Mental Health Days

I'm a firm believer in mental health days. Days where you wake up and you realize you're a little sad or a little tired and you need a day of just relaxation, fun or hours and hours of sleep. You need to eat what you like, do what you want and just center.

Today, X-man woke up in a funk. He didn't want to change diapers. He didn't want to get dressed. He didn't want to eat breakfast. It was a normal morning for us. And today, I just wasn't up for the negotiating and the barking and X-man wasn' t up to being wrangled or cajoled. After this week together, we didn't have any fight left in us.

And I looked at him and he looked at me. And I said, "Mental Health Day."

He repeated, "Mentule Heeth Day."

So, I called into school for him. Ms. Krissi offered to come along when she heard we were just going to have a Mommy and X-man day. Then I offered him his morning vitamin where Bam Bam always outranks Dino. (Funny since he's never seen the Flintstones.) 

And that was my peace offering. I really wanted to spend the day with my boy. And, it turns out, he really wanted to spend a day alone with his mom.

I went upstairs and changed out of my gym clothes into street clothes. Then I returned and poured him a bowl of cereal, gave him apple juice and chocolate milk (he finished both). Then I ate my Fiber One Oats and Chocolate bar (remind me Quigs to kiss you for showing me those). 

After breakfast we went to the Champaign Public Library where we played. I forgot my wallet in the car, so we didn't take anything home with us. Then on the way home we stopped by the Junior League's Festival of Trees at the Hilton. I know X-man didn't remember being there last year. He's still free, this year, which is nice. He wanted to go downstairs. So we looked at the elementary school holiday trees, then we visited the very nice Discovery Toys woman and got a potty book and a pattern puzzle. 

X-man eyed Santa Claus from inside the Discovery Toys play tent. I asked if he wanted to go say "hi" to the man in the red suit. X-man's answer was a strong, "No."

Then we went upstairs. He gave one of the raffle ticket vendors $10, and I filled out the tickets. He didn't really get why were there there until he saw the fire truck tree. Play table, toys, puzzles, books, ornaments... all firetrucks. And he couldn't touch it, but he could put his raffle tickets in the box, and then maybe a couple in the airplane and train tree, and then maybe one for the Dora tree, and oooh, there's a Sesame Street Tree! And "Mama, mama, Look! HOUSE! Xander HOUSE!" Larkin's place had a special outdoor playhouse they were raffling. 

And last but not least, he put his last ticket in a gift basket of books and movies in the hallway.

He started eating his coat, so I brought him home. Where his favorite -- french fries-- are cooking in the oven. I'm about to warm up some macaroni and cheese. 

After lunch, we're talking about taking a walk with the dog around the lake. Rest time. And then going to the grocery store.

Tonight: Dinner at the mall and playing in the play area. 

Tomorrow: Daddy finally gets home from his 7-day work trip.