It’s amazing how much you forget. You raise your children, then, once they are on their own, you get used to coming and going whenever you want. You only have yourself to take care of. You somehow forget how many times in an hour you hear he is touching me or he took my toy. You forget the bickering, the wants and the needs. But, it’s really like riding a bike, so they say. It all comes back when you need it. Last night, upon picking up Zacory at his after school program, he came to me with tears in his eyes. He was upset that he would not be able to do his homework because someone had mistakenly taken his backpack. We were already running late for baseball practice. I explained that we would get it back tomorrow, hoping that we really would. That’s when he told me that he had dribbled on his underwear at school. He was not wearing any because he had put his “slightly wet” underwear in his bag. I can only imagine the look on the face of the parent that had collected the wrong bag! We drive to the baseball field, which is not too far from the after school program. We had been there for about ten minutes, just long enough to meet the coach, when Zacory whispers to me that he really needs to go pee! I tell him that he can go in the trees, but he “does not want anyone seeing that he has no underwear on”. Back in the car we go, drive to the school and head to the bathroom. We all go… just in case!
Back to the baseball field to hit from the tee, try to catch the ball and learn how to run the bases. However, upon return to the field, Zacory sees that someone is using HIS baseball helmet. He looks at the boy then looks at me. I give him “the eye” to let it be. He picks up another helmet, all the while keeping an eagle eye on his. The minute the boy makes it to home plate, Zacory runs, picks up HIS helmet and puts it on his head. He is NOT going to loose it again! The practice is only for about one hour. It’s surprising how difficult it can be to entertain a 4 year old for an hour. Liam, while watching Zacory, starts yelling “Zacory has stinky feet!” I tell him to stop, but he is determined to let everyone know about his brothers feet. I lead him to the car for the next few minutes. He loudly makes it known that he does not want to go to the car with me. I watch Zacory from the car, all the while listening to Liam talk about how he can whistle now, how much he loves hot dogs and how he lost a toy boat down the bathroom drain. I must remember to check the drain… He also told me that he wanted his own “Checain” for the car. Finally, practice is done. We collect the new baseball shirt, new hat and are finally on our way home. Zacory, upon getting in the car, strips down and puts on his new shirt. Very proudly he displays “The Dodgers”. Thankfully, it is not too far until we get home. I enter the house, only to have TJ hand me his “grocery list” that he has so kindly made me. On it I see “Oreo’s”, Pizza, Hot Dogs, Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce. In big letters is the word “Gummies”. I told him I would see what I could do. TJ tells me that he has also been making a list of car parts for the car is going to be driving when he turns 16, a Mach One. Liam then runs into the house and screams that we have all kinds of crickets outside on our lawn. They are marching into the woods and while he tried, he can’t catch them! I am still in the process of TRYING to get dinner ready. Zacory bolts in and informs me that he is going to wear his new shirt and hat to school. He wants to wear his cleats too. I tell him that he cannot wear the cleats to school because they will make marks on the school floor. He, in turn, tells me “he will walk really, really slow”. Suddenly Liam charges down the hallway, into the kitchen, sliding across the floor in the new slippers that his Great Grammie “Rainy” has made. He tells me how fast they make him run. Zacory then starts running in his “super charged” cleats! I am only trying to make hot dogs, but somehow it is taking quite a long time! Finally, dinner is ready. While eating Zacory informs us all that when he grows up he is going to buy a Ford Mustang for five dollars! He is going to be an army man and sing a song called “I Love Girls That Rock”. Liam is going to be a Monster Truck driver and have a Four Wheeler. He is going to have a loud radio in his truck. TJ is going to be a Red Sox player. Where would we be without our dreams? I’m still trying to decide what I want to be! On another note, I noticed today that my dash in my car read “6a5cap”. Thinking that is was a code for something really wrong with my car, I ask someone what it meant. They tell me my “Gascap” is not on tight. Hey, I never said I wanted to be a mechanic when I grow up! Until tomorrow, I hope all of your dreams are becoming reality!
grammydebbieshouse 