Party Animal
I had a little freak out last night when I learned preschool would consist of FISHING for FISH today. Yikes. Do you all remember the time I tried to find half-marbles in a pet store in Kiruna and there were GIANT TROUT and I threw up? Yeah. I was loving the idea of taking preschoolers fishing.
I thought about different ways to avoid the experience, but I knew Erik would love it so I decided the likelihood of actual fish being caught was pretty and sucked it up. I was hoping I could contain the freak out factor and not make a complete ass out of myself, though I have already shared my phobia with this group of women.
In the end, I didn’t have any fish exposure at all. I’m a sneaky one!
Two of the women have one year old babies they bring to class. They both needed a nap and we weren’t sure how to accomplish that and get lunch cooked if we were all down at the creek. You can bet your sweet ass I jumped up and volunteered my services as babysitter/chef. Really, I was the only one who could do it anyway since none of the other preschoolers will leave their mom’s without much screaming and wailing. I was a little nervous about Erik going down to the creek without me because I am his MOM and his MOM should be the one making sure he didn’t drown.
Of course he didn’t drown. Instead, he dived in the 12 inch creek and tried to swim. One of the babies fell asleep but the other baby was becoming hysterical, so I went out to try to find the path to the creek and the child’s mother. All I see is a group of kids (and moms) walking up the road, Erik in the lead with no shirt and totally drenched pants. The other kids had some dampness, but none of them were quite as adventurous as Erik. A couple of the moms were worried that I would be really mad that he was soaked, but I know my son. I had a change of clothes already for him.
The comment of the day came from my friend who likes to party: “Erik is going to be the most fun party guy ever when he’s older. Everyone will want to hang out with him!” This is my fear, people. My very real fear. How to two non-partying introverts deal with the class clown party animal teenager?
We came home and Erik was driving me crazy, so we baked a “cake.” Really, it was blondies, only I was so smart I put chocolate chips in them instead of sprinkling them on top like the directions said. Since you heat up the butter and brown sugar to make a mixture of butterscotch delight, the chocolate chips melt into a big puddle of chocolatey goo and suddenly you don’t have blondies. You have brunnetties.
Erik decided he didn’t have to obey me when they were done cooking. Instead of being scared of the thought of a burn, like usual, he went and put his whole hand on the very hot pan. My poor, poor baby. Instead of responding like a rational human who had a hurt little boy, I responded like a hysterical mother and yelled at him for not listening to me. He started crying. I was freaking out. I put aloe on the burn and gave him a slug of children’s Tylenol. I really really really really wanted to dip his hand in a bucket of cold water, but I know from experience that the second you feel the sweet relief of cold water, you are lost. The pain lasts much longer and you have to spend 24 hours with your hand immersed.
Instead, I did the forbidden and comforted him with my old stand by. He fell asleep. It was 4 pm. I was freaked out again because I didn’t want to be up all night. ARGH!
The mail man knocked loudly, a box of goodness was delivered. The boy woke up, saw the box and was immediately ok. I would love to take a picture of the contents of the box, sent by the lovely Grain Damaged, but the boy had everything spread out in about 3 seconds. He adores the sunglasses, jump rope and ribbon that the fabric was tied with. He’s been trying to tie knots all night. I adore the fabric and little Asian inspired dishes and necklace and book! Thank you so much! I hope you get your box in the next couple of days.
If only we could always have a box of goodness delivered in the middle of a melt down.