Home body

Dorothy and Mike had been wanting Z to come down to visit them.  He always has a great time there, with one on one time, crafts, McDonalds, the works.  Several weeks ago we planned for him to go down this weekend while I had a girls weekend (I'll post about that next), so Nate would just have the little boys. 
In these past few weeks, then, we have had a lot of build up.  He watched and read the Berenstain Bears "Week at Grandma's" every day, sometimes multiple times.  He asked how long it was until he was going, we talked about it, got excited about it.  But he did talk about being homesick, and he suggested on numerous occasions that if he wanted to go home, he could, that he would just have to tell Grandma or call us and we would go get him.   
Until Tuesday night.  He called me into his bedroom about half an hour after I had tucked him into bed.  He was bawling his eyes out, and could barely make out "I don't want to go to Grandma and Papa's!  I want to stay here!  I don't want to leave you and Dad and the little boys!  I don't want to go!!!!"  This was so out of the blue, but I figured it was late at night so he was just tired, and by the morning it would be no biggie.  So I told him we could decide later, but to go to sleep.  Wednesday morning he got all ready and did his chores, then says, "Oh, yeah Mom, I forgot to tell you I really do want to go to Grandma and Papa's house!".  So we all agreed, but I decided to have him only stay 2 nights, not 3. 
Thursday Dorothy came up so she could spend a day with all of us before she and Z left to go down on Friday.  Z was excited to go, and was wanting to pack up his stuff to get ready to go. 
Friday about 1 he started throwing a fit and getting mad at me about how he was only staying 2 nights, not 3. 
About 3 he and Dorothy took off.
About 320 he started ringing the doorbell, crying.  Apparently he decided that he did not want to go...that he would miss Mom and Dad and the little boys.  We decided to let him choose whether or not to go in the morning (he opted out, and it wasn't brought up again).  Dorothy stayed until Saturday evening then went home.
And THEN, on Friday night as I was leaving for my girls weekend, he told Nate he just had to tell me one more thing, and he came crying out to me as I was getting ready to drive away.  He didn't want me to go, he would miss me, he wanted me to stay with him.  (I still left, but it was hard!)  
I am very glad that Dorothy brought him home.  I have no clue what on earth is going on with him.  He has been there before by himself.  He has made the drive there by himself.  I'm not sure if it is a phase, or if he just created anxiety by reading and talking about it?  He wants us all to go down there, so "he won't miss us".  I am completely fine with the fact that he wants to be with us.  Doesn't bother me at all.  And he was fine at home with Nate and Dorothy.  He was a big help, he was kind to his brothers, he didn't miss me too much.  I felt kind of bad for Mike and Dorothy, who were planning on him being there, but I guess you can't always predict what a 5 year old is going to do.
That's my big boy...