N the Little

Last night was our first real night with our Little since the initial meeting. I debate about whether or not to post his name. I don't think it would matter, but just being in the program and all, I don't know if there are certain rules or what. Anyway, so I'll call him N, by his first initial for now. We'll probably be taking him most Thursday evenings from here on out for 4 hours or so. I can officially say that kid wore me out! But I think it was in a good way. Working on a 3d puzzle, eating pizza and Dibs icecream, followed by sprinting around the neighborhood with our dogs, (while trying to keep the pizza and Dibs down), working on the puzzle some more, playing outside with the dogs, playing Hide-N-Seek (yes, in our 700 square foot home), playing 20 questions....oh my goodness it was jam packed. (Well, for Jesse and I at least.) It's funny, I forget how kids view "adults". To most adults, Jesse and I are young, but not to N! We have a photo of us on the fridge that we took about 2 or 3 years ago. N sees it and says "Oh, is that like you guys when you were in your 20's or something?" Were? I'm not even half way in yet! Guess we must be pretty old in his mind! Anyway, despite the exhaustion and near puking up of the pizza and ice cream, I think it was a really good night. After hearing our case worker make the comment that some boys don't want a Big Couple because that would mean they have to hang out with a girl, I have been really worried about what I can offer a 9 year old boy. Last night helped ease some fears though. N told Jesse "I wanted a Big Couple and that's what I got!". His brother apparently wanted one too, "but he only got a Big Brother". N suggested that maybe one night he should hang out with Jesse and another night he should hang out with me, so he can "get to know us seperately", he said. I think he just likes knowing that he has the attention of 2 people instead of one!! That really eased my fears and assured me that I wasn't the lame part of this deal after all. It may still take me a bit to feel fully confident in this, but I am getting there.