home

A late-night field trip

It was a dark and stormy night. Actually, it wasn’t that stormy. But it was dark.

I got behind the wheel of the minivan, which contained three children. We then drove to the hospital – actually, we drove the the wrong hospital, then got directions to the right one, but that’s another story.

We then got to meet a brand-new friend – and two of the kids I brought to the hospital got to meet their new baby brother.

Weighing in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces, 20 inches long and a large head, baby Rupert was born yesterday to Friend and Doc, and becomes the little brother to the Brain and Head.

Ane, who is a baby nut, was thrilled to be able to go to the hospital to meet him.

Ane even got to hold him, which just sent her over the moon.

A friend of Best Babysitter’s dropped off the Brain and Head at our house late in the afternoon, and I kept them all evening. The boys are extra-comfortable at our house, and the Brain contented himself with some old Calvin and Hobbes comic strip books, while Head played “Star Wars” with Ane and Tad (with musical accompaniment). After dinner, the Webmaster took the three older kids to the library for storytime (as we usually take Ane on Tuesday nights), while I kept Tad at home with me and cleaned up the carnage.

Right before they left for the library, I got word that Rupert had been born. So after storytime was done, the Webmaster and I switched spots in the car, and I took the boys – and Ane – to meet the new baby.

Rupert seemed to not mind Ane holding him much. He opened his eyes to look at her. After she had to give him up, I heard her say to the Brain (both he and Head had held their new baby brother and he had started crying on them), “I think the baby likes me best.”

Later, as I was getting her ready for bed, she was still thrilling over the new baby. “Mommy, I really love baby Rupert,” she told me. “I can feel him in my heart.”

“You mean the love you have for him?” I asked.

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I think I’ll marry him when he grows up.”

Oh, boy.

*****

Of course, having the boys over for an extended period of time always produces comic gems that have to be shared.

The boys treat our house like they treat theirs – so they kicked off their shoes and threw their coats on the floor once they walked in the door. As I tidied up, I saw Head standing next to a pair of shoes. Since the boys are essentially the same size, I assumed the shoes were Head’s. “Head, could you please put your shoes by the front door?” I asked, handing them to him.

He looked at me, crestfallen. “These aren’t mine, they’re the Brain’s.”

“Oh. Could you help me and put them by the door anyway?”

Head has very sensitive feelings, so he had a sad look on his face as he did what I requested, then sat back down on the couch.

The Brain looked up from the Calvin and Hobbes book and asked his brother, “What’s the matter with you?”

“He’s sad, you idiot,” Ane snapped at the Brain.

“Don’t call me an idiot, Ane, or…” the Brain paused, trying to think of a suitable retort. “Or I’ll tell your mom.”

Sadly, her mom was doubled over in the kitchen, trying not to guffaw out loud.

One Response to “A late-night field trip”

  1. Ressis
    January 14th, 2009 12:41
    1

    Congratulations Friend and Doc (and Brain and Head, too)!