It's been a long day. I got up early to go with one of our teams to their site. We were almost stranded there for the night when the roads closed due to a VBIED attack elsewhere in the city earlier today. The worst part is that I'm experiencing a resurgence of the Kabul Krud, which is much like a cold, but with a more persistent, hacking cough.
On the bright side, I got to spend a good bit of time with my Aussie buds and tried both kangaroo and crocodile jerky for the first time. They enjoy playing to their stereotypes.
My little boy is going through one of his "wonder weeks" this week, where I bunch of knew skills quickly coalesce. He is able to stand up, either by propping himself against something or while having someone balance him. He is imitating noises. He is smiling a lot (oh wait, that's not a change!).
On occasion, if the wifey need to step away for a moment while we're on the phone, she'll set the iPad a little way from the boy so that I can see him but he can't hang up on me.
I realized that noises excite him much more than simply talking to him. He was playing with a toy when the wifey left. I started to make squeaky noises. I watched him turn his head toward me, catch his breath in that super-excited way that marks him out, and then start scrambling toward me lizard-like (he has gotten incredibly fast).
All of a sudden, everything was spinning around and I was looking at furniture, the ceiling, and flashes of red hair. I kept asking "Where are we going, buddy?" But he was more excited about the adventure with iDaddy than with engaging in serious, sober conversation.
When the wifey came back, she found our boy with iPad in hand, both very excited and very pleased with himself. I love experiences like that. It's like I'm playing with my boy in a way that is not staged, like so much else must be of necessity.
I know the wifey can't wait to have me home--not only for the sake of having her hubby, but also to have a large lizard to track the little lizard. I have a feeling that I will be needed often in the years to come to chase after this kid and burn his energy.
By the way, in honor or his incredibly pale skin and orange-red hair, I am now calling him "Seamus."
