The Phone is Ringing

Alex has started getting phone calls. It’s always interesting to hear Alex on the phone because he’d rather get a flu shot than have a phone conversation. He has never like to talk on the phone, and I usually have to bribe him. When he does finally get on the horn, it’s a lot of one word answers; which he gets honestly. A phone conversation with Brandon goes like this: Me: “How was your day?” Brandon: “Busy.” Me: “Tell me about what you did.” Brandon: “Meetings.” A phone conversation with Alex is very similar.

So, when his friends call it’s much of the same, but it usually involves the two of them making arrangements for a playdate. Alex’s little friend Brenton called Monday to remind me he would really like to come over. The poor kid asks me every week at school and I always give some vague answer because I’m busy with the other 20 kids. Naturally, I couldn’t turn him down, so we decided Wednesday would be the day.

Meredith and I picked up Alex and our bonus boy for the day. I told them I thought it would be fun to pick up McDonald’s and have a picnic at the park. Oh no. They were “way too hot for that!” We compromised. We ate inside McDonald’s and went to the park afterwards. We lasted 20 minutes because of an early litter of wasps and the heat. It’s only April.

I took all three kids into Best Buy in search of a Wii for the Alexanders. No such luck, but Brenton said, “Wow! You’re buying a Wii for your friend?! I don’t have a Wii.” Nice try. I explained I was only the mule, they would pay me back, and his hopes were dashed. We also went to PetsMart to look at fish. Alex is desperate for a fish tank, and I’m desperate to avoid cleaning one, so I try to ignore the subject all together.

When we got home, I showed the boys how to make green slime. (Recipe courtesy of my friend JoEllen; the world’s most patient mother!) Alex and I make it occasionally, but Brenton was shocked, horrified, and then thrilled with his creation. He took a huge chunk home along with a note explaining what on earth it was.

We had soccer practice and then a scrimmage and didn’t get home until almost 7:30 p.m. It would have been earlier, but Alex was rewarded for his best game ever—even if it was a scrimmage—with a milk shake. For the first time ever, Alex looked like he was in the game for more than the jersey, the snack, and the trophy! We have pictures and two games this weekend, so we’ll see how long our enthusiasm lasts.