Pete and Re-Pete

It’s after school, the weather is gorgeous and we are outside playing in the cul-de-sac. The new neighbor boy, who is seven, has anxiously waited for my boys to come home. He seems to enjoy having two, small pseudo-brothers to play with.

They all are on pedal-powered vehicles of all shapes and sizes. They are crashing into each other and having a blast. It’s fun to watch T.Puzzle try to keep up with the big boys. He imitates his brother to perfection. So much in fact that when Full Speed goes kersplat, T.Puzzle slows his trike, leans over and fully commits to falling, too. Pete and Re-Pete that’s what my Mom used to call them. As that thought automatically pops into my head, I pause and think of her. I’m really missing her lately.

I don’t have time to ponder my sadness for long. I am hopelessly attempting to teach T.Puzzle how to pedal, which for some odd reason angers him tremendously. While I am doing this, the aromatic air swishing back towards me indicates he needs a diaper change. We head inside and take care of business. No sooner than we return, Full Speed announces, “I need to poop!” The urgency with which he states this indicates he better move fast. He hesitates because he is scared to go in the house alone. I tell him to get over himself as I have to gather up T.Puzzle who is clear across the way before I can go in. He does, but it’s not without complications.

By the time I grab T.Puzzle and head inside, Full Speed is running frantically out of the house with his underwear around his ankles near hysterics. “Where were you, Mommy!?! I don’t want to be alone!” I’m feeling exasperated yet slightly amused at watching a half-naked Full Speed attempt to maneuver with the constraints of his underwear around his ankles. Eventually, things calm down and both boys have sparkly-clean tushies.

We go outside. The neighbor boy announces he is thirsty. Guess what? Pete and re-pete realize at that instant they are parched as well. We all head back inside again, drinks are distributed and I begin to contemplate putting them all in the garage in lockdown.

Once everyone’s thirst has been quenched, we return outdoors. Even though life in general can be cumbersome with small kids, I’m glad we stayed the course and remained outside. To watch them in their glory made my heart smile. I’d repeat that any day of the week.