Buddies

As much as I hate to admit it ... and try to convince myself otherwise ... there are at least two people who I believe trump mommy when it comes to little man's list of favorite people.

Nana (my husband's mother) and Papa (my father).

As I mentioned in the previous post, we are currently in the throes of our great backyard patio renovation. What I didn't share was that our family has a long background of being do-it-yourselfers, and as such undertook this project ourselves.

Fortunately, my father is definitely a handyman. He's no stranger to construction and brick patios, so he graciously ventured up to our house to help us out.

Which also means that Papa has been at our house for the past two weeks. And little man couldn't be happier.

Just like the twactor, so long as little man's eyes were open, he wanted nothing more than to be outside helping Papa. Perhaps that's why little man is so enamored with the twactor - because it's Papa's.

When they excavated the dirt for the new patio, little man was there by Papa's side with a shovel. When they poured the concrete, Papa and little man had to put their hand prints in it (although little man's print was more just an outline of his knuckles, as he was also terrified of getting his hands dirty. See the "Little Cabin Boy" post for an explanation on that one.) And when they began to the lay the sand for the bricks, little man was there, once again, with his sandbox shovel "helping."

I would also be remiss if I didn't add that the feeling is definitely mutual. If little man hadn't gone to preschool during the day, I don't know how much work Papa would have accomplished on the patio. When little man was there they had a great way of suddenly disappearing. Then you would hear a "weeeee!" and "harder Papa" as you would look over and find Papa pushing little man on a swing from his swingset.

Or Papa running through the streets with him in the wheelbarrow.

And at night, as I tucked little man into bed and kissed him goodnight, he would insist on yelling "Nite Papa!" one last time before I shut the door.

Papa has since had to leave our house for a few days to take care of other business, however little man constantly informs me that Papa is coming back.

And now, just like the twactor conundrum I mentioned below, I have a new issue that mommy will have no choice but to forge through. Although Papa is coming back in a few days, it will be to put the finishing touches on the patio and gather his things to take home - including the twactor. Then little man will not only have to face the twactor leaving, but also Papa leaving with it.

Maybe I should be sick that day and let my husband deal with the what is sure to be a nuclear aftermath.

But, I do admit, it will be nice to be No. 1 once again.

That is, until the next time we see Papa or Nana.