My husband was up and out of the house before the crack of dawn this morning to go duck hunting with his buddies.

It was like 28 degrees outside.

They’re insane.

About 15 minutes after D snuck out the back door, I heard Lee’s little feet running through the living room. He rounded the corner of the kitchen and came full speed ahead to my side of the bed. I leaned down and pulled him up and in so that I could steal some snuggles before my alarm went off. He rested his head on my pillow, facing me, with his sweet little forehead resting against mine and closed his eyes.

For a solid ten minutes. And then we were up for the day!

Mornings without D aren’t hard, they just take some tactical maneuvering. Once Lee insisted we get up, I situated him on the couch with a cup of milk and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Normally, he will stay there.

This morning, he did not.

He followed me to the bathroom and we brushed our teeth together and then each did our **cough cough** potty business on our respective potties. Next, I hopped in the shower. Lee disappeared for a minute and then re-appeared with a basket full of cars and trucks.

“Oh boy,” I thought, “here we go”.

Lee leaned over the side of the tub and tossed in a red car.

“Mommy, red car!” he yelled, as it bounced around my feet.

He then plopped down on the floor before popping up once again, leaning back over the side of the tub once more, and tossing in a blue car.

“Mommy, blue car!” he warned as it nailed me right in the calf.

He plopped down on the floor again and then stood up, hands on his hips, and glared at me (we have a clear shower curtain). He walked to the end of the tub, pulled the curtain back, leaned in, and thrust his hand toward me, moving his right pointer finger back and forth, from left to right..

“Mommy, no, no, no… Lee’s cars!!” he said to me, sternly. As if I had stolen his precious automobiles while he wasn’t looking.

He held my gaze, staring sternly still, while he walked back over to the rug where his basket of cars and trucks were and sat down in front of it.

And then the pattern continued.

By the time I was finished and ready to come out, I had at least 8 vehicles in the shower with me. I was warned each time one was sent soaring in and I was scolded after every set of two joined me.

While dried off and attempting to dress, I paused to watch Lee. He was standing in the tub, tossing the automobiles out and into the basket, talking to himself as he did so..

“Lee’s red car, one..”

“Lee’s blue car, two..”

“Lee’s yellow car, three..”

“Lee’s green truck, four..”

“Lee’s blue truck, five..”

“Lee’s yellow truck, six..”

“Lee’s orange truck, seven..”

“Lee’s green car, eight..”

And then of course, he caught me watching him and wagged his finger at me once more.

“Mommy, Lee’s cars! Mommy, no, no no”.

Other than laugh, what can you do?

 

 

**Side Note: Please forgive my recent absence. Quite a few exciting things have been taking our household by storm lately.. updates to come!

 

xxxA