Buddies

My son has a lot of buddies. He's closest to Lightning McColin, Bubba and CuriousJ. "Closest" meaning when I mention we're going to go see any of these three people he claps and shouts their name.

Last Thursday, I took an awesome walk with an old friend and her daughter at Meadowbrook. This is a walking place where we usually meet Libbygirl and Lightning McColin on Tuesdays. When he got out of the car he started shouting, "McColin, where are you?" and scanning the parking lot. 

When I told him we were meeting a new friend, he went back to the car door and started demanding that I take him home.

As it was, X-man took one look at K and C and decided both of them were well worth hanging out with. And he and C checked each other out as we walked stroller to stroller around the park. I'm hoping this week we'll have our stuff together enough to pack the jogger in the car. 

He also is becoming very fond of one of the Super Twins in his Turtle class. He uses his name all the time at home. I'm wondering if they're sitting at the same table in class. I'm going to have to look tomorrow. 

Then last week, we were in the bath and we were talking about family. One of X-man's favorite things to do when MacTroll and I are in the same room is to point at each of us and announce our presence. Having all three of us together is means for a pretty good time. Even if we were the only lame-o-s who completely skipped the Taste of Champaign this year. 

Anyway, I asked him who else was in his family, and after Mama, Dada and Riley came "Curious J" and "Bubba."

So, when I complain about the biting (and boy do I have a giant bruise on my forearm from that this week) and the lack of sleep... I have to remember that the good moments far outweigh the tantrums. 

That although he spent the first 30 minutes today NOT wanting to be where he couldn't swim, he calmed down and looked really cute in the kayak at Lake of the Woods (thanks Freak Family!), even if he only wanted to sit in it on dry land. 

I'm most thankful for the wealth of grown ups that he feels safe with. When Curious J is napping, X-man is happiest sitting in Rogers' lap reading books or playing cars. When I announce we're going walking with McColin, X-man cheers not just for Lightning, but also for Libbygirl. When we're going to the garden and I tell him he'll get to run around with Ms. Thang and The Boy, he watches them in bewilderment as they run and leap and talk a mile a minute. And The Boy can climb trees! 

I really do have a lot to enjoy, like days with moments like the one below.