Ben took a series of classes called "Raising Boys" a couple years ago to better his involvement & understanding of the teens he would be working with upon becoming the Director of Rocketown. He has always been amazing with kids, no matter what age. He's more comfortable being around children than he ever would be with "adults". But even still, he wanted to take the class to know the phases, stages, & transitions of the typical 'boyhood'. He came home & told me about the different phases of toddlerhood...this being when Lincoln was around 18 months to 2 years old. He told me there would come a time when a young boy would go through a big Mommy Phase, & want nothing to do with the dad. Only talking to mommy, only wanting to play with mommy, you get the point. I laughed it off, thinking it would never happen with our Lincoln. He's much too active, too energetic, just plain too busy to cuddle up to me & want time with just me & him.
Well, peeps, that train of thought of mine just came careening off the tracks at warp speed. We have hit the Mommy Phase for sure! The past 72 hours, I have had something right down at my leg, never leaving me alone, always clutching. That something is my Linc-Man. I can't leave the room to do a simple load of laundry because he will follow me wherever I go. I have to eat every single meal with him at the table, I have to cuddle with him on the couch during every TV show he watches, & far be it from me to even suggest that Daddy tuck him in at night. We attempted that this evening & it ended up with me sitting on the couch downstairs while Ben tried putting him in bed upstairs. I suddenly heard these words coming out of Lincoln's mouth: "Daddy! Just listen to me! You have to get out of my bed. Only Mommy can cuddle me. Not you, Daddy. Only Mommy." Sigh. Heart. Love. So up I went to tuck him in. He even went so far as to say to Ben, "Daddy, Mommy's my friend; you're not my friend." A little harsh, yes; but again, let me remind you that Lincoln thinks he can only have one friend at a time. Don't ask why, he just does. So poor Ben had to get out of Lincoln's bed & come downstairs while I laid in bed with Lincoln, singing & praying. I felt bad for Ben because obviously his feeling were a little hurt...wouldn't yours be? I know mine would be devastated. In fact, I seem to remember when Lincoln was around 2 1/2 years old, he wanted nothing to do with me. He wanted Ben in every activity. My world was shattered for a few days, thinking I had just royally screwed up any chance of having a relationship with my son. (What, me? Overreact much? Never.)
I came downstairs & immediately Ben said, "Mommy Phase, big time. He's in the thick of it." He sure is. Thank goodness Ben took that class & was expecting this. Otherwise, he would be wondering what the hay-hay is happening. But I gotta be honest here. I'm a big fan of this phase! Big, huge, ginormous fan. The talks, the questions, the cuddles, the kisses, the laughing, the list is a long one. I hope it lasts a long time & I pray that I remember how it feels 10 years from now. I know the day will come all too quickly when I'm the embarrassing & dorky mom, & Linc will have little time for me, much less for cuddling with me on the couch.
I hope those of you with boys cherish this particular Mommy Phase of boyhood. It's a dream.
And speaking of dreamy things, here's Levi chillin' in the car while Lincoln fixes it up:
Already loving the car:
And last, but certainly not least, is the monster pumpkin in our front yard! Lincoln picked this out while he was in St. Louis with Ben's parents & fell in love with it. When Ben put it up the day we got back, it drew neighbors from far & wide to view the always-moving-pumpkin-head, not to mention the black cat popping out of the baby pumpkin. Lincoln has so aptly named this cat "Max". Okay then.
We are so excited for Halloween to get here! We've got one Buzz Lightyear & one Black Spider who are so super excited to go Trick-or-Treating. Happy Halloween Everybody!
with love from a mommy-phase-lover,
