Sometimes the truth doesn’t hurt, much
I plop onto the sofa with my knitting for entertainment and distraction from my latest current dose of flu. A tired little pathetic pile of self misery mopped up with a box of tissues. Oh for a few minutes of peace and quiet.
Ours has long been a volatile household where upsets jump out to bite us at every turn. Over the years we have learned about a great number of triggers, hot spots and areas that need special attention but the overall effect can sometimes feel as if we walk on eggshells. On the majority of occasions we are able to manage these periods but when our own levels of energy are low, we adopt the line of least resistance.
He leaps onto my lap cat style, but less agile and with far too many rigid bones. For the umpteenth time I have a Ninendo DS screen shoved two inches from my nose to view his latest captured Pokemon with slightly less than enthusiastic zeal, “yes, very nice dear.” My daughter mutters, “she’s bored of your darned Pokemon,” but to no avail. I glare her into silence.
“You don wanna see my Pokemon?”
“Oh I do indeed, it’s just that I’m not feeling very well at the moment.”
“She doesn’t like you jumpin on her like that.”
“You don like me to be a cat on yur lap?”
“Oh I do indeed, it’s just that you’re quite a big boy now.”
“Yur too darned heavy man!”
“I am heavy?”
“Well heavier than you once were dear…..when you were smaller than you are now.”
“Lighter. Yur a great big lump a bones.”
“I am bones?”
“Well……your bones are …….bigger too…..than they once were……when you were smaller.”
“Yur bones are all pokey, don’t you get it? It hurts when a big lumpy, pokey boned boy jumps on yah!”
He blinks at his sister, as he kneels on my lap, all 76 pounds of him. He turns to face me, “is wot she is says……..true?”
“Well…..I suppose……sort of……” I wince and wait.
“Well why didnaya tell me?”
“!”
December 5th, 2008 at 3:16 am
Wow. I’m impressed. Though I’d a lost it with my daughter if she’d said all that. I admire you. My son is still small enough to enjoy his squishy hugs.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:26 am
I love the way you can handle a situation without offending either party. I’m not sure I could be so calm.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:41 am
Wow! Leave it to your daughter to stick up for you! And yikes – 76 pounds? – I’m bruising just thinking about that!!
December 5th, 2008 at 7:45 am
He has a point there! Why didnaya tell him? I bet it would make him proud to know that he’s getting bigger – and, er, heavier!
December 5th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Wonderful! That is so cute!
December 5th, 2008 at 9:57 am
it does so hurt… oh wait… i misread that and thought it said “Sometimes the tooth doesn’t hurt, much”
just had a root canal
December 5th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Sounds like somebody loves you.
December 5th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Before my surgery, I had the 17 year old, 6’2″ 180lbs. land on my lap. He sighted the story by Robert Munsch “Love You Forever” where the mother rocks her teenager back and forth etc. I told him if he didn’t get off of me, we would fast forward to the last page….( where the mother has died).
I guess I should be thankful he came to sit with little old mom at all.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Awe, they get so big so quickly! I told Patrick one day soon he would be too big to sit in my lap…he told me when that happened I could sit in his.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I loved that reply! Sometimes they can take the truth.
Funny.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Constantly surprising, aren’t they?! Wow, 76 pounds. I can’t imagine. I feel like Nik is enormous now that he’s 35 pounds! LOL
December 6th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Lovely and happy little exchange – thanks for telling us!
December 6th, 2008 at 10:22 am
That is so cute and funny and sweet all at once!
December 8th, 2008 at 9:55 am
well, it might not have been diplomatic but your daughter did pave the way for a discovery, for you and your son.