Vacation and Rip Riding: Ben Spells It Out For Me

Ben and I were at Peet's on Saturday. As I drank my Americano, the following conversation took place:

Me: "Sweetie, do you still want to go to Legoland this summer? Does that sound like fun? We can take the car, you can play your Nintendo, we'll stop to see Mommy's friends in Pasadena, it'll be sooooooo great! What do you think?"

Ben: "MOMMY! You are not listening to me AT ALL this weekend. I told you, ALL I WANT TO DO IS RIDE MY RIP RIDER WITH L. That's ALL. That's it. I don't want to talk about ANYTHING else!!!"

Then he stretched his arms up and let out the most exasperated sigh you've ever heard. I think he stared at me for like, 3 minutes, while I grabbed my camera:

Call me a pessimist but I think his dad could have saved thousands of dollars by forgoing his trip with Ben to the Amalfi Coast next month and just scheduling a few play dates with the neighborhood kids and a couple of Rip Riders. Really, throw some Ragu on the stove, boil up some gnocchi, pour a little Chianti and manga. Case in point that my son wants to be a 6-year-old kid, not an international world traveler.

I'm just saying...

PS. I'm going to stare at this picture every day that he is gone. It's already my screen saver and I'm showing it to every client who comes into my home. I got it on this shot...I really did; it is SOOOOO Ben!

P. P. S. Shelley, my son's happiness is clearing attached to scheduling this highly anticipated Rip Riding event with your daughter. I know you're reading this. Call me.