Two Gates.

Monkey’s new school has a very small playground/courtyard between it and the street. It has been fenced in for safety purposes since the kids stay outside until the first bell rings ((Weather permitting.))and has two gates. Here, let me illustrate:

On day one we walked through the main gate and you know what that means, right? It means, we shall never enter the side gate. Ever. In fact, we shall never look at it…not even when Umma walks through it. We shall continue down the sidewalk, watching her out of the corner of our eye, acting as if she has simply ceased to exist until she reaches the main gate. Then we shall grab her wrist and hold on so tightly that we will leave indents. Or something like that.

Since I can never just leave well enough alone, I have tried to convince Monkey to use that gate periodically since the start of school. Every time I do it I hear Amy Winehouse in my head….”I won’t go, go, go. ((Hey, it makes morning drop off more bearable, shut up.))” Monkey has even been grabbing my wrist before we got anywhere near the gate lately to keep me from even attempting to deviate from his routine.

Totally not a big deal, right? Right. Except…I can never leave well enough alone…I don’t know why I need to pick until it bleeds I JUST DO. So, this morning, I evaded Monkey’s desperate grab for my wrist and slipped through the side gate. Before I was able to even draw in a mental breath to start singing along with Amy, Monkey slipped through the gate and took my hand. I nearly froze but stopping would have been disastrous…he likely would have ripped off my arm and dragged it through the main gate and I’m sort of attached to both of my arms ((OMG, I crack me up.)). Then I heard Monkey say, under his breath, “Spwash.”

There were puddles on the playground. Monkey loves puddles but Monkey had been instructed to stay OUT of the puddles because he tends to end up soaked to his knees otherwise. I didn’t even think twice, I whispered, “OK, go splash.” And he did. And we were both thrilled.

He might not ever walk through that gate again but he and I now know that he can. And that’s enough for me.