Chris' idiosyncrasies

I was out running a few errand yesterday and while driving my mind wandered toward Chris, of course, and some of the characteristics that made his personality so engaging and endearing to so many of us.

As a little guy Chris would never play with his toys or watch TV unless he was on the same floor as me.  Even though I had a full finished basement with a playroom and a big screen TV there was no way he would go down there alone.  He was not the bravest soul when he was young.  I don't know if he had a particular fear or if he was just so sociable that being alone was a turn off.  It used to drive me nuts because there were times when I wanted a break yet there he was every time I turned around.  I'd remind him of all the toys that were down in the playroom but he never took the bait to go hang out on his own down there.

He did the same thing about being upstairs in his room.  He had a huge window where the sun spilled in all day long.  It was comfortable and inviting.  Would he spend time there? No. He typically dragged his toys into the kitchen or living room where I was.  At the end of the day I swear I would open the basement door and throw the stuff down the stairs so I could get my house back in some sort of order.  All those kid toys are enough to drive a mom crazy.  There are so many!

I used to "rotate" the kids toys.  Because they were so fortunate and had so many things to play with we used to only keep a certain amount out in their toy box.  The rest we kept stored away in a plastic container.  A couple of months later we would swap out all the toys and they would be so excited!  It was like Christmas for them.  They'd be entertained with so many new (but not really) things it would occupy them.

But I went off the subject...

So back to not wanting to be on any floor of the house by himself, as Chris grew up, he never lost the "wanting to be with people" characteristic.  He did not like being home alone. He would call or send texts asking what time I'd be there and when I did get home I got the biggest kick out of what I'd find... every single light on in the house, both upstairs and down. Looked like an open house going in because there wasn't a lamp or overhead left off.  My electric bill was typically a good one.

I never said anything to Chris about his fear.  I secretly embraced it and never brought it to his attention.  I thought it was sweet.  My linebacker was afraid of the dark - well sort of. :-)

I could predict what the house would look like when I pulled up, I'd have bet money on it if anyone ever wanted to gamble on it.  My house was visible from down the road, it could probably have been seen from a low flying plane.  So cute Chris; 245 pounds and as tender as could be.

Chris was afraid of bees too.  Yep, he was the first one running.  It didn't matter if I tried to reason with him and tell him to just be still, he'd flip when he saw one and his commotion sometimes made things worse.  Yes, he'd been stung several times and luckily wasn't allergic but he was irrational in his gyrating and flailing of his arms when one came around. For the most part I cracked up at his antics but I was known to yell a bit on occasion and tell him to stop his nonsense, pretty funny to think about now.  

Sometimes if we were eating dinner on the deck and the bees came around he'd revert to his baby-like status and take his plate inside.  He'd tell us we were nuts and if we wanted to stay out and get stung don't come crying to him!  (ha hah!)

A couple of times I remember looking out the window as he was mowing the lawn only to see him running like a mad man.  Yep, I knew he either mowed over a ground nest or there was one in the air bugging him.  Actually, I do believe Chris sends little fruit flies and gnats to annoy me.  I've come to the conclusion that he's saying hello and so even though I'm guessing he's trying to get under my skin - it's not working.  I'm on to him!  I embrace the pesky little bugs with a smile... as well as a swat with my hand.

I really wish Chris would text me again and say, in his lazy English texting grammar "what time u b hm"?  Which, in mom terms means "I don't like being here by myself can you please leave work now and come home?"  I'd love nothing more than to do that Chris and I'd like nothing more than for every single light in the house to be turned on with the electric meter rolling in circles just like the Christmas Vacation movie.  It would be my pleasure and my joy.  I love you Squirt!!

Thank you for reading.