Nate in School -- Day 4

Nate is about the most delicious, funny, adorable, hilarious little boy. I love him so much it makes my chest hurt sometimes. I'm not joking. And so this morning, after the two of us were rolling on the floor -- into each other, over each other, next to each other -- with Shana watching us and the three of us laughing and giggling and squealing with such ferocious sweet fun, the mood could only be ruined when one of mentioned the word, "School."

It was time for school. His 4th full day.

"No school," Nate said quietly. He's in a "no" stage lately -- last night he and Shana had a deathmatch over his bath with Shana ending up soaked and Nate escaping, running naked around the apartment -- so the "no school" was no surprise.

Still, it was time for school. Nate whimpered "no school" as we put on his socks and shoes.

"No ocks... No looos."

"Yes, socks, yes, shoes. It's time for school buddy." We gathered his monkey backback and headed out. "I love you," Shana said. "Bye Mama" Nate said so softly and sweetly it made me want to hurl myself down the stairs. "After school, we'll go on a ferry boat and see Maxine." "Boat," said Nate, but his heart wasn't in it.

Nate got into the stroller and we headed to the building on N5th near Bedford Avenue. "After school, Mommy will pick you up, and then you'll go on a ferry," I said. "Ferry!" Nate responded. "Boat!" "Yeah, boat. You'll go on a ferry to visit Maxine and Nicole." "Boat!"

We entered school. Nate was quiet. We parked the stroller in the stairwell and I carried him up the stairs. We looked at a picture of a stingray by a classroom door. Then a blowfish. Then a dolphin. He pointed, "Fih." "Yeah, fish."

We entered the airy classroom. Nate held on to me tightly with his legs. I put him down and he didn't cry. I showed him his lunch that Shana lovingly packed in a three-compartment Tupperware. We peaked in. "Mmmmm" I said and he smiled. "Mmmm" he said and we both laughed.

Caroline came over and said hi to Nate and she unclipped from a clothesline a picture of me, Shana in Nate when we were in Love's Folly. "Who's this?" she asked Nate, pointing at Shana. "Mama," he said. "And who's this?" she asked Nate, pointing at me. "Dada." "What's on your shirt there Nathan?" she asked pointing to a boned face t-rex. "Gaaaaa" said Nate. "What sound does a dinosaur make?" I asked him. "Roarrrr." "Hey Nate, what sound does a pirate make?" "Arrrrr!" "Arrrr" I arrred. "Arrrr," said Caroline and we laughed.

"OK buddy, time to go."

"No!!!" Nate held on tight. I handed him to Caroline. "Dada!!" He was reaching for me.

I headed out the door and put his monkey backpack on his hook. I heard him crying. I took out my iPhone and pointed it into the classroom and stealthily filmed this short clip. That's Nate, looking at the picture of me, Shana, and him... I almost hurled myself down the stairs. But I didn't.