Although I'm so excited to be starting my new job on Monday, today has just been a dreary day. Yesterday I got so much done at work and came up with some great, new ideas that I'm excited about. I stayed at work late getting things moved to my new office since Jeff was home with Carson. He got lots of daddy-time yesterday, so I felt fine about staying late (which doesn't happen very often!), but it set the stage for a bad morning this morning.
Carson & Jeff are always asleep when I leave for work - I love having some time to myself, getting ready for the day in a quiet house. Occassionally, Carson wakes up early, so he watches cartoons in bed with Jeff until they start their day. This morning, I was drying my hair in the bathroom and felt the door open behind me. Carson peeked in, all sleepy-headed. He says, "mommy? I wake up. Where you going?" So we go through the plan for the day - I go to work, Carson goes to work at Miss Kristy's, Daddy goes to work. Then we go to daddy's softball game. He said, "I watch you get ready for work?", walked in, sat on the floor and just watched me put on makeup, finish my hair. He'd shake up a bottle of some hair product and hand it to me: "here you, this one next". So sweet. Then he got all crocodile-teary and said "I no want to go to work. I stay here and you stay here too and hold my hand and eat lunch." So we talked about the day again - what I was excited about (writing stories at work) and what he would do (play blocks) and what we would do together after work (share some snacks, play baseball). He seemed OK with it, until he said "mommy? I not play with you tomorrow (he meant yesterday) - you at work. So I play want to play with you today." Argh! Rip a mama's heart out!
Made me think of this book: Five Love Languages of Children (Gary Chapman). I don't know if it's a phase, or Carson's personality, but for now - he is definitely a 'Quality Time' kid. It's a great book, talking about kids desperately need to know how much you love them. But every child (like every adult) expresses and receives love best through one of five communication styles - quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, physical touch. It discusses how to match up the "language" you're speaking to the one that resonates most with them.
So - on the docket for tonight? Lots of focused Carson-time. I'll be willing to bet after about 30 minutes, he'll be back to his independent, playing by him-self again. I just need to top off his tank a little.
