"Mommy's brain is broken, kind of"...explaining things to a 4-year old so he understands them without being scared

  Last night Nixon had an extra late night. He stayed up until almost midnight! He was in bed with me watching a movie on TV being good and quiet. Since Mac was working I was okay with a slumber party/movie night in our bed.
   I had to go downstairs and take my medications for the night. I told Nixon I as running downstairs to get my meds and Nixon says "Mommy, I need meds too. I am sick." *sigh* This is when I have to explain to my 4-year old that my medications aren't for an illness but for my "broken brain".
me: Nixon, I take medication because my brain doesn't work right not because I'm sick.
Nixon: You brain is broken?
me: Yeah, kind of. It doesn't work like it's supposed to. The medicine helps it work like a regular person's brain. Like yours does.
Nixon: Because my brain isn't broken?
me: No, baby, your brain isn't broken.
Nixon: How did your brain break?
me: Oh, well, I didn't have a good childhood and my brain worked differently to help me deal with it. Now my brain thinks that's a proper way to function.
Nixon: But you brain is broken!
me: Yep, it doesn't know it is, but I realize it doesn't work like it should.
Nixon: Can I see you brain?
*I get on the bed so he can look at my head*
Nixon: I see it mommy! I see your broken brain. It's cracked right here *points*
me: Wow! You can really see it?!
Nixon: I'm going to kiss it, so you feel better. Then you can go take your medicine and be a good mommy for me, okay?
me: *almost tearing up* Okay, baby.

Sometimes all you need is a good snuggle

   With all the ups and downs related to our impending PCS back to the states, I've forgotten one of the best stories about Nixon! I'm not sure how it happened, as it was a rare occasion for a number of reasons but it popped back in my head just now and I'm happy to share it with everyone I love.


    Thursday night was a rough one. Mac and I stayed up later than usual watching a movie in bed. When we finally did fall asleep it started storming outside. It got real bad (high winds, heavy rains and even some thunder) in a matter of minutes. I was listening to everything happening outside and never heard Nixon in his room start to freak out! Mac went into Nixon's room and brought him into our room. Nixon said he was scared and wanted to snuggle with us. Nixon crawled into bed with us, snuggled up on my chest and laid there while listening to the storm and Mac snoring! haha
   Nixon told me he was scared of the wind but I made him feel better. I thought he was going to spend the rest of the night in bed with us, something that doesn't happen...ever! He likes his bed and we like our bed, but I was willing to make an exception for this one night if Nixon was really scared and needed me. He didn't. After about 30 minutes, Nixon said to me, tapping my nose, "mommy, I ready to go back to my bed now please."  We unraveled ourselves from the blankets on the bed, went back into his bedroom, tucked him in and said good nights again.


   And at one point during the night, all 5 of us (Mac, myself, Nixon and the 2 cats) were all in our bed together. When Nixon went back to his room, Amber went with him. Arwen, of course, stayed in bed with me.