Phone Calls

According to the court order, I get a phone call to my son every day, approximately for 30 minutes. My phone call last night was frustrating and hilarious. The first part of the phone call was spent trying to get S's attention as his dad kept trying to talk to him in the background (this is a common occurence). Then I finally get his attention by talking about his birthday that is coming up and our visits. I get to see him on Sunday (8 hours) and again on Thursday (3 hours-I'd like to know who thought three hours for me on his birthday when I am the one that carried him and had to push him out after being in labor for two days was a good amount of time!). Andyway, we talk about what we are going to do on these two visits and all the stuff he wants for his b-day.
me: I am going to make some more homemade bread for this weekend, you want some?
s: yeah, and brownies.
me: I figured, I already have the stuff to make brownies.
S: and eggs. (he really loves hard boiled eggs-just the whites he won't eat the yolks.)
me: I figured that too. How many do you think I should bring?
S: 24.(giggling)
me: 24!!! are you kidding if you ate that many you would be sick
S: you can have some too.
me: I still think 24 is too many let's have less than that.
S: okay, then 12(giggling)
me: I guess I can handle 12(I will use the leftovers for egg or tuna salad for work)
S: I will eat six and you eat six.
me: So in one day you are going to eat six eggs, bread, brownies, and whatever else I bring?
S:yep.

Then there were more interruptions in the background and I had to struggle to get back his attention. Finally the word presents caught him.

me: I thought we would split the presents between the two visits.
S: presents?
me: are you listening, I thought we could do presents on both days.
S: does that mean I would get more?
me: no, I would just bring down some on Sunday and the rest on Thursday.
S: I want the ds games on Sunday, the rest on Thursday then.
me: of course you do.
S: I would also like a few little surprises.
me: what do you mean a few little surprises?! We will be lucky to be able to get all that you asked for.
S: just something small like a matchbox car or something. Just something that is a surprise.
(We tend to get him exactly what he asks for if it is something we can afford. When he lived with me we would get him surprises.)
me: I think that I can do that.
S: what will you get?
me: a surprise.

We go on about presents for a couple more minutes when his dad interrupts to harass me again. Then I lose S's attention again. Finally get him talking about his "helicopter" that he is building. He talks for a few more minutes and then get lost in the movie he is watching. I keep asking questions and eventually he answers them about his ball game, the dog and the cat. Before we know it, our time is up. I still enjoy my phone calls, just hearing him laugh and giggle, hearing his tales of life and make believe. Even with all the interference, I at least get to hear him, tell him I love him and hear it right back.