The Porch Pirates

The other day after daycare Limelet was playing on our front porch in the unaccustomed sunlight and warmth. He was pretending to be a pirate, the porch his ship, waving his little plastic sword and toy prosthetic hook, and having taken one shoe off to simulate a peg leg. "Avast!" he cried to all and sundry up and down the street. "Swab the deck me hearties!" and "Prepare to be boarded!" and "Ships ahoy!"
 
Across the street was a young mother with a little boy about Limelet's age, having their supper on the porch. "I'm a pirate!" Limelet shouted to them. After exchanging a few similar pleasantries, the other little boy wanted to come over, and the mother brought him over to visit. In seconds both boys were swarming our porch, each wearing only one shoe, pretending to be pirates piloting our porch.  I invited the mother in for tea and Limelet showed the other boy the imaginary ropes. They attempted to sweet-talk a squirrel over from the next porch, played sword-fighting, and generally ran about like little banshees. It was cockle-warming.
 
Limelet was disconsolate when they left. I don't think he realizes the likely recurrent nature of the visit, since we haven't really had neighborhood friends to have over much previously. He kept looking out the bedroom window across the street and asking where his little friend was, and he sobbed for about half an hour that he didn't say "nice to meet you." (Luckily we saw them next morning in the street and he finallly got to say it.) Anyway, I think this will be a wonderful friend for Limelet and maybe even finally someone for me to have a chat with from time to time, which is so nice. But even without that, it's wonderful to see Limelet having such fun with another little boy.

 

Last night he allowed me to put his training pants on him for overnight instead of diapers, although he's been staying dry at night for ages. He stayed dry, except for some milk that spilled on him when he was trying to have a midnight drink. After I changed all his clothes, he realized that he had to go potty, so we went, and he continued dry the rest of the night. I was about to have him wear them to daycare, but he did have a small accident just before we left, so I think he doesn't feel ready for that yet.

 

This is the 6th night since the goshblanged fritillary blooping daylight-savings time change, and as always it has completely disrupted the entire household, every day, all day, all night. Home, work, and daycare. We haven't had one night of decent sleep in a week. Mostly we've all been awake from 2-5 am, more or less, often 6 am. As always, I hate the time change and wish it would die a horrible lingering yet instant death, somehow. However it is that abstract concepts die. I wish it could suffer as I have suffered.