The Monster Boy's Visit, or an Ode to Mothers

I wasn't really around these parts much last week. I'd like to say it was because I was so wrapped up in my WIP that I couldn't remember to come out and play (boy, do I need a week like that!), but it wasn't that.

It was something equally fun, though. :)

You see, my nephew (AKA the Monster Boy or the Nephew Monster) came to visit me in North Carolina.

For almost the first five years of his life, I lived all of 2 blocks away from him in Texas. But then six months ago, I moved 6 states away. It's been a big adjustment for both of us, so I was determined to make sure he had a good time while he was with me.

Our adventure began in the DFW airport, where of course, he found a McDonald's...one that had video games.

He's got a knack for finding the important things, this boy does.

 Our flight was only delayed a little bit, but he didn't care. This boy was going to go on an airplane, where he could look down and see "everything as itty as ants."

All strapped in and ready to go!

When we landed in North Carolina, Ava Stone was a good friend and picked us up at the airport, where she proceeded to lock her keys in her running car. But that is another story for another day.

Eventually, I took the Monster Boy to my apartment, where he proceeded to terrorize my cats as he is so very fond of doing.

Dakota tried to hide from him in the bag from his Lightning McQueen sleeping bag. Not sure it worked. That didn't stop her from trying.

Kiki wanted to avoid him...but she REALLY wanted his cupcake. Tough choices for this kitty.

It wasn't all bad for the cats, though. He gladly ran the laser light for them to chase until his thumb couldn't hold down the button anymore, and he helped to pick out a new toy for them at the pet store: a remote control mouse!

Hmmm...how can I play with this, WITHOUT the boy being involved?

When he wasn't driving my cats crazy, we were on the go non-stop. We went to see movies, went grocery shopping, found the Lego store and bought his first ever Lego set, played to his heart's content at the mall play area, went to the cupcakery where he could pick out his very own cupcake (nicely destroyed above), and so much more.

But that, dear friends, was far from the "bestest" thing we did all week. You see, Olivia Kelly invited us to go with her and Little Dude to the kids museum one day. The Monster Boy wasn't sure of this until I told him there would be lots of things to play with while we were there. He was still slightly uncertain...but then I got him a Batman lunch bag so we could pack his lunch, and he was sold. (Ah, the simple things.)

Here we are arriving on the bus he drove. Wait a minute...we didn't come on the bus. And he doesn't have  driver's license. Hmmm...

"Who needs those silly little Legos? I've got these giant ones!"

"Put me in, Coach. I've got a mean backhand shot."

Monster: "You're supposed to stand on it like this."
Little Dude: "Not until you paddle out to the waves."

"Just call me Captain Jack Sparrow. And feel free to fawn over me, ladies. I can take it."

We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine...

"Walking in flippers is hard work. How do those fish do it?"

On a different day, we met up with Tammy Falkner and her son, and joined them for gymnastics class. Somehow, the Monster Boy ended up even more exhausted after two hours of gymnastics than he did after five hours at the kids museum. (Lucky me! Haha!)

He's trying to sort out why they're stretching when the could be bouncing off the walls and jumping off the trampoline and climbing up to do a cannonball down the slide.

Every now and then, though, he needed a little time for a breather. That was when we would pop a movie into the DVD player or find a hockey game to watch, so he could have a little "chillin' and 'laxin' time," as he likes to call it.

Don't interrupt the Nephew Monster. He's watching Mater's Tall Tales.

After spending five days with his sole purpose being to exhaust me in every way conceivable, it was finally time for him to go home. I took him to the airport, put him on a plane, and waved goodbye though I'm sure he couldn't see me.

I managed to avoid crying until I got home. And saw THIS left behind.

Good grief, how does one little boy make this much mess???

Seriously, though, I only cried somewhat because of the mess. Okay, it was a lot because of the mess. But also because my Monster is growing up and can go on an airplane all by himself...without a hint of a tear.

I understand that he entertained the entire plane while they were in the air, too. And it seems he borrowed someone's iPad to play games? (Dude, your Nintendo was in your backpack!)

He went home home on Friday, and I still feel like I could sleep for a solid week without a problem. So my question is this: How do mothers do it? How on earth is it possible to keep up with one of these tiny humans without going insane, let alone more than one of them?

To all of you who have children, and you also have a job, and a husband, and maybe you somehow also find time to write...I salute you.

And I ask you this: Do you have any tips for me on how to survive the next time the Monster comes to town?

**Originally published at Lady Scribes**