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Friday, September 18, 2009

Paging Dr. Freud

This morning, Owen climbed into bed with me. He nestled his little head on my chest, flung an arm around, and immediately fell asleep.

This was very sweet, yes, but as I laid there, listening to his soft breaths, I wondered how much longer I could wait before my bladder ruptured. 

Eventually, I closed my eyes, and just when I was drifting off, I heard him whisper, "Mommy? I want some cottage cheese. And some money."

***

Later that morning, we were driving to a playgroup. Owen turned to his brother, then said, "Mommy, I'm going to marry Joel someday."

"You'll have to move to Vermont," I replied. I thought a little more, and realized that Vermont recognizes gay marriage, but hasn't warmed up to brother-brother partnerships. I reconsidered my response, "Make that West Virginia."

***
 I must confess, I've been very concerned that Owen learns how to cough in his elbow instead of in his hand, as directed by his teachers. Apparently, I'm not the only one. Today's Post reports that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius gave the smack-down to one Chuck Todd (a journalist, and presumably, and adult) for coughing in his hand. She said, "We'll have to have Elmo give Chuck a special briefing...Elmo knows how to sneeze."

Nice.

Anyway, we've been working on proper sneezing and coughing practices, so Owen won't, if nothing else, be mocked by a member of cabinet someday.

You can imagine how delighted I was when we were at Wal-Mart, and we ran into Owen's teacher, Miss Speck. As she said "Hello," I needed to ask Owen to stop licking the shopping cart.

***

Owen was doing his usual half-hearted protests come naptime. "No, I'm  not taking a nap. I'm going to sleep in your bed, with Green Pillow and Big Teddy."

"Well, honey," I countered, "I sleep with Daddy."

Owen frowned. "No!" he protested, "Daddy can sleep outside in the playhouse. You sleep with me."

Paging Dr. Freud! My son has developed a disturbing Oedipus complex, and I'm not sure I want to be Jocasta.

***
While Owen and I were putting Joel down for his nap, Owen mused, "Joel sure is a special little guy."

He's not the only one.

3 comments:

Corrie Howe said...

I find your humor so delightful. I guess I've never had such high aspirations of my children even meeting a member of the cabinet let alone being mocked by them.

Jonathan used to lick all kinds of gross and public things. His psychologist said, "He's just naturally inoculating himself."

I guess he was right, because my children really get sick...I guess because I'm not germ-a-phobic...What's the word I'm really looking for...it's not that I'm not germ-a-phobic...it's that I don't even think in terms of germs..."Germs? What germs? Sure, I don't care, eat after five seconds, I say even after 15 or 20 is fine. No, I don't remember the last time I mopped the floor."

You're the English teacher...what is that word?

Corrie Howe said...

Oops! LOL. I meant....My children... DON'T ... really get sick.

Nancy C said...

Mysophobia is the actual condition, but most people just say germphobic.