Thursday 17 May 2007

Deflated

Bouncy Boy is flat. His elder brother has gone to activity camp, leaving younger boy bereft of someone to tease, annoy and generally pester. The boys have never been apart this long before. As a second child, Bouncy Boy has rarely experienced the singular pleasure of being alone with mum and he doesn't like the extra scrutiny one little bit!
And so Not-so Bouncy Son flops about, sighing deeply, mooching from room to room, looking for a partner in crime. Even playing football with the long-suffering Soppy Dog is losing its appeal. Though he's not without grave responsibilities in his brother's absence; he's assumed sole care of Hammond the hamster and it weighs heavily on him. But most poignantly of all, he's insisted on sleeping in his big brother's bed this week.
I'm missing my Thoughtful First Son too of course, his cheeriness, his constant chatter, his hugs but perhaps not the motoring pages of the Times spread all over the kitchen table. Surely though no news is good news and I hope he's been so busy having a good time that he's not even given his mum a second thought. That's what we want, right?
Can't wait to see him, even though he will come accompanied by a huge bag of mouldering, soggy dirty washing!

12 comments:

snailbeachshepherdess said...

strange isn't it - brotherly love?
My mum always called my two eldest Iraq and Iran because they were always fighting - no-one knew why-and woe betide anyone who tried to interfere because they would then present a united front!

@themill said...

Well, m'dear.I bet he's having a ball and not even giving you a second thought - which is what you want. And if he says he hasn't missed you, smile and say, 'I'm so glad you had such fun', even if it does break your heart!
The Fleurie's open btw. x

@themill said...

Forgot to say, I bet his toothbrush hasn't been out of the washbag all week!

Suffolkmum said...

I bet he's having the time of his life. Isn't it funny how eldest boys are usually the thoughtful ones? My youngest is a girl, but she's bouncy and ferocious.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

The fact that he hasn't missed you doesn't mean he won't be thrilled to be home. My thoughtful one got all noisy and bouncy when away from home but at about eight returned from cub camp and said seriously "Home is where the heart is", filling me up and creasing me up simultaneously.

Pondside said...

The letting go's don't get any easier - but the coming home's are always wonderful! Isn't it nice that your boys get on so well and that younger misses older? small blessings!

Blossomcottage said...

I hated the letting go bit, I am sure he has given you a second and third thought it is because they know you are there and will always be that they have the confidence to go on their merry ways without what it appears "A second thought"
Blossom

Exmoorjane said...

Oh heck, I have all this to come. the letting go (so necessary)....
I realise I misread your profile and focused on the Northumberland bit but managed to miss the ex bit....duh.
Excellent reply on the fox dumping post btw....good to hear it from a vet.

annakarenin said...

My two eldest sleep in the same single bed rather than their own but apart from bedtime the second one loves it when he can be the center of attention for a bit, unfortunately with four doesn't happen very often.

Faith said...

Presme he's back by now having had a wonderful time! I never had a son which i do regret slightly.

Grouse said...

Said it all in my 'ex-empty-nester' blog: you bring them up to be independant and resiliant but the more successfully you do that the more it hurts when they gleefully shoot off. Just got used to it when mine(just as gleefully) shot back.
That's the joy of it.
I suppose.

@themill said...

Patsy, you're tagged!