Conversations and Flashy Wand Thingies

A few weeks ago I asked Jeremy, “Is it weird that I would rather hang out with Logan than most adults I know?”

Jeremy’s answer?

“No. You guys get each other. Makes sense to me.”

Logan and I have this bit where I say, “I’m so glad you’re my kid.” And he says, “I’m so glad you’re my mom.”

Sometimes at bedtime, sometimes at breakfast time, sometimes on random Tuesday mornings on the way to school. We’ve been doing it for a little while now, and it makes my heart happy. I’m pretty sure it makes his heart happy, too.

I love that he and I can have actual conversations now. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like we’re sitting around trying to solve the country’s financial problems or anything, but we’ve come a long way from the types of conversations I have with Brodie. Those two or three word sentences where Brodie is demanding something from me… juice, milk, attention…and I’m trying desperately to figure out what he wants so he’ll stop being so frustrated. I hate that he’s frustrated. The conversations with Logan are a little more entertaining.

The other day, Logan and I were watching Megamind and he asked, “Mom, who plays the voice of Megamind?”

“Will Ferrell”

“Who’s that?”

“You know who Buddy the Elf is?”

“Yeah, the tall guy with curly hair?”

“That’s Will Ferrell. That’s Megamind.”

“Oh, okay. Got it. And who’s the voice of Minion?”

“You know the record company guy in Alvin and the Chipmunks?”

“Yeah, the mean guy with glasses?”

“That’s the guy who’s the voice of Minion.”

“Oh, okay. He’s also in another movie, but I can’t think of it right now.”

“I know, Son, me neither.”

“Can you google it?”

“Yes, I can google it. Let me find my phone.”

“I think you left it in the kitchen. Lemme get it.”

“Thanks, Son.”

“You’re welcome. Oh and Mom?”

“Yeah?”

“After we google it, can we watch whatever movie it is?”

“Sure, Son”

Yep, like that. Conversations like that. I know he’s five and holding a conversation is totally on point. I’m not contacting Mensa or anything but he’s My five year old and these are Our conversations and I love talking to him about just about anything. He makes me happy.  

The kid’s like me, though, and he LOVES to talk. He LOVES the sound of his own voice. He does need someone to listen, though. His vocabulary is beyond huge, but he’s still working on the spelling and writing thing. Once he gets it, though, I have a feeling he’ll need his own collection of composition books. He’ll get there.

Sometimes, it’s hard to listen to him. I mean, you know, really listen, because I’m busy. With his brother, with the broom, with a book, whatever. Yesterday, on the drive home from school, I realized 2 minutes into a story that I had no idea what he was talking about. I had started trying to bribe Brodie with anything and everything I could think of to get him to stop saying, “Dammit.” (There was no soap in the car and empty threats are completely useless with my youngest child)  When I realized I didn’t know what the story was about, I said, “Hey, Son. Tell me that last part again.” He stopped, sighed a legitimate, disappointed sigh and said, “Never mind.”

Wow.

Ever been heartbroken? Yeah, this one felt like that. Kind of a knock to your gut, your heart, your brain and your soul all at the same time. I could have cried. Seriously. I felt horrible. But, as with everything else in this business, you have to roll with the punches. Take a knock on your chin like a Mom and move on.

“Logan, I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening. I want to hear that story. Can you tell me again when we get home? When your brother is quieter?”

He waited a couple of beats and told me, “Yeah. Sure.” Not in a bratty way but in a kind and forgiving Logan way. I knew I had to stick to it, though. Another thing about that kid is that he doesn’t forget anything.

E ver.

Last night Logan, Brodie, Roxy and I went to Toy Story 3 on Ice. We were all really excited about it. Roxy was excited about all of it. Brodie was mostly excited to be going anywhere (although he kept yelling for “Woody!”) and Logan and I were most excited about Flashy Wand Thingies!

You know what I’m talking about! Those totally awesome, way too expensive, light up toys that spin and have a character on them with fiber optic lights! The ones that the “Stadium Carnies” run up and down the aisles pushing to little kids, getting them so excited that their parent’s almost have to buy one to keep said kids from losing it all together, thereby ruining the show for everyone around them. You know.

Flashy Wand Thingies!

Anyway, we were excited. Both of us. We knew they would have them and we knew we would buy them and we were still SO EXCITED! The coolest part of the Flashy Wand Thingy was that I didn’t have to fake my excitement. I mean, let’s be honest, sometimes I have to fake excited about stuff for my kids. I’m their mom. It’s my job. I’m excited that they’re excited, but at the end of the day, I could live without most things that excite them. NOT SO with the Flashy Wand Thingies. I totally got it. And it was so cool to get to share that excitement with them. To understand. To be the kind of mom, if only for a moment, who still gets excited about toys.

The three of us lay in Logan’s bed for a minute and played with our Flashy Wand Thingies in the dark. Brodie went to his own bed, taking his Buzz Lightyear with him and Logan and I lay in his bed with Woody for a minute longer.

“Mom, I love this thing. Thank you.”

“I love this thing, too. And you’re welcome…Hey Logan?”

“Yeah”

“I’m so glad you’re my kid.”

“I’m so glad you’re my mom. Can I finish my story about Caiden’s Power Ranger now?”

“Of course you can.”

The story was about Power Rangers so…I had to fake it a little. It was no big deal, though, because while he told me the story I got to lay in the dark and watch the Flashy Wand Thingy just a little while longer while I listened, intently this time.

When Jeremy got home I told him I wanted to write an entire post about Flashy Wand Thingies. He laughed, “Did you and Logan finally get your Flashy Wand Thingies? Those are good for your guys' souls.”

He gets us better than he thinks he does.