The stuffing

I woke up this morning feeling like shit. My head ached, my throat hurt, I wasn’t rested. Henry was yelling for me in the other room “Mama Mama Where are you Mama?” When I got into his room he told me that there was a big huge juice box over there that was spraying him with juice and he did not like it. His first nightmare? When I was a kid I had a reoccurring nightmare that Charlie Brown and his gang where chasing me but I could only run in slow motion. I would wake up panicked and be so scared that I would wake up my sister...neither one of us could ever figure out what exactly was so scary about that dream. Anyway. I put Henry down on my side of the bed covered him up with his blanket and closed my eyes hoping to get just a couple more seconds of rest. He whispered “Mama? Here go Mama.” And then shoved the corner of his blanket into my mouth (he likes to chew on his blankets until he falls asleep). Then I felt his hand on the side of my face. “Where your glasses Mama?” he whispered. I pretended to be asleep. He moved so his face was right in my face, one inch from my nose. “Where your glasses Mama? Henwe find them?” Then Wade stirred and Henry rolled over and shouted “NO WORK BAPA!” “Bapa don like work.” “Bapa stay with Henwe in house and play.” Poor Wade, Henry does this to him every morning and I know it has to be so hard for him to leave.

Getting Henry ready in the morning is such an ordeal. He hates his coat. He hates anything that limits his mobility. With his arms sticking out a little and his head surrounded by a puffy collar he told me “DON LIKE JACKET!” “Mama!” Jacket hurts” I pulled his orange/slightly too small for him hat down over his head and walked into the other room to get my coat. When I came back in he hadn’t moved from that spot. Standing there like a starfish, arms and legs sticking out and his hat down over his eyes. “Mama?” he said. “Henwe don like hat either Mama. Hat in eyes Mama.” Oops, I pulled his hat down too far. “Oh sorry baby. I didn’t mean to pull it down over your eyes. That was too far. Sorry.” The whole way to my parent’s house Henry complained about his jacket. First he went through every body part “Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s arms. Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s bottom. Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s tummy….” Then when that didn’t work he hit me with the guilt. “Mama pulled Henry hat down too far. Sorry Henry. In Henwe eye. Don’t like it.” Like a good Mom I tried to get him off the subject with a bribe. “Want some gum baby? It’s peppermint gum.” “Mmm-hmm Mama.” Henry said. I gave him the gum and he started singing “Peppermint gum. Peppermint gum.” I patted the beat on my leg. “Peppermint gum. Peppermint gum. Peppermint Bapa. Peppermint Bapa.” Henry sang. Then he started cracking up. “Peppermint Bapa?” he laughed. “What?” I said “Peppermint Papa? You’re so silly Henry.” We sang Peppermint Bapa the rest of the way to Gigi’s house.

I got to work an hour later than I wanted to. I didn’t eat breakfast. I have no motivation to do anything so I think I’ll go get another cup of coffee. I thought I was going to get off at noon so I didn’t bring lunch. Just found out that I have to stay until 3. I get really grumpy when I don't eat. I think it is an evolution thing...because our ancestors went days without food, hunting and gathering and all that.... At least I blame it on that. I am going to be a grumpy bear by 3:00.

Tonight we have to finish making Henry’s turkey hands, buy everything for Henry’s cake and clean the house. I am making my sisters leek and potato stew with dumplings for dinner. I feel like we have so many loose ends to tie up this weekend. Hopefully I will get to relax a little on Sunday. KU football and basketball in one day. Go Hawks!

Happy Thanksgiving.