spring fever?

I have started about 4 different posts in the past week. I need to set aside daily blogging time so I can complete a thought! Some things I have been wanting/meaning to write about are:

- How much it stinks to make a public pronouncement of forgiveness and then want to take it back!

- How disappointed Henry was when we undertook a very ill-planned trip to the college football team's spring scrimmage game. I totally under-estimated how many people would attend, and we wandered around inside the stadium, unable to find a seat!

- How fun it was to take my sons to a movie (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). I spent some time that weekend remembering Henry's first movie in a theater. It was Finding Nemo, at the $1 theater, summer or fall of 2003 (Henry was 4).

I remember that we went to the zoo that morning, and then the movie, just the 2 of us. We were still working on potty training. I struggled to get him to use the public restroom before the movie, and at some point during the movie, (he was sitting on my lap) Henry had an accident. But I was so thrilled to be sitting through this entire movie- Henry laughing at the right moments and getting excited at the right moments, that we both just sat there with wet pants, watching. Is that weird?

I remember wanting to cry (ok, maybe actually crying a little) when Beyond the Sea came on over the credits. I was so happy that we had shared this regular experience- mom and kid, watching a Disney movie in the theater. No meltdowns, no loud perseverating, just some urine-soaked pants. A small price to pay.

- Because Henry is transported to school and I work full time, I don't make enough opportunities to visit the school and meet the teachers. This week his school is having a book fair, so the boys and I ran up there Tuesday evening. Of course the librarians know Henry, because he visits them twice a week. They both made a point of saying hello to him, and Henry told me their names. As we were paying for our books, one of them asked Henry "is this your brother?" Henry didn't look up and waited just long enough to reply that I was thinking he didn't hear, or wasn't going to answer. Finally he didn't look up, but answered "this is Tommy."

At one point Henry said "some first graders are here."

"Some of the kids from your first grade class?" I asked. "Yes."

"Do you want to say hi to them?" "No."

I wasn't surprised that he didn't want to talk to the kids, but I was glad that he noticed them and volunteered some information to me.

- Sometimes when I lie in bed with Thomas at night, listening to him talk, I really wish he would shut up and go to sleep. But then I think about how lucky he is that he can express himself with words, and I can't bring myself to tell him to be quiet. And then he sleepily says "mommy, I love you super duper super duper super duper super duper super duper super duper super duper much." And I know that I am the luckiest mom in the world!

I am feeling antsy lately- emotionally and mentally itchy- like something's not right or something needs to change. Maybe this is what they call spring fever? I have a haircut appointment today and am planning to have it chopped off. We'll see if that scratches the itch...