Weekend Update

Thursday night, Don left for a weekend "boys' trip" to Las Vegas and he returned Sunday evening. (Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but I don't think anything "happened there" that needed to "stay there." They toured the Hoover Dam in 106 degree heat---and liked it, for goodness sakes.) So, Ben and I had a weekend of mother/son bonding. What does 72 straight hours of single parenthood look like? Here's what I learned:

* Lack of grown up interaction may lead to stupidity. (True, I can sing every word to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song-- old version and new version-- but that's not going to earn a phone call from MENSA.)

* When in doubt, become permissive. (I don't think I'd be dealing with this extreme case of the "gimmies" and "I wannas" if Ben had spent the weekend with any of his grandparents-- and that's saying something. My game plan was to indulge, indulge, indulge. Ice cream at 9:00 pm, "sure honey, you can have that toy." "oh, you don't want to take a bath, ok that's fine." Seriously. I was a Stepford Mommy.)

*Schedule the kid constantly. (On Friday, Ben had 3 play dates with a trip to McDonald's playland in between. Saturday, we got up and went to DeAnna Rose for another play date and had lunch with another friend. Sunday, we went to brunch with Mimi and G-Dad, then to the pool, then to the airport, then to T-Rex restaurant. Whew!)

* Sleep won't happen. (Even with the schedule, Captain No Nap continued his boycott of sleeping. Late to bed-- 9:30 or later-- and up by 8. I think he's using some sort of mind control where I become so tired that he officially grabs that small amount of power I've been clinging to.)

* If I have to answer one more question.... (What you doing, Mama? Is Daddy in BAY-GUS? Hey, Mom. Hey, Mom. Ummmmm..... wellllllllll....where Daddy go? Is he on an airplane? A silver one? Can I have root beer? Where is Baby Hannah? Is she happy? What street we live on? We live on WEEDS? What Mimi doing? HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIMI. Is it Ben's birthday?..now read this over and over and over for the next 10-15 minutes.)

Moments of crazy aside, I had a rare chance to really spend a large chunk of time with Ben, just the two of us. I can't believe how much he has changed. He is so capable. He really enjoys life and can crack himself (and his mommy) up easily. He rolls with the flow--- more than I'd expect from a 2-year old and even some adults. He's learning all the time--- his memory is almost scary.

He's a pretty cool kid, if I do say so myself.