Torn in two

It all started with a couple of late nights, just to really get the Grumpy going. The tired parent syndrome, naturally, rubbed off on the children. 

The kids started acting up, of course, looking for attention. At first I thought that perhaps it was all in lieu of me going away that they were vying for my affections, feeling nervous and insecure of my near departure.

I asked T-bird if she was worried about me leaving.

"No Mom," she picked her nose.

Was she angry with me for leaving her for 2 weeks?

"No, Mom," finger well wedged in her left nostril.

Was there anything about me going away that was bothering her?

"Are you going to bring us presents?" eyes wide and expressive (could have been because of the finger).

"Yes, of course, my sweetie-pie!"

"Oh," she looked out the window, carefully wiping her finger on the car seat. "No. Then everything is fine."

"Here's a tissue."

*Note to self: My children's affection for me has been brought down to the delivery of a gift. It feels so Santa Clausey. You love him for bringing the prezzies, then forget about him for the rest of the year. Hmmm.

I tried to figure out if the cloud I felt was hanging over my family was indeed there, or if it was just me getting nervous about leaving them. I pondered the matter over a mug of coffee. AirBear was sitting next to me sticking her tongue out at me.

"And now?" I tried to put my most disapproving face on.

She looked a little guilty and wiggled her tongue thoughtfully from side to side. "Ah eyusth tham a thooting sthum  eron my thonrg."

I tried the I-am-not-amused-face. "Talk to me properly, please," I commanded.

She swallowed the excess saliva that had started leaking out of the corner of her mouth and said, emphatically, " I was just putting some air on my tongue."

Yeah, right. And I'm the Easter Bunny. Er. Well I guess I am the Easter Bunny. Ok. Bad analogy.

My darling husband flicked my arm and said, "You will come back, right? I mean, you signed the ante-nuptial contract and all, remember. If you leave, you don't get to take much with you - just so you know."

"What you talking about? I own everything."

He sighed. "I know, but I had to give it a try." 

So, I am still torn in two over the situation I find myself to be in at the moment. On the one hand I can't bear to be away from my perfect  little family (see, the nose-picking, tongue-sticking, arm-flicking thing is already forgotten), but on the other hand I am super excited about the trip that lies before me.