September 27 letter

September 27, 2006

And time goes on. I see that it has been a couple of days since last I wrote. Hard to believe – though I admit to being so tired that time is not looking the same. Yesterday morning, for example, I ‘awoke’ (if that is the right word since sleeping was little done), to discover that I had made ‘coffee’ but forgotten the coffee part. Yes, I set up the auto-drip system, put the water in… and so we had a nice, hot pot of water at 4:45 am. Sigh. I keep telling myself that it will get better. It has to do, don’t you think?

Anyway, have a few new stories to add to the list. Here is one that you might appreciate – though at the time, I don’t know that I found it as funny!

The other evening I was getting Xander ready for bed. I was tired and crotchety, to say the least. No surprise then that when Jason, full of five year old bounce from his bath with Daddy, came charging into the living room full of news, I was less than enthusiastic. "MOMMY!!! I HAVE AN IDEA!" Jason, wait please. I am trying (Grunt) to get your brother (NO MOMMY NO YOU CAN'T!!!) dressed! (GASP)' "BUT MOMMY, I HAVE AN IDEA AND I DISCUSSED IT WITH DADDY AND HE THINKS ITS A GOOD IDEA BUT HE SAID YOU HAD TO AGREE!" Jason, NOT NOW!'(Grabbing a squirming yelling bundle of Xander as he launched himself from the changing table). Downcast, he waited. Then,'Now Mommy?' 'What is it, Jason?' 'Well, I thought that I could get PLUSES when I was GOOD and when I wasn't good then I wouldn't get any and Icould save them up!' (Xander was yelling now because he didn't WANT to be dressed!) 'Jason, I will think about it but not right no... W!' "But Mommy, it is a REALLY GOOD IDEA and it will help me learn..." 'Jason' "MOMMY!" 'I am not going to discuss anything right now, not this, not philosophy, not NOW!" (GRUNT). Jason tilted his head and said, blue eyes limpid, 'When do you want to discuss philosophy Mommy?' Tom, who had had his own struggles going, getting Jason dressed while Jason was trying to talk with me said firmly, 'Jason, there are times when you should just drop a subject and this is one of them!' We bundled the boys off to bed but the subject was not finished. Just as he was dropping off to sleep, Jason said 'Mommy, think about it tonight and you can tell me the answer tomorrow.'

I am still tired, though last night was somewhat better than the night before, so I have yet to consider Jason’s suggestion. We will see what happens.

Tomorrow I am to go in for volunteer training – 45 minutes during which I will fill out paperwork and watch two videos. Once that is all done – and the approval goes through – then I shall be able to (1)volunteer to help in the classroom, (2)help with field trips and/or (3)attend class parties. Should be interesting, at any rate. Donna has kindly agreed to come out and stay with Xander while I do this. She has also suggested that I take the time between the end of training and picking Jason up (about 50 minutes, I think) and go do something for myself. I have agreed. Think I will hit the library, maybe get some writing done. Sigh again.

Other stories: Well, Xander’s ‘one day’ phrase is getting quite a work out. Today he looked at me thoughtfully and said ‘One day, when I be big boy, I won’t be little boy anymore.’ ‘Ah,’ I responded, ‘And when you aren’t a little boy, what will you be?’ He looked a bit exasperated and said ‘I be big boy, Mommy!’ I had to laugh at him, he was sooooo serious. It does seem to be a serious topic with him these days, however, so perhaps I shouldn’t laugh.

The good news is that the cold seems to be going away. His nose is still runny but the stuff coming out is not green and his cough, while it does sound awful, does not sound nearly as bad as did. He took a two hour nap yesterday and slept from 7:48 – 12:00 last night, woke briefly to ask for water, then slept until 3:30 when he began a waking ‘thing’ He finally went completely back to sleep about 5 am, after I picked him up and rocked him a bit, and then he slept until nearly 7:30 am.

Breaking news is that Tom is being transferred to a new job – Did I mention this? He will be working in propulsion systems. When I asked about job security – a big issue when one works for Boeing – he said that as long as Boeing was putting engines in airplanes, propulsion systems would be around. He will have a longer commute since PropSys is up at Boeing field in Seattle but it won’t be nearly as long as if he had to drive to Everett each day.