Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Circus Circus part 6: TELL TELL TALE

If you're just tuning in here, I encourage you to start at the beginning.

So, the kids are good for a while. We four are sitting at the table and decide it would be fun to play FARKEL. If you've not played this, then I encourage you to get six dice and learn. It's one of the most fun games there is. Anyway, we're playing and my cell phone rings. I already know who it is without looking and I feel my face flush and my heart rate speed up as I gather courage to tattle on myself.

Remember JD is at an Elders' Retreat. He's been hanging out with a group of wise, God-fearing, gentlemen who help run the church. He's been praying and worshiping and strategizing what to do to make the church better. He's been loved on and prayed over and cared for by the Elders who really are great men. He's in a good place mentally, spiritually and probably even physically. I anticipate this when I answer the phone.

We chit-chat for a few minutes and then I hint that I may have done something that he will consider "mean." He immediately wants to know what went down. Without hardly ANY of the details you've just read, I let him know that after the worst melt-down in Colin history, I've thrown his pi in the trash. As I expected JD is NOT happy with me. He's not happy about the situation and he's very concerned for Colin. He asks if I have another pi. I tell him, "Of course. But since he thinks that was the only one, why don't we see how long we can go without it." I relay the conversation about the trash-man and the possible letter to the trash-man. He's chewing on that idea I can tell. We talk about it a little more but I know that he's just mad and talking about it more will just make him madder. He tells me that he doesn't think what I did was mean. He thinks that what I did was cruel. Great. I feel so much better now. He then asks to talk to Colin. Okee Dokee.

I take the phone to Colin who's watching TV with Katreena. I say, "Daddy's on the phone. You wanna talk to him?" Colin jumps at the chance. I have Daddy on speaker phone cuz I want to make sure I can hear Daddy and I also usually have to interpret for JD as Colin jumps from topic to topic without much detail. They talk about the trip there. They talk about swimming. They talk about Katreena and Neenie (my Mom). Then Colin pulls the phone away from his mouth and he says to me, "Mom, I'm gonna tell him about my pi, okay?" I love that he asks permission to tattle on his mom to his dad. That's great. I say, "Go ahead." To be honest, I'm quite curious about how my son is about to depict the last few hours.

Here's the conversation word for word to the best of my memory. JD might come in later and give me a corrected version but this is what I remember.

C: "Daddy, Mommy threw my pi in the trash."
J: "What?" (Not what as in WHAT! but what as in, can you repeat that please.)
C: "Mommy threw my pi in the trash."
J: "Mommy threw your pi in the trash?"
C: "Yeah."
J: "Why did Mommy throw your pi in the trash?"
C: "Because I was acting ugly."
J: "You were acting ugly?"
C: "Yeah."
J: "Oh. I see."
C: "The trash-man took it away."
J: "The trash-man took it?"
C: "Yeah."
pause pause
J: "Well, buddy when you act ugly then things like that are going to happen."
C: "Yeah."
J; "I'm sorry the trash-man took your pi. Are you okay?"
C: "Yeah. I miss my pi"
J: "I understand. I'm really sorry buddy. I love you."
C: "Yeah. Here's Mommy."

At this point, my husband should get the standing ovation from the MOPS convention. I was so relieved he supported me. Angry or not, he united with me. I knew this was not the end of it but I at least was not dismissed to my room forever. And he was wise enough to know that he didn't have the complete story and that I am not usually a mean mother and that whatever the circumstances were that had brought us to this point, deserved a fair shake before he undid the decision or altered the course. I've married a wise, thoughtful, wonderful man.

....to be continued

10 comments:

Steve Cuss said...

Celeste,

this is great writing! I've thoroughly enjoyed the saga - thanks for putting all the time into a well crafted narrative. Something all parents can relate to. hope you are well!

steve

Kim and JD said...

So proud of you for fessing up to JD over the phone.If you hadnt Colin would have then JD really would have been upset. I am so proud of JD for being a wonderful and supportive husband even though he didnt agree with what you did. He was so sweet and supportive to Colin, I had tears in my eyes because I could just hear Colin's little voice and JD's "daddy" voice.

Diane Davis said...

I love your writing so I was just reading your blog. Kristi probably thinks I have nothing else to do in life, but hey, it's my day off and you have a great blog. ;)

Not sure where the story goes from here, but i thought I'd remind you of your request. This is YOUR WRITING from last June:

"Colin still has a pacifier. He refers to it as his "pi" (said like pie). The truth is, I'm more addicted to the thing than he is. I know that weaning him off is in my future. I've heard many creative ideas of how to break him of it. I know it's coming. Request: that I will have the wisdom, patience, and fortitude to let go of the pi when it's time."

Patty Smith, Graphic Designer said...

Celeste, you crack me up! I love your story. I am literally on the edge of my seat most of the time. We miss you guys and good luck with the Pi.

Kristi said...

oh celeste...i finally caught up. i'm hoping the pi stayed in the purse...please tell me it stayed in the purse....

i'm also glad that haley ate her pacifier when she was 1. so that promptly ended that sage.

but now, i am DREADING when we make lexi give up the "night - night". Lord help us.

Sarah B. said...

Ok, I work full time, taking classes right now and have 2 busy kids. You would think I would be super busy, yeah? No, I addictingly (not really a word) but I addictingly had to go back and read like all of your blogs and I am just love your writing. And I did go back like Diane D and see that almost a yr ago you were already getting yourself prepared for this. And after reading your short stories I think you are a GREAT Mommy. Most Mommy's (me included) give up too easily. I have 2 confessions. I have a 7 yr old who had a "little blanky". He moved around the first 2 yrs of his life (5 houses in 2 yrs) and so the two constants were Mommy and Little Blanky. I let him take it everywhere...when his little sister got old enough I said we could pass it down to her but it always ended up back in his hands. I believe when he was almost 4 I told him we could pass it down to the poor children who couldn't afford Little Blanky's...and he agreed. However Mommy couldn't give it up and within days he found it in the closet. I think when he was almost 5 we finally said "No More Blanky" but he still didn't want to give it up. I hid it where he would never find it and Mean Mom that I am blamed him. He said he couldn't find it and I told him that he probably lost it...that if he kept everything where it was supposed to go he wouldn't have lost it. He was upset for about a week and that was it. From than on all comments relating to "Little Blanky" were "Do you remember my Little Blanky, that was a great blanky.".."Wonder where that Little Blanky went...it was a good blanky". He is now 7 and fully recovered so point 1. He will get over it and hopefully have fond memories of the Pi. Second story, I have a daughter who just this past year (she is 5) let me have it. She and her brother were in the car fighting and I kept telling them in my nice mommy voice to "please stop harrassing each other"....after I repeated that several times I turned around and said "That is it, no TV or Webkinz tonight..I should only have to tell you once." My son started to quiver and my daughter just stared. I told her that this is the point where she needed to get upset because I am serious and this is what she said "It's ok because you will forget about it by the time we get home." Ouch...so point number 2 which was taught to be by my 5 yr old....Follow Through!!!

hbmom5 said...

OK, how cute was Colin when he asked "Mom, I'm gonna tell him about my pi, okay?"
That is awesome!!

Jennifer and Michael said...

I love this story. I have gone from laughing so hard I have tears in my eyes to literally tearing up because my heart aches for Colin as he grieves for his pi. I can hear his little voice and see the fire coming out of your ears, the only way this story would be better would be if you were sitting in front of me telling it. I have been to this point with my children so I know the frustration and desperation you have/are feeling. But I do hope you haven't pulled the pi from your purse. If you have though I would understand, there is no pain like the pain we feel when our child's heart is broken. I am not looking forward to the day when Aria has to give hers up (she calls hers her mommy-i guess it's synonymous with comfort).

Jenn B said...

It can be SO hard to be a spouse first and a parent second, but you're right JD totally deserves the applause here!

The McKays said...

love the phone conversation between the boys. and i love that JD supported you, even though he was clearly unprepared for this. you are a great mother!