“But I told you to wake me up at 4” and other ways I dropped the ball

Yesterday, Nolan was treated to a trip to our very  exciting Lego Store (yes, we’re very blessed).  He earned a new (small) Lego set for overcoming his fears of swimming without a life- jacket while on our vacation (note:  he only overcame his fear temporarily just for the sake of earning Legos.  He still “needs” his life jacket to  swim).

He has not let me forget my promise and has been asking/begging/demanding me to take him to the Lego store since last Wednesday evening when he earned his prize.  Even while snowed-in at Lake Chelan, he was at it:  “Is the road to the Lego Store  closed too?  It’s OK if we don’t make it home, but we can still stop at the Lego Store- right?” He finally got his wish, and we made a day of it (all of us, minus Damon) after our short day at school yesterday.  The Lego part was fun, even the play time at the new Children’s Boat area was fun, the begging/being dragged into stores by Elli was not (but that’s another post). Nolan and Eli were like kids in a candy store (or two 6-year-old boys in a Lego store):  in heaven.

Anyway, Nolan finally made his choice:  a new Indiana Jones set that was within our price range.  Of course he wanted to put it together immediately, but I told him he had to wait until we got home.  He ended up going home with his friend, Eli, whose family had tagged along to the mall with us.  He went straight from Eli’s to basketball practice from 5-6 and then came home and started putting his beloved set together.  At 6:15, I told him he needed to get his homework done, get showered and get his jammies on and whatever time he had left until bedtime at 7, he could use building his new Legos.  He was disappointed, but quickly obeyed and ran upstairs to the shower. 

When I told him it was time to go to bed, he had only been back building for about 15 minutes and his set was nowhere near completion.  He was frantic.  I reminded him he really needed to get to bed on-time tonight because he had chess club early the next morning (7:25) and his body needed to get to sleep.  He LOVES chess club, and I knew this would help get him excited to go to bed without a fight.  He was still a little hesitant to leave his toys and so I stupidly suggested I could wake him up EVEN EARLIER to finish building.  He quickly jumped at that and said, “Can you wake me up at 4, mom?  Oh- and can you just make my breakfast right now so I don’t have to wait for you to do it tomorrow?” 

I laughed and told him maybe.  His last words before going to bed (other than “can you get me an ice cold water bottle” and “I need to go to the bathroom”, and “can you please read me the Boxcar children”, and “Ray’s bothering me”) were “Don’t forget to wake me up at 4 tomorrow- OK mom?”

Fast forward to today.  My door squeaks open and wakes me up.  I barely hear, “mom, is it time to wake up yet?”  It’s still dark outside, but that doesn’t mean much in January in Washington.  I  bounce up and look at the clock.  My heart sinks when I realize it’s  7:32 (I may have said something rude to Damon at this point, but I don’t [want to] remember).  I break the news to Nolan and, crushed, he replies, “But I told you to wake me up at 4.”

Not only did I fail my son at waking him up early to work on his Legos, but now he was late to Chess Club.  And he still had to wait for breakfast. Seriously feel like a loser.

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