Get Yo'self Free.

Isaiah and I were running late getting out to the bus this morning. I hate it that I'm constantly rushing. . .rushing me. . . rushing him. . .uggh. . . rushing to the hospital. . .rushing to pick up the kids. . . and starting it all over by rushing to the bus. . . yeah.

I keep saying I'm going to do better, but unfortunately, this was yet another day of just that: The rush-rush.

I'd say that at least 50% of the time, I'm rushing. And during that 50% of the time when I'm rushing, depending upon how late I am, I'm all business. Time to hustle. No time for "hee hee ha ha," I tell the kids. But especially Isaiah when we need to get out to that bus. There will be consequences and repercussions if we miss that bus, I say. Like me wanting to punch myself in the head in the carpool line. This morning was a rush-rush morning. Lost track of time and realized I was behind the 8-ball. Let's go, bud. No time for "hee hee ha ha."

7 minutes to get to the stop. Time is ticking. Let's move and groove, I tell Isaiah. Out the door, hustling. Isaiah unfazed by the rush-rush (as always) and equally unfazed by the request for "no hee hee ha ha."  He, in fact, 100% refuses to participate in my 50%-of-the-time rush-rush and is almost always down for some "hee hee ha ha." This was one of those mornings.

We were clearly on different pages.

"Bud, let's hustle."

"Hee hee ha ha."

Awesome.

But fortunately, without fail, Isaiah has a way of breaking me out of my "all business rush-rush" mode, even when I don't think it's possible. Usually, he achieves this by saying something unexpectedly hilarious. Even early in the morning, he can come up with a winner. Even when I'm ultra-harried and feeling like "no hee hee ha ha" he manages to flip the script. Completely. Today was no different.

It started when we ran out the front door, making every effort to do the rush-rush, yet at the same time trying to do so very quietly  (so as not to wake up the Great Poodowski.)  As I closed the door, and said "Sssshhhhh!! Inside voices since people are still sleeping!" -- here is the first thing Mr. Hee Hee Ha Ha/I have no "inside voice" said:

Tip-toe-ing exaggeratedly down the front steps in the silliest way ever. . . .

"You know, Mom, we could . . . .  Just slip out the back, Jack!"

::hee hee::

I looked at him, smiled and shook my head. The next part, in concert with the beat of our feet heading toward the bus stop (kind of like those little-drummer-boy-sounding drums at the beginning of that song) went something like this:

"Just slip out the back, Jack! Make a new plan, Stan! No need to be coy, Roy! Just listen to me. . . "

::giggle, giggle, snort, snort, hee hee, ha ha::

"Or Mommy, I can . . . .just hop on the bus, Gus!"

::snort, giggle::

Throws head back for this part and really rocks out: "No need to discuss MUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHH! Just drop of the key, Lee."

Then, in a super-quiet voice, and with a super silly pseudo-serious face, he looks at me and says,

"And get yo'seeeelf free."

Wow.

Now you tell me: How can you not hee hee ha ha to something like that coming from a five-year old? Answer: You can't.

***

Okay, so while I must admit that I'm not looking for fifty ways  (or even one way) to leave Harry (aka "my lover"), this did remind me to slow down. . . .to ease up on the "all business" and to allow a little more "hee hee ha ha."

And get myself free. :)



 FAQ: Why on earth was your five-year-old child singing a Simon and Garfunkel tune on the way to the bus stop? 

Answer: Okay, okay .  . . me and the boys sing a silly version of this called, "50 ways to Leave Your Brother." (Wait, is that bad?) Anyways. . . . it started when Zachary didn't want to leave the park one day, and it worked like the Pied Piper to get him to the car. (It also works wonders to end a temper tantrum. . .) 

Paul Simon would be proud. 

(Hee hee ha ha.)