Wednesday, June 28, 2006

My big boy

I went to pick him up at school today. "Swimming lessons!" I said, and immediately he jumped up and followed me into the bathroom to pee and then get his swim trunks on. After only three lessons, he's got the routine down pat.

Hop into the car, say "Hi!" to Daddy. Drive to the (indoor! Beach entrance!) pool nearby. It's raining of course, so I let him and Mr. Spock out at the door and find a parking spot. I go in to find the lesson in progress: blowing bubbles, submerging completely, jumping into the pool like bunnies, kicking while holding onto a dayglo green noodle.

Lesson over, change, go to Panera for dinner (meh), go to Bob Evans for dessert (meh), drive home. POURING RAIN. Deluge. Buckets. "No talking." I say, holding onto the steering wheel for dear life.

I bypass our usual exit because the road I often take was closed last night due to flooding, I'm guessing it will be again. I take the slightly-longer-but-less-likely-to-be-under-water route. I pull into our drive way and look at Mr. Spock. It's still pouring. Sheeting really. He looks at Muffin Man and nudges me to look too. Muffin Man is sound asleep.

Sound. Asleep. In the back seat. He hasn't done that in a really, really long time.

Mr. Spock and I sit and watch our little man sleep and wait for the rain to stop or at least slack off. We notice how the rain makes weird shadows on our shirts. It looks like snake skin or a really cool lava lamp.

Finally it slacks off. I run to unlock our front door and turn off the alarm. Mr. Spock releases MM from his car seat and carries him indoors. He's still sleeping.

Mr. Spock slips off MM's sandals and puts him in bed. Covers tucked up to his chin.

Two hours later I check in on him. He hasn't moved.*

My sweet baby. My big boy. My little man.





*Oh dear. He hasn't peed since 5:45. I'd better get a change of sheets ready.

10 comments:

ccw said...

I love MM!

Watching them sleep is quite possibly one of the sweetest sights in the world.

Scrivener said...

What a simple, beautiful post.

susan said...

Awww. How sweet. A sleeping child is such a beautiful sight.

Anonymous said...

Such a sweet boy.

(And I'm clueless--it poured last night? We heard thunder in the distance once, but that was it. Sorry you got drenched again.)

Phantom Scribbler said...

Sniff! This is so lovely, Liz!

Karyn said...

Isn't it astounding how you start memorizing their elimination schedule...ie: It's Been X # of Hours Since He Peed.... sleeping children are fabulous and beautiful and my heart contracts watching mine too. When they are awake, my heart contracts for other reasons entirely, but that's another story.

KLee said...

There is much wonder in watching a sleeping child. Very sweet.

Anonymous said...

Swimming lessons! They were like knock-out drops for my kid when he was little.

The Bears said...

So cute!

Watching Jim sleep really isn't the same thing at all...

OK Bye
Stompy

Piece of Work said...

Yes, the swimming--it wears them out!