This is what the younger boy pulled today

Today, I drove the kids to school.  Except, not the younger boy.  He, out of the blue, asked right away this morning, "Can I ride the bus today instead?"

I thought about it for a few moments,and  tried to figure out why he would want to ride the bus, since he is the child that, nearly every day, asks, "Mom, can you please drive me to school today?"  And when I say "no", the next question is always, an octave higher, "Can you please pick me up from school today?"

So, being that I was completely confused, shocked, and even a little hurt, I asked him, "Why on earth are you asking to ride the bus?"

He said, "Oooh I don't know.  I just feel like riding the bus today...."

So after thinking about it, I let him.

I felt a little sad, picturing little old him walking to the bus stop all alone, and then sitting all alone without his big brother, and wondering why he was choosing the big bad bus over me.

Was it something I said?

Was it something I did?

And after he was gone, I had a quick episode of worrying about him being kidnapped and had all of these awful scenarios going through my head.

As you can see, I went through a whole realm of emotions over this.

But then I decided it was just another step toward manhood.  A sign of his independence.  And I got over it.

Fast forward to this afternoon.

The kids got home from school and the youngest boy came in the door, glanced at me guiltily, then actually acted surprised to see me, and said, "Oh hi mom.  I'm just going to go right to my room for something and then I'll be right back out.... but first I have some leaves for you."

He walked over and handed me the handful of leaves.  Which was strange.  Even stranger was how he acted like they were the most beautiful leaves in the whole wide world - he really romanced them - and he had this look on his face that said I needed to treat these leaves like diamonds. 

As soon as he was done being a sales man who sells leaves, he turned and started to walk away, with his backpack still on his back.  I stopped him with a "nah nah nah... come back here."

He started to turn red, and said, "What?  What's the problem?  I just want to go to my room quick.  What do you think of the leaves?"

"They're beautiful.  What do you need to go to your room for?"

"....." (I could literally see his wheels turning trying to come up with an excuse, and then the lightbulb turning on above his head - it was fascinating to watch it all develop right in front of my eyes).  "I .... um .... I think I'm gonna go change my clothes!" And while he was telling me this, his head was nodding frantically , like he was trying to convince himself too.

"Well that's a great idea, but leave your backpack here for me."

"But why?  I just want to go change!"

"That's fine.  You don't need your backpack to change your clothes."  I smiled as obnoxiously as I could.

He dropped his backpack on the floor as far away as possible from me, dropped his head as well, and moped down the stairs to his bedroom.

He knew he was busted.

I was so anxious to find what he was hiding, it was like Christmas for me.

I opened the backpack, immediately spotted the big no-no - it was his DS.  So I snuck it out of his backpack, and slid it right under the pillow that was next to me.

You see, electronics and toys are NOT to be taken to school.  He knows this.  He also knew that the oldest son and oldest daughter would be riding to school with me, so there would be nobody to tattle one him for playing his DS on the bus.

When he came back up the stairs, he went right to his backpack, started digging, and I asked, "So, whatcha lookin' for?"   He then pulled a book out and over-dramatically said, "Oh HERE'S that book I was looking for!"

"OOOooh, really?  You were looking for that book huh?  Thought you had lost it did ya?"

His head went down and he simply said, "Sorry guys."  He knew.

So, when my kid asks for the exact opposite of what s/he prefers, and then acts surprised to see me when s/he gets home, and then tries to woo me with a handful of crumpled leaves .... I now know something is definitely up.

And that was what mt youngest son tried to pull today.