So during the day, on Tuesday and Thursday, I am at home, alone, with Eilis and Grace. Most of the time, I think I do okay dividing my time and attention between the two of them – especially as Grace gets older and can sit and play with a toy for a few minutes by herself. But there are still times, like when Grace wants a bottle and is falling asleep, that I HAVE to give all of my attention to her, leaving Eilis to find something to entertain herself.
Eilis has hated having to entertain herself, even when she was little. Where Brighid could sit and play Barbies by herself for hours on end, or make up games and play them at length, Eilis always wants someone to play with her. Even if she is on the computer, she still feels a need to call someone over to help her play, help her surf, or just look at what she is doing.
So yesterday, being Thursday, I was home with the two littles, when naptime came upon us. Grace was rubbing her eyes, cozying up to me, and indicating she needed to go to sleep. I fixed a bottle, and curled up in the armchair, and started to give Grace her bottle. A few minutes and half a bottle in, the phone rings. It’s Jim. What am I doing? I tell him. How am I IMing him if I am in the living room? I am not IMing him. Well, he just got several messages from me, inviting him to play Jeopardy and some other on-line game, and the messages are littered with non-sensical letters and numbers, and OH, what’s this? The end of a lenghty strand of letters that spell nothing are the letters eilis. Hmmmm. I call into the next room, where Eilis is supposed to be playing one of her computer games. Eilis, are you on my computer? No. Eilis, are you doing something you shouldn’t be doing? No. Well how come Daddy is getting messages from you? Okay, I’m lonely, alright?
Sometimes, kids will say stuff that makes you laugh until your belly hurts. Sometimes, kids will say stuff that makes you feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach.