Raindrops and storms

My sweet kid is at school today. The kindy farm, a collection of poor benighted lambs and the odd shitstained calf, is coming to visit the preschool. Louis is not altogether happy about this. I left him and Nigel to work out their strategy. This is a happy new occurrance. Nigel seems to help Louis through some tough anxious moments, by being there when Mummy can't. So, Nigel is going to stay at preschool today and "watch Louis". Good old Nigel. According to Louis, Nigel will also give him the nod when it is appropriate to turn into a T-Rex and roar at the farm animals. Another exercise in keeping him safe apparently. Poor bloody animals.

I warned his teachers this morning to keep him back from the pen, just in case he starts roaring madly and frightening the little animals. They know my boy well, those teachers. One just looked at me and laughed and said "I don't think we need to worry about Louis coming too close to the animals". I guess, these are the people that hold him in a death grip to calm him down when the fireman comes to visit the preschool, as my son freaks out about the possibility of the siren being turned on.

On the way to preschool though, something lovely happened. Louis was telling me about his plans to be a T-Rex and I reminded him that he has scheduled times to be a dinosaur and the rest of the time he must be Louis (don't ask - I never thought I was have to comfort my son as he keens and wails because he can't "be a theropod").

So Louis was quiet for a second and said "I am a really good T-Rex". I said "And you are a fantastic Louis". Quiet again and he piped up "I like being Louis". Awwwww. How wonderful is that! and it gets better....he then asked "Do you like being, Mummy?". I nearly crashed into a tree at this point. I made some comment about liking myself when I am not a raging irritable bitch - PG version of course. But I am so thrilled about that kind of progress. To think about asking me that question indicates he is aware that I have thoughts and feelings. Well, I might be reaching a little high there. He didn't listen to my answer, as he was giggling and rocking side to side in his seat, while he fondled a fluffy dinosaur. This is often the way it is with Louis. He starts echoing the appropriate phrases and imitating questions, well before he actually understands the concepts, feeling and intentions behind them. But, it is a damn good start.

Another car drive moment occurred last weekend. The three of us were heading up the coast to visit my mother-in-law. It had been raining a lot that previous week and Louis was anxious as a result. It is weird. It is not as if he doesn't like rain, he just doesn't like the anticipation of rain. Anyway, hubs and I were fielding multiple, repetitive questions regarding the odds of future precipitation and throwing desperate looks at each other as we mentally calculated the length of the journey and how excruciating it will be if the same questions were asked for its entirety. I know, I know, that we should shut him down by finishing the subject and ignoring- and we often do - when he is in a repetitive question mode but it gets a bit hairy to do that in the car sometime. Anyway, all of a sudden Louis falls into a silent contemplation. His little face gazed out of the window for a good 20 minutes. Then he said "Mummy, does one raindrop make a storm?" What a great fucking question! So deep! So intriguing! So thoughtful! I told him it was a great question and said no it didn't.

Of course at this point Louis said "Mummy, does two raindrops make a storm?, Mummy does three raindrops make a storm? Mummy does four raindrops make a storm?" Oi vey.

Anyway, it was deep and philosophical and I think it should be embroidered on a pillow. ONE RAINDROP DOES NOT MAKE A STORM. Words to live by my friends.

Okay I will leave you with a funny one that occured between my husband and Louis. It was a couple of weekends ago and I was painting (remember? Keep up people! It looks fab by the way). Hubs was trying to rev Louis up to get him to leave the house with him and go to the park, so I could paint. Louis was, as usual, reticent to leave the house. Hubs excitedly said "Louis, we are going to have HEAPS of fun". Louis looked up with concerned eyes and replied "Only a little bit for me, please".

My kid rocks. No two ways about it.