Me And The Boy

Today I had an unexpected Afternoon Out with my little DramaBoy. And it was exactly what I needed. I think God may have known.

I picked DramaBoy up from school a little early today so that we could go in for his (overdue) well visit. I had been spurred into action because he just switched daycares (a post for another time) and needed a new health appraisal. Today was Bike Day at his new school, and DB insisted on riding his tricycle through the playground and down the sidewalk and over the parking lot to get it to the car, his little knees pumping up and down, a huge grin slathered across his face, all Look at me! and joy. And he helped me lift it into the back of the Vue, because he's a Big Boy Now.

So off we went to the doctor, where we were ushered in on time (I know, right?) and found that he is 38.5 inches tall and 29.8 pounds heavy, which makes him average for height and low for weight, but we knew that already. He's a string bean, and the bean doesn't fall far from the vine. Then our beloved doctor came in, and she had him name colors and count to three (He can go up past twenty! I resisted saying) and sing the alphabet song (Now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing with me! he caroled after a masterful and word-perfect performance, and I resisted breaking into song) and stand on one foot and stand on the other foot and hop up and down and draw a circle and draw a cross and....

She was very impressed. He does that very well, actually! she said time and again, and I tried (with limited success) not to look too smug. And then she confirmed what I pretty much knew, that he's very social and friendly, extremely advanced verbally, very smart, and actually quite advanced in other physical development besides his weight.

No wonder all the little girls love him. And the boys want to be his friend.

*Proud and Contented Sigh*

My little DramaBoy. We did good.

But then *dunh dunh dunh* came the dreaded Shots. We're a little bit behind in vaccinations because he kept getting sick when we were supposed to get them, and we're doing a slower paced schedule anyhow, so he needed a couple today.

And he wept when I told him that we couldn't leave yet because he had to get some pokes.

And he wept as I held him while those nice but mean nurses simultaneously plunged the dreaded needles into his slender thighs.

And he wept as they put cute Band-Aids on the near-invisible punctures.

And then we went and got him a sticker from the box, and we left for greener pastures.

And so our unexpected time as Mother and Son began, because after all the tears and trauma, he needed a Treat. First we went to Kids 'R' Us, primarily to get him a bicycle helmet. Because I'm supposed to be a Good Mother.

(Do you ride a tricycle? asked the doctor.

Yes! chirped DB.

And what are you supposed to wear on your head when you ride it? asked the doctor.

A helmet! chirped DB. And then the honest little fink added, But I don't have one. I don't need a helmet!

I tried not to catch the doctor's eye. She wrote a prescription for a helmet.)

But I also said DramaBoy could get a toy, with two conditions: small and cheap. We then spent half an hour or so trailing through aisle after aisle, DB trying out every toy that spoke or sang or wailed or rattled or made any noise designed to drive parents insane, and I repeated the mantra: Smaller. Cheaper. Much, much quieter. We did at some point find a helmet that fit DB's larger-than-average-but-not-quite-five-year-old-size head, and he finally discovered a wonderful display of die-cast airplanes, each approximately three inches in length (small) and $2.99 (cheap). He chose two, and we went forth happy.

We proceeded from there to Dairy Queen, where he chose a chocolate kid's cone and I chose a small Raspberry Cheesequake Blizzard. (Which was obviously invented by an angel from God, because oh my sweet baby sugarbunnies, I do love me some Raspberry Cheesequake. Just remember that Dairy Queen believes in generosity, and the RC is rich. A small is large enough. Even for me.) We sat, and we ate in companionable silence, our mouths too full of creamy lusciousness to say a word for some time. He asked for a bite of mine at one point and confirmed its excellence, and I directed him in the fine art of Cone Eating.

Unfortunately our plans to then visit a park and let him ride his bike some more while ComputerDaddy picked up The Widget came to naught, for what had been a pleasant spring day turned grey and wet while we ate our treat. DB had a small sad moment, but then I reminded him he had airplanes waiting for him, and we ran for the car with joy anew.

Now he's snuggled in bed in his new SpiderMan pajamas (he asked for them last night when I informed him of the sad news that his old set was now The Widget's size, and when I saw a set at Meijer while doing some quick late-night shopping for dog food: well, what can I say, I'm a sucker) and I am left with sweet memories of a couple of hours when it was just Me and DramaBoy, walking hand-in-hand and talking about the sort of things that are important to a Small Boy.

And my heart is full.