I spent all of Thursday on the sofa sleeping and watching movies. Not a bad way to spend a sick day. I even had the neighbor pick up the boys even though it was my day, something I would never in a million years do. Look at me, being all self-care. Took me 32 days, but whatevs.
Monday
On Monday I went to IKEA and didn’t get lost. For those who know me and my sense of direction, this is huge. Yes, I missed the exit on the 405, but I miss the exit so often that I actually know the back roads to IKEA and don’t consider that getting lost anymore.
Tuesday
I watched Mikey and Nico approach the pick up line after school. I love watching their personalities develop. Mikey walks or jogs and then stands there with his feet firmly on the ground, holding both straps of his backpack on his shoulders–it’s going nowhere. Sometimes he’s laughing and talking with his friends, other times he’s deep in thought with his brow furrowed. Either way, he still and intense. Nico runs like a puppy let out of its cage. He’s dragging his sweater by one sleeve in one hand, and his backpack by one strap in the other. His shoelaces are always untied. He has no sense of personal space so he’ll run right up in the middle of Mikey and his friends as if mere proximity could make him part of the conversation.
Wednesday
Mikey is terrified of sharks. Really, really scared. Sometimes his fear becomes unreasonable. (No clue where he gets that trait.) One night last summer he couldn’t sleep because he was convinced a shark was going to attack him while he slept. When I pointed out the obvious–we live nowhere near the ocean–he explained that he read about groundwater and the water table, and that got him thinking that a shark could find one of the groundwater holes and swim underground to our home and then burst! through the floor and get him.
This is why I was nervous I couldn’t go with him on his field-trip to the aquarium. I asked him if he wanted to stay home, and he said no, he was fine and he was going to check out the sharks and buy a shark “plush toy” (do not call them stuffies or stuffed animals) to show how brave he was. He did that and pet the baby sharks and sat on a statute of a great white! I was so proud. He did ask his friend to fold up his poster of the great white shark on attack that came with his Sharkepedia and to keep the book shut on the ride home. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
This is a very long way to explain that a kid who believes it is possible for a shark to track him via groundwater should never, ever hear from a classmate the story about the demon that comes out at night and chases its victims before disemboweling them and then stealing their souls. Really, just no good. When I went to check on the boys at night I found them asleep with every single light on in the room and Mikey clutching his rosary. Bless his little heart.
By the way, you can see in the picture his new “plush toy” shark, who he has named Hades. The tag says the shark’s name is Hazel but, “Mom, I can’t think of a dumber name for a shark than Hazel.”
Friday
God willing, I’m just sitting here feeling great and answering comments.
The Weekend
I have to be feeling better by the weekend. I have no choice. I have the Mom 2.0 conference and I have to get Mikey and his suit to the tailor for alterations. Plus baseball, tennis, and all that stuff oh my gosh I am starting to freak out.
Haha! Lol at Wednesday! Though actually, there are days when I think my family would say that Hazel is an entirely appropriate name for a shark!!
Funny, because my family would swear on a stack of bibles that there is no better name than Jules!
I love that photo of him with the rosary. How sweet. :)
It’s one of my favorites.
Don’t freak out. There will be no freaking out . . . you’re going to feel great today . . . ease into the weekend, it’s going to be all sorts of fabulous! I’m sure of it.
And with that, a happy weekend to you!
PS. I have to agree with him on a shark named Hazel. I mean, really. What were the shark’s parents thinking?!
It’s 11:26pm PST and I think I just turned the corner! I’m feeling more optimistic about next week. Minus that whole conference/socializing bit.
Is it chance that the rosary is in the shark’s mouth? :) Love your descriptions of the two boys – you make them so real! (LOL – well, of course they ARE real, you know what I mean!) Glad you are feeling better – 32 days isn’t very long at all to learn to take care of yourself. I’m impressed.
It’s chance!
I’m glad I’m able to paint a picture of the boys in your mind. I feel like I am when I’m writing, but I’m a little biased. I wonder sometimes if I’m doing a good job, so I appreciate the feedback! :)
Honestly Jules. You have such an amazing way with words, I love reading. Today really made me think (although I have thought this before) that you should write a book. Or at least have a compilation of your entries, especially those on Mikey and Nico. I *know* it would be an amazing success. In the meantime, lay low, get better, don’t think about tomorrow. Revel in the nothingness of today.
Thanks, Ailsa. :) There is so much more I can write about Mikey and Nico, but as they get older I say less and less–which is a shame because now is when they are getting so interesting! Babies are cute, but I’m discovering that I’m meant to be a mom of older kids the same way my mom was meant to be a mom of babies. We all have our strengths, you know?
I don’t know what to do about the pickle I’m in. There are some stories that are so fantastic, but I can’t write them down without compromising their privacy. I’ve thought about fictionalizing them and using them as writing exercises but I haven’t decided anything yet.
I can sympathize with being directionally challenged. I amaze myself sometimes with how unobservant I can be when it comes to finding my own way around.
Now this is weird. On Wednesday, when I commented on the rosary pic on FB, I had said this:
“Two things:
1. This photo is absolutely precious.
2. Then I noticed the shark was eating the crucifix. Nom nom.”
but deleted this before posting:
“3. Or maybe the horror story was about a shark and the shark was slayed by the crucifix (or choked on the Our Father bead, LOL)”
Then I figured if he was sleeping with the shark, it probably wasn’t getting killed and besides, I just went all morbid on such an adorable picture. So I took it off. Then I read today that he is scared of sharks! And while the horror story that scared him wasn’t related to the shark, the scenario of his rosary protecting him from the dangers of said shark weren’t so far off after all!
I’m very happy to read that you’ve been resting. I really hope this weekend is the weekend that finally beats that infection/congestion to the curb!
Mikey’s fear of sharks is teetering close to a phobia, so you wouldn’t have been far off at all! :)
My ability to get lost is legendary. Do you recall our email exchange about meeting in California? North/South/East/West…we had no idea where we were going. Had we the opportunity to meet up we should have added an additional hour for “getting lost” time.
I agree that Hazel is a pretty dumb name for a shark…Hades has a much better ring to it!
Glad to hear you’re getting better, and hope you all have a great weekend!
Thanks! You, too!
Oh, and in case it wasn’t clear in the post, it’s Mikey who calls them “plush toys,” not me. He’s under the impression that stuffies or stuffed animals are too baby sounding. Sure little fellow. Whatever helps you sleep with your “plush toy” at night.
I honestly no idea how I found your blog this morning, but I’ve been reading your posts and I love your writing style and the things you talk about. I will be following!
Also, and I hope this doesn’t sound strange, (I’m making it a habit to say what I mean) you are seriously beautiful.
so cute and funny. my little guy is afraid of angry birds. he has horrible dreams about them chasing him and knocking him off his breakfast chair. my husband should have held off on the “karma” conversation until maybe at least his 5th birthday.
He’s right, Hazel isn’t the best name for a shark, Hades is pretty scary, so fitting.