Murals and Manly Mayhem

When we were waiting for Jr. to come, I told Jeff that he could pick the room color since I wasn't a boy, and maybe wouldn't know what a boy would like to have in his room.  Jeff picked out a bright green color, crayola green, actually.  It was almost unbearable in the sunlight and cast an eerie green glow out into the hallway.  But, once the room was filled, it became comfortable and oddly soothing.  It started off as a kind of a "Go, Dog Go!" theme, with dogs and race cars.  I was even able to find dog and race car fabric for his bedding and curtains.

He was quite happy with all of this until his sister was born and he started ripping off the race car wall decals.  I tried to move them around, put them up higher, but it was no use.  He wanted them down.

"Why did you rip your cars down?" I asked thinking it just had to do with feeling grumpy over having a new sister.

"I can't like it anymore," Jr replied as if it was totally no big deal.

All those hours of thought and planning, and in two short years, he didn't like it.  We worked so hard to find items that would last into little boyhood and not just be for babies.  But my son had other ideas.  He liked trains and animals.  So, up went a beautiful Noah's Ark poster given to us by Em's friend Jerry.  Apparently, it was in his room as a baby.  And in came a train table, and a Thomas Tank Engine pillowcase.  So, now his room is like every other kids room.  A conglomeration of favorites, a chaos of toys, a bed that rarely stays made.  When the girls were little this drove me crazy, but now, being older and hopefully a little bit wiser, I know that this too shall pass.  In the blink of an eye, I will wonder where the time went.

When he started reading "Goodnight Moon", he loved that he had a great green room.  We would read it and he would laugh that he was going to sleep in his great green room.  Score one for dad and the room color.  He also loves to point out that he doesn't have a telephone, nor a red balloon. But on a good note, he does have a comb and a brush, and knows that a bowl full of mush should really stay in the kitchen.

The other day, the great green room took on another transformation.  Em came in yelling that he was drawing on the wall.  This was a surprise to me because he only made a few marks on the wall as a toddler, and then understood that  crayons and paper were the best match.  I went in prepared to be angry when I saw a big, 4ft tall, 3 ft wide rendering of myself.  The step stool was next to the wall, and a crayon was still in his hand.

"What did you do that for?" I asked.

"It's you mama," he said.

"Why did you draw me on the wall?"  I asked, still eyeing myself in mural form.

"Because now I don't have to miss you at night,  I can see you on the wall if I feel scared."

Ok, now tell me how a mom is supposed to be mad at that?  Jr had been having some nightmares and was coming in for a hug every couple of nights for the last few weeks.  I dropped the scrubby sponge in my hand and told him he could keep his art there for a few days.  It's been a week.  No nightmares.  No getting up.  I think cartoon mom might have to stay on the wall a little longer.

I have some really big eyes in this photo.  Better to see you with my dear....... And the big ring around me is either a halo, because I'm such a saintly mom, or it's a jump rope.  Somehow, I'm thinking the odds are leaning towards jump rope.  Or maybe it's my aura.  Who knows?  

Anyhow, I had to tinker with this photo so that you could see the red crayon on the bright green walls.  It was worth the effort.  Now, at least, when I scrub this off the wall I will still have a reminder of when my boy was little and just a drawing of me made things better.  It's a blessing to be loved so much by someone so special.  

Last night, was a hotter night than it had been in a while.  After his bath he got into his undies, and I told him to find some pajamas.  And this is what he said to me:

"No, I'm just gonna wear my tummy, and my legs."

He went to bed in his undies.  He said goodnight to me and glanced over to the cartoon on the wall.  All was right in the great green room.  

Blessings and sweet dreams to each and everyone of you reading this.