A Fall Classic

Despite what the thermometer and its 80 degree reading says, fall is in the air. I’m sure they are enjoying beautiful fall colors up and down the East Coast. Here in So Cal? No fall colors to speak of, leaves are either green or dead, but we know it’s fall thanks to the Santa Ana winds that have been driving us crazy for the last few weeks. J-MO has a closet full of adorable “cool weather” outfits that she’s yet to wear. Instead I’ve been squeezing her size 24 month buns into size 18 month shorts in order to dress her appropriately for the weather. Don’t worry, the marks from the elastic go away, eventually.

In addition to bizarre temperature shifts there’s one thing I know I can count on each fall: the annual showing of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. It aired on Tuesday at 8:00. Tuesday is soccer practice night for LJ and 8:00 is too late for our boy to start a show so, thanks to the wonder that is our DVR, it, minus the first three minutes because I nearly forgot it, was recorded so we could view it at whenever our hearts desired.

Our hearts so desired last night. The oddly short World Series deciding game was over, I was lying on our bed just resting, LJ was wandering around looking for something to entertain him. I came to his rescue. I told him of the show I’d taped the previous night. It didn’t take much prompting for him to climb onto the bed with me. After explaining (and apologizing) to my five year old why I’d skipped the first few minutes, we settled in to watch the Peanuts gang. LJ and I lay side by side holding hands. My boy, the sweetheart that he can be, commented sadly every time poor Charlie received a rock, “they aren’t very nice to him, I’d give him candy!” Indeed, little man, we share with everyone, right? Such teaching moments this 40 year cartoon provided.

It was nice to hang out with my little guy. He’s so busy these days doing things that 5 year old boys do like playing soccer or riding his scooter or crashing monster trucks, it’s rare that I really, really, get to have a few quite moments with him. He’s seemed so much more grown up lately, I can’t seem to fully grasp the fact that he turned five last week. All that said my boy did give me a few glimpses at my “little” LJ. He, to this day, inaccurately refers to Snoopy as “SnooFy”. When he first said it last night I nearly corrected him. I may have even opened my mouth to do so but I stopped the words before they came out. For one more year that little beagle can be Snoofy. Yes, there’s a hint of my baby LJ still trapped in there. It’s rare I get to see glimpses of the baby I once knew but when I do it’s a golden moment.

I’ll let “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” stay on the DVR for a few weeks. Then, in a sad moment I’ll delete it. Like the Santa Ana winds it’s a fall classic. One to be enjoyed only when the conditions are perfect.