The Transition

So far this week, Colin and I have spent all our time at home together. Is it because I’m going to miss him so much next week when I’m up in the Bay Area working that I wanted to get in some quality time with him? Uh, no. Colin came down with a fever Monday morning and has had it since. It’s nothing serious, pretty much a low-grade fever the entire time, but enough to keep him home from preschool. So, instead of celebrating my last week of freedom with movies and restaurants and what-not, I’m spending my last week before returning to work huddled at home with Colin. Activities include reading the same story five times in a row, using masking tape to design “roads” on the carpet and folding up paper “skates” and taping them onto our feet. Colin has gotten so tired of being cooped up in the apartment, he asked to go out for lunch today, something he’s never done before. Being the terrific father I am, we went straight to McDonald’s, where I ordered Colin a Chicken McNugget meal, despite reading in The Omnivore’s Dilemma about all the environmental costs of producing those cheap chicken nuggets. Convenience trumps conscience. The recently renovated McDonald’s had some nice looking furniture, but most of the seats are fixed to the ground and they are very far away from the table. Colin sat on the very edge of the chair and still could barely reach the table. How big do they expect the customers to be? Oh, wait a minute, I guess that makes sense. I was hoping for a smoother transition into my work schedule, but instead, Colin and I will go from spending practically every minute of the week together this week to spending no time together next week, as I will be in the Bay Area working the entire week. I hope I’ll feel okay after such a sharp transition.