Yesterday as I was laying beside Cody in his bed before bedtime, he asked me what the Tooth Fairy looked like and insisted knowing if she was real. I've always allowed him to believe in those magical childhood figures if he wished, even though I couldn't lie about it. But to cough out the truth so soon?!? I wasn't ready!
My fav answer, "What do you think?"
" NO MOM, THAT'S NOT WHAT I ASKED!"
"Ok, well, I come if she doesn't show.."
"NO MOM!"
Can't do it can't do it can't do it! Why now? Ohhh, I get it. Cody just lost a tooth yet again and isn't trusting the Forgetful Yarrow Tooth Fairy to arrive because she is abit of a scatter brain. The jig is up.
So I cough out the truth, fearing what exactly I don't know, but just feeling sooo uneasy about letting the childlike images disappear in the wind. And how does Cody respond? He sits up and cheers! Huh?!? Isn't he crushed?!?!?
"Mom, I know what the Toothfairy looks like. She looks just like YOU!"
Today I get bombarded with more questions. "Where are ALL MY TEETH Mom?" Yes, I did save each and every one in baggies with post it notes inside displaying the date and Cody's age and placed them in school scrapbooks. But I told him that under my breath hoping he wouldn't hear. I'm rattled that he knows! He knows!!
So here I am in a tither about my baby not so much a baby any longer and we get into a tiff about something totally unrelated. Still reeling from my tooth confession, I now quickly switch gears and attempt to drive this ship to port. But her anchor is mighty heavy and things aren't looking good on that horizon. Nope. Big BIG storm brews ahead and then hits with full force, sending us both over the brink head first.
Then the words I've been long wondering about finally arrive... "I'm running away from home!" (I don't think I've done too bad if he waited to tell me this at the ripe old age of 9)
So he's going. I'm in the kitchen smirking and I hear the loading of a totebag in motion. Dumping and grunting and shuffling. The runaway finally emerges out of the room with a VERY stuffed tote and Winnie the Pooh blanket under the other arm. (awww...) Cody makes some good eye contact with me on his way out as if to say, "See? I mean business! I'm outa here for good!" Yep, him and Winnie are a team!
I say nothing although I'm dieing to. He makes it downstairs and then states, "Mom, I not REALLY going to run away." But not really understanding what that meant, after the front door closes, I run downstairs grabbing my shoes so I can spy on him from a distance for safety's sake.
First I look out the front door window. I see his stuff on the sidewalk but not him. I open the door and he's scrunched against the house with his blanket. It's raining out and he wanted to stay dry. LOL I said nothing and left the door open and went to vaccum the house. Downstairs. By him.
I check on him every so often but pretend I'm cleaning. I was ready to run from tree to tree barefoot in the rain if I had to, but alas, things never quite got that far. The last time I peeked around the corner, he was cuddled in his Winnie blanket and had ripped open that long noodle soup stuff and was eating it crunchy and dry right outa the bag while reading a book. Here's how I found him...
Cody spots me watching him. I can barely contain myself as I'm busting up laughing inside but instead, throw him a smile full of love and he returns it. "Mom, can you sit with me and read me a book?"
LOL
I can't stand it a minute longer and glance into his tote. A tupperware tub of change, (mostly pennies) Ipod Dog thing, Nintendo DS, a TON of library books,(thatta boy!) underwear and socks, swim shorts (for those hot summer evenings while pounding pavement I'm sure) and a pen set that he knew was a keepsake from my Dad. (ok, that one touched me)
I'm amazed and had to say, "Why did you pack SO MANY books?"
"Because I wanted you to be happy."
Awww.... even when the boy runs away, he wishes his Mom good things!
And something tells me Cody will have full expectations that the Tooth Fairy continues to visit. After all, it's now easier to just yell from room to room,
"MOM, YOU FORGOT!"
