Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Heartbreakers

I am moving in two days and I'm desperately trying not to lose my mind.

We're at that stage where movers have been hired, logistics have been figured and boxes have been obtained. Most of my packing is done -- largely under control, anyway -- but the fact that anything left in cabinets and closets has been taken out and a giant game of What Random Crap Will Fit In This Box has begun, well, it makes me more than slightly lose my shit.

Add to it the fact that all our dishes have been packed, as has the toaster and that we don't have much food left in the house and my left eye starts to twitch. My children have taken it upon themselves to help with the disposal of any remaining food items from the pantry ("MOM! CAN I JUST EAT SOME OF THESE HONEY NUT CHEERIOS OUT OF THE BOX AS A SNACK?") as well as any left over Easter candy.

Because laundry needs to be done, bathrooms need to be cleaned and odds-n-ends packed, my boys have been spending more time than usual in front of the TV. (They may have also found there were still a dozen popcicles in the freezer last night and may have decided to try and eat them all before I noticed.)

Lots of TV + sugary snacks = APE CRAZY LITTLE BOYS PRACTICING WWE STYLE TAKE DOWN MANEUVERS ON MY LIVING ROOM FLOOR

So when this exchange happened...

Nick, rolling on the ground, clutching his shin: "WAAAAAAAAH!!!!! HEEEE KICKED MEEEEE!"

Me: "William! Did you kick your brother?!?"

Will: "Yes."

Nick: "WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!" {begins an Oscar-worthy re-enactment of a Civil War soldier who's just lost his leg to a land mine}

Me: "WHY would you kick your brother?!?"

Will, innocent, wide-eyed, shrugging: "Cuz he told me to."

Me: "WHAT?!?"

Will: "Well, he said I'm just little and I couldn't even hurt him, so I should kick him and I did."

Me: "WE DON'T KICK OUR BROTHERS."

Will: "But --"

Me: "EVEN IF THEY TELL US TO."

...The Muppets Take Manhattan got shut off and they got sent to bed.

Ten minutes later, I was bringing the last of the laundry up from downstairs when I heard the bathroom door shut.

"Mom - I'm just going potty I swear," came the excuse from behind the door before I could even protest. They'd both just gone about 15 minutes before.

I sighed deeply, and started to throw the stuff that was on my bed into a box. I heard the door shut, then a little voice behind me. When I turned to look, angry that he didn't go right back to his bed, I found a skinny, freckled seven-year-old, lips parsed, looking for a kiss.

I couldn't help it. I smiled as I kissed him.

"Now go to bed!" He loped away smiling.

Five minutes later, I was sitting on the floor folding the laundry when I heard their bedroom door open again.

"OHMYGODWHAT?!?" I shouted. In my mind, I was trying to calculate just what time I might get to bed if I still had to fold that laundry, pack some more boxes and unload the dishwasher.

A small smiling face peeked around the corner at me.

"Mama?" Will asked quietly.

"What is it, baby?" I was clearly frustrated.

He skip-walked over to me in that way that little children often do, then jumped and landed on both feet right next to me. I was sitting on the floor, so he was taller than I was.

He didn't say a word, just leaned over and kissed my forehead, then each cheek, then the tip of my nose.

"Nothing. I just love you is all." He stood there, grinning, wearing nothing but his Diego underpants.

I realized my kids could tell I was losing my mind, and they both wanted to give their Mama a little extra love.

I grabbed him and hugged him tight, and apologized for being cranky.

"Its OK, Mama," he replied, and skipped back to bed.

What would I do without them?

6 comments:

Tara R. said...

Your boys are so incredibly sweet and intuitive. Good luck with the move.

Melisa Wells said...

OMG, tears. They are such sweethearts.

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

You got some good boys! What sweeties!

Grace said...

You're moving? Where to?
I'll be right where you're at in about 4 weeks...

Anonymous said...

It's a good thing that they're charming and cute, right?
Mine do that too--"Kick me--it won't hurt" yet when it does, people get MAD! Imagine that!

Colleen @AMadisonMom said...

Oh... I just wanna squeeze them!