a little bit big

My child is seven years old. I've been a mom for seven years. Unbelievable to me. He's so wise and so amazing. He had a couple boys over to spend the night to celebrate his birthday. I enjoyed listening to them as they talked baseball, Star Wars, and the Revolutionary War (a current interest around here.) They watched The Sandlot, ate pizza and pineapple upside down cake, opened gifts, had a pillow fight, and had Matchbox car races. He was given a chemistry kit and the board game Risk. Sometime after we'd hoped they'd be ready to sleep, CD went in the room and was asked the very important question... "What is 18x4?"

Pook had a pretty short list of ideas for birthday gifts, but I spread them around. My parents got him walkie talkies, we got him a watch, and I figured I'd share the name of the Lego kit he wanted with my sister and her very-Legoy brood. His other grandparents give a magazine subscription and his very-organized-aunt brought his birthday present to Thanksgiving and so didn't need help with ideas. (Yes, you read that correctly. She had his May birthday gift wrapped and ready at Thanksgiving in November. We are not related except by marriage.) My sister, the not-at-all-organized-aunt called me, two days before the event and in the car on the way to Toys R Us, and wanted to know what he'd like. Lego. A Milenium Falcoln kit. Laughter ensued. All she had to do was mention the name of the kit to her very-Legoy children and they knew it. The kit is not available in stores and sells used for $500. Not the kit he'll be getting. But, she and Priority mail (for which she must have some large quantity purchasing deal) did send a Lego gift which arrived the day of the birthday.

He shook it. "Lego! I bet it's the Milenium Falcoln kit!" I decided to try to avoid disappointment. Your aunt says the kit isn't available, I explain. The boys have solutions at hand, quickly. "My cousin could get it." "Maybe you can get it from the computer." I tried to explain again. It really isn't available any more. The stores aren't selling it. You have to get it from someone who wants to sell it and they usually ask for a lot of money. "How much?" "I have $16." "I have $25." "My cousin probably has it." For about $500, I tell them. (silence for a moment) "Well, you could ask Santa for it." "Yeah, Santa could get it. He can do anything."

consensus

Sometimes so grown up. Sometimes still my baby.