We’ve clearly entered a new phase with Jack. Yesterday, it was very sweet. Jack woke up and called for me and I went in. He sat in his crib and looked up at me and said, “Car?” And I replied, “Yes, we’re going in the car.” And then he said, “Bus?” and I said, “Yes, Daddy is taking the bus to work.” Then he said, “Miss you.” I almost lost it. I seriously considered calling in sick right then and there but knew my day was such that it would be a disaster.

Then last night after I read him three stories and sang two songs, I finally said good night. Normally he says good night and I leave the room and he pretty much falls asleep within minutes. Last night he kept calling me back in. Normally, if I just wait a minute before going back in, he falls asleep and I don’t have to answer. Not so last night. And when he finally realized that I was really leaving for good, he said, “Potty.”

I went back in. “Do you need to use the potty again?”

“Yeah.”

What could I say? We’re in the midst of potty training. You can’t say no to that request. So, in we went. Of course he didn’t actually go. He just sat there all happy and asked for his favorite story, “Froggy!”

I quickly took him back in to bed and, after a few more rounds of “Daddy! Daddy!” I finally left the room and he went to sleep.

Tonight he put up a lot of fuss when I went to leave but I finally made it out of the room. Ten minutes later I was back in again. He was calling for me loudly. I went in and he said, “Ow.” He was rubbing his head. “What happened?” He pointed to his headboard. “Oh, did you bump?” “Yeah.”

And so I started the entire “go down” process again (song, belly rub, attempt to leave).

I’m thrilled that I’m the parent of the hour right now (normally Mommy gets that distinction almost exclusively) but I can never tell if he really hurt himself or really needs to go or if I’m just being played.

I guess there are worse problems to have…