It’s been nuts around here for the last week or so. This weekend, Simon had a swim lesson, two birthday parties, and a preschool fall fair. I also had my Saturday long run and a board meeting. And oh, Matt left town Sunday for a work trip.
So mamma is tired. And one way I could tell I was/am tired is that Simon wore me down today without doing anything bad at all. It’s just—and I do recognize the irony here, I promise—he never stopped talking. From 1:00 when Agotich and I picked him up to 6:00 when I dropped him off with friends, he jabbered non-stop. What’s more, nearly every earth-shattering utterance began with:
“Mommy, I need to tell you something.”
I hear this a lot. Normally, it’s a tactic he uses to get my attention if I’ve been reading, doing dishes, talking to someone else, or otherwise not focusing my attention on him. But today? Today I was alone, my computer was upstairs and turned off, and I had no book. He had the full focus of my attention all day. Last night, too.
Yet, the barrage continued:
“Mommy, I need tell you something. Did you know I am really fast?
Mommy, I need to tell you something. Did you see me go sideways?
Mommy, I need to tell you something. Is my birthday first?
Mommy, I need to tell you something. When Brian has his birthday, will summer be over?
Mommy, I need to tell you something. Uuum… Can we get bunny crackers at the grocery?”
I could see the humor in it. But still, all attempts at deflection and all pleas for some quiet time were ignored. Why? Because, well, he had to tell me something of course!
In the end, I took a cowardly way out. My training run was scheduled for 6:30 tonight, and with Matt out of town and my Dad and step-mom out of commission (long story short: Ruth fell down stairs, really hurt herself, and is making a steady but slow recovery) I was lacking for child-care. Neighbors and friends Carrie and Barry (the lovely Caroline’s parents) offered to step in. Caroline had gymnastics tonight, and Simon could have gone along and played in an area with bouncies while she did her thing. Instead, he opted to stay back at the house.
“I’m tired. I want to have some guy-time with Mr. Barry” he explained to me.
Poor Mr. Barry. He’s only six days into a brand new job, and is no doubt wiped out and desperate for some down time himself. I should have canceled. It would have been the right thing to do.
I ran. A really lovely, really quiet, really peaceful, and rather slow six miles. Aaaahhhhhh, sweet, sweet silence. And the first thing Simon said to me when I picked him up?
“Hey Mommy, I need to tell you something.”
Barry is so getting back at me for this!
Kids are exhausting, period. Whenever I used to visit Suzanne in Chicago we’d do nothing but normal “house” stuff all day–kids to school, grocery, laundry, pick kids up, etc.–and by 8pm I’d be *exhausted*. I don’t know how parents do it. And please tell Ruth “ouch!” and I hope she is better soon.
Let me just say that one of these days you will wish that he would tell you what he is thinking. Just ask Tia and Perry how much they get out of Nathan. Then of course he might be like Uncle Steve who was pretty much a compulsive confessor. Either way, GOOD LUCK.
LOL, Rita. My mom said it was a toss up–my horrible beyotchedness at 13 or my brother not speaking for two years from 15-17 or so, other than a grunt once in a while.
Makes you wish he had an imaginary friend to whom he could confide.
Yep, same here. I’m grateful for playdates these days.
Christine: This is one of those moments when I regret the distance between us. Alise and Simon played so well together that I’d have her over here all the time! Would also make sure she got in a word edgewise…