Cause for concer?

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For the last year I've been fighting X's perception that I'm a cold and heartless bitch.  Normal considering I left him.  But more recently I've noticed that his delusions run deeper than just me but now involve B.

Last Tuesday I went to pick up B and as he ran out to the car he tripped.  What was unusual about this was B’s reaction.  He began crying but not his “I’m hurt” cry.  When I tried to comfort him he ran around the corner of the house and leaned against the house covering his face.  Neither X nor myself seemed able to console B.  I took this as B being embarrassed by tripping and falling.  X took this as B being mad that B had to go home and couldn’t play with X any more.  Really?

At first I shrugged off the incident as another example of X thinking everything was about him.  But this morning I drop B off ten minutes early.  I tell X that B has been asking for him for about an hour – which was true.  X scoffed as if I were lying. 

Now I know how much X hates being early and have many times been treated negatively for being five minutes early without notice but seriously!  I have never been dishonest to X.  He has no reason to distrust me and furthermore, I would NEVER use my child as an excuse.

Am I overreacting?  I know I’m very protective of B and concerned how the divorce has and will affect him but am I being too protective?  Or is there a legitimate cause for concern?

A Pleasant Surprise

This week I have been battling a cold.  Never fun.  Then consider I'm a single mom with a high energy toddler.  Double whammy.  But SURPRISE!  B yet again through me for a loop.  He tossed a balloon at me.

I was simply minding my own business, sitting in my rocker watching B play, struggling to make it to that precious moment when the night time ritual begins and it would be closer to bedtime - for both B and me, when B tossed a balloon at me.  As the balloon bounced off my startled face B tried to catch it but fell over.  B giggled.  I laughed.  Again B tossed the balloon at me and a random game of catch began.

As I admired B's success at getting Mama to play despite feeling like total crap I also chuckled as B put so much energy into attempting to catch the balloon with both arms that he'd lose his balance every time, fall over and burst into laughter only to try again.  Truly proves the theory that learning through play works.  B was having too much fun to notice his struggle with actually catching the balloon.

These are the moments that make me cherish beiing a parent.  Melts away all the struggles that come with parenthood.