Well, that was anti-climactic…

Chuck and S (child #3) came to get me Saturday morning and off we went to the auto show. S was quiet. Wanted to see Sierra but she was perched on my bed and S didn’t venture down the hallway to peek in.

We caught the train without problem and once seated, Chuck commented that S was being unusually quiet. We figured it wouldn’t last long. We were right. By the time the train got to downtown, he was chattering away and didn’t stop for the rest of the day.

I have no experience with kids of any age, so am not sure what a 12 year old is supposed to act like. I’ll assume he is ‘normal’. It was fun to watch him at the show. He immediately got a big bag and proceeded to load it with EVERYTHING. By the end of the day it must have weighed 10 pounds. S even commented on how much it weighed and maybe he had too much stuff. Didn’t notice him putting anything back, tho. Keeping up with him was a challenge at times, too. He is small and skinny enough to be able to slip thru crowds with the greatest of ease. It wasn’t easy tailing him as he zipped around the Army display. (He and Chuck climbed into the Bradley fighting vehicle. I stood outside and held the bag.)

S is a nice kid… asks good questions, too. We were looking at a car on display that had been crashed to demo the safety features and he and I got into a nice discussion on how cars are built for safety.

After the day was over he told Chuck that he felt like a third wheel. And that I didn’t Chuck wasn’t sure if it was true or if it was 12 year old talking. I thought it was vaguely funny as I had felt the same thing on and off during the day. I hope I acted like myself. (I can never quite tell what that is) I have seen women do the lovey-dovey thing with the boyfriend while fawning over the kids when introduced and have found it NAUSEATING. I didn’t want to be like that.

I think it was a nice neutral beginning.