Conversation with my son

Had a fun conversation with my son this morning. He called to tell me that he had dropped off his almost one-year old son at the day care earlier today. As he was getting back in his car, he could see Tyson through the window and saw him go over to another little boy and smile. Then Tyson looked out the window, saw Joe in the car, smiled and did his bye-bye wave (it's his newest trick). Joe said, "It made me kinda tear up!" Which, of course, made ME tear up! Now that the first year of mostly crying, pooping, eating, and sometimes sleeping is almost over, Tyson is becoming a kid. Learning new things every day, realizing and understanding who the most important people in his life are, and being more and more interactive. Joe is soaking it all up. It's such fun to watch your children be parents. I love it!

Joe also told me about an 11-year old friend of his stepson. Apparently the boy still believes in Santa Claus. Joe was driving the two boys somewhere in December and his stepson was kidding the other boy about the whole Santa Claus thing, but the friend wasn't buying any of it. He's thoroughly convinced that "Santa Claus" exists. But he went on to explain that it isn't just one man - that would be logistically impossible. He informed Joe that it's a "network" (his word) of Santa Clauses who have different regions world wide. For instance, his home is serviced by the West Coast rep.

So I asked Joe when he stopped believing. He said he doesn't remember the exact age (9 or 10), but that year he did start having some suspicions. When I took the kids to visit Santa at the mall, I asked the usual post-lap question, "Well, what did you ask him for?" Joe decided this was a good time to put his theories to the test. He also was kept awake at night wondering about the logistics of one man hauling gifts for every kid worldwide. He figured the fat man would have to return to the North Pole several times to keep re-stocking and there wasn't enough time even with the whole time change thing. Based on his calculations, and hoping to prove himself wrong, he choose not to tell me what he asked Santa for on what turned out to be his last Santa lap visit. And, surprise!!, he didn't get the things he had asked for! Foiled again! He woke up Christmas morning a little wiser, but not a whole lot happier.

Even though my Cherrios were soggy by the time I got off the phone, it was a great way to start the day!