Who lives in a pineapple under the sea...

What a rush the past 5 weeks have been. The Honey's youngest son has been with us for the summer. He just turned 7!! A super fun age... which really means nothing because I've never had a kid around full time. 7, 12, or 20... it's all new to me, lol.

In hindsight, I think I did alright with my new role of full-time summer Stepmom... but while it was happening, lol... oh there was some learning to be had. I found out where my real threshold for patience is and I am still very surprised to know how much I can tolerate... and if you know me at all, you get this. Now don't get me wrong, this kid is certainly no monster (actually he's very sweet), but he is seven... and I'm normally kid-free, and get to come home to a neat house , drink a glass of wine and have something other than Sponge Bob on the TV. (Can I tell you how much I hated that theme song? Can I also tell you how pissed I am that now I hum it and enjoy screaming SPONGE BOB SQUARE PANTS! Yeah, nice). I've learned that yes, he did hear me all three times and decided to ignore me because the TV (or Legos, etc) are more interesting and no, he can't put the hand towel back neatly and will always leave the bath rug looking like a race car just took off on it, all bunched against the cabinet (how the hell...??), and sometimes there's even a special gift left in the toilet due to a forgotten flush rule.

But then there's all of the other stuff... the infectious giggling, the random intelligent informational comments, the Spanish accent, the Publix buddy who drives a big plastic car shopping cart like no other and reads/crosses off from the shopping list for me, the way he's done so well remembering 'chores' (laundry in the hamper, trash in the barrel, feeding the cat dinner, setting the table), the pre-pajama naked streaking (LMFAO), the way he calls me by my full name with no pause between the first & last name (has ever since he started seeing it pop up on his dad's iPhone, lol)... and the way he gets excited when I pick him up from daycare and tells his teacher/friends "My mom's here!"

And the stuff kids say. How do you answer "Why do the brown people work back there?" while he's pointing at the deli counter that just happens to have all black employees that day and you're waiting for lunch meat or "Why did you buy a Lego eating cat?" after having told him to make sure he picks up Lego's when he drops them so the cat doesn't get them, lol. And we can't forget the question posed to a friend of "How old are you?", she answers 48... and his reply is "You're the same age as Obama".... OMG, how the hell would he know or care about that?? lol.

Trying to keep my biased opinion under control, I have got to say he's about the smartest little boy I have ever met... seriously. His reading level is off the charts, his comprehension is amazing, and his hunger to learn is awesome. The Honey, myself and his daycare teachers are all excited to find out what it is he does with his life... who he becomes. We all think it will something great :)

Which brings me to this week... the last week of his 6 week visit. At the beginning, I was happy to have him here, but guiltily looked forward to having 'my' time back, and our lives, house & schedule back to normal. But now I'm dreading this weekend's arrival. I'm afraid of the big giant gaping hole that his absence will create and the sadness that we'll be left with while we try to get back to what I thought was 'normal life' without him here. Sure, I miss being selfish with my time, having the house to ourselves, and having it just be us... but now 'us' has kind of morphed into a threesome. Something I didn't truly expect. I knew that I'd become attached (how can you not?), but not like this. And knowing that I won't get to see him again until next summer is breaking my heart. A little background, his stepdad currently holds a position for his company outside of the country, so traveling is limited to once a year for a while... no every other weekends or alternating holidays.

Who's going to shop with me? Who's going to keep me company in the car? Who's going to sleep in the Spider-man room? Who's going to beg us to go swim in the pool after work every day and do count-down Star Wars cannon balls? Who's going to watch Sponge Bob and leave Lego's all over the coffee table? Who's going to ask for Lucky Charms after daycare? Who am I supposed to pick-up at daycare now? And what the hell am I supposed to fill my time doing... the 'precious' time I craved to have back so badly 5 weeks ago?

So for the next few days, I'll act like everything is wonderful and enjoy him while I have him. And when we leave for Tampa to visit Nana for a bit, I'll be excited for him to be seeing more family before he leaves. I've got it all worked out up to Saturday. How in the hell am I supposed to look at that face at the airport and say goodbye without crying?

If someone could answer that for me, I'd be really appreciative... and very surprised.

Sincerely,
Maryannrogers