mean COMPLETELY gutting the bathroom and possibly being dead by morning because of mold infestation.  She started to laugh and said, "that SAME thing happened the other day at our house and I thought the SAME thing!". We then both laughed SO hard we were almost crying and then felt relieved we weren't alone.  It is nice to know you are not alone in your thought process, but because it is inherited I also feel badly.  Cooper is a mini-me. As a matter of fact he often says, "I am SO my mother's child"...

Collin also has exhibited some new quirky tendencies in recent weeks. My poor, poor husband...