Cloning Aaron?!

Aaron has been in a good mood for the past few days, and that's always a blessing.  While in a pleasant mood, Aaron likes to talk.  I mean, we know that Aaron always likes to talk.........but these happy moods promote lots of talking.  I mean, LOTS of talking.

The other morning, he and I were on our way to meet his group.  I had told him that if we could leave early, we would stop by the store on our way and let him pick up a drink and some Pringles.  This promise only promoted Aaron's happiness, which in turn pepped up his talking.  And with Aaron's powers of observation, he finds many topics on which to expound.  In other words, I was in store for a verbal marathon.........talking........LOTS of talking.

He had already been in and out of my room all morning, going on and on about the usual.......his latest movie of the upside down ship and can ships really go upside down and what would happen if they do........about aliens and his Star Wars game and why he can't have the Alien game that he's seen at Wal-Mart and what's wrong with guts and gore anyway............about cloning and can humans be cloned.......and about Jackson and why can't he have some of those peanuts or whatever else Aaron is eating and why is Jackson downstairs instead of upstairs........and I said that maybe Jackson wanted some peace and quiet as I almost told Aaron that I wanted some peace and quiet, too..........but I didn't.

There was much more than that, but you get the idea.  We piled in the van for our short drive to meet Aaron's day group via Dillon's to pick up his drink and his Pringles.  Of course, Aaron immediately noticed the tiny lady bug on the windshield of the van.  "Mom!  Have you heard the legend that if you count a lady bug's spots then that tells you how old they are?"  Why is everything a legend with Aaron?  Anyway, we discussed this particular legend as we headed to Dillon's, with me trying to balance listening to the CD Aaron had turned on along with this unending lady bug spots discussion.  I finally gave Aaron the standard answer........google it!  And Aaron said he did and I don't believe him.

We pulled into the Dillon's parking lot, where we parked in a spot where a woman was unloading her groceries right beside us.  Aaron carefully followed my reminder to be careful as he opened his door, and then profusely apologized to the woman as she smiled and nodded her head......and listened to Aaron repeat his apology as he scurried after me into the store.  He happily chose his grape Gatorade and then barreled ahead to his now familiar chip and snack aisle.  His talking had lessened now because he was focused on the task at hand.......which was to beat Mom to the chip and snack aisle.  As we rounded the corner and began walking up the aisle, I laughed quietly as I watched Aaron pump up his stride.  We were in our own little make-it-to-the-finish line  rush as he tried to beat me to the goal........the Pringles!...........where he hoped to scoop as many canisters of Pringles into his arms before Mom got there to stop him!  He was reaching for his third can of Pringles when I stopped him at two, and he decided that two was better than none and he compliantly agreed. 

As we headed for the self check-out lane, I reminded Aaron to be careful of the little child that was nearby and of the other shoppers and of the displays.........because Aaron was only thinking of the Pringles and the Gatorade and paying for them and leaving the store.  These hindrances in his way were not important to him.  And he was thinking of white cheese.  He had seen the white cheese Cheez-Its and asked me if I liked them. 

As I was trying to pay for his items, he was still talking about white cheese.   On and on he went as I tried to concentrate on what was important at that moment......and white cheese was not on my important list.  My important list involved reminding Aaron to stand right beside me and not wander off, where I knew I would find him punching the buttons at the empty self check-out register.......or punching buttons at the ATM machine nearby.........or sitting in an empty chair at the Starbucks area, staring at the worker there as she asked him what he wanted and rubbing his hands together in glee as he would say, "I don't want anything!  I'm just waiting on Mom!"    I gave Aaron the job of bagging his items after I scanned them.  He continued with white cheese.  Mom, what is white cheese?  Have I had white cheese?  Do you like white cheese?  Aaron, bag the groceries.  Aaron, turn around.  Mom, why do they make white cheese?  I don't know if I like white cheese.  Aaron, don't remove the bags until I've paid.  Aaron, put the bag back down.  Mom, can we get some white cheese?  I thought cheese was that yellow color.  Aaron, now you can pick up the bags.  Aaron, you can carry the bags.  Mom, when did you say that I had white cheese? 

I think I heard that last comment from a distance as I beat him to the van.  I had three seconds of quiet while he walked around and opened his door.  I turned up the music a couple notches, but Aaron was not to be deterred.  He had spied the karate business nearby, and so he quickly forgot all about white cheese as he excitedly talked about karate........and breaking bricks......and who does that.......and would I like to break bricks......and why not.  He talked about the old truck that was used as a display inside Dillon's.......why was it used......where did it come from.....did I like it.  And the jogging mom that we passed........and the stroller she pushed........and the baby in the stroller.........and why did she push the baby. 

He saw the smoker in the man's yard that we always pass.......and what was that chimney called?..........and why do people want a smoker.  He segued beautifully to the bent house that we pass.........and who lives there......and what does it look like inside.....and would I like to see the inside.  Then there was the tent that had been set up in a parking lot......and why was the tent there.......and what would be in the tent.  He talked about Andrea's birthday coming up......and our trip to Texas........and that he is staying home with Krysten.  

Then he saw more old cars in a driveway.......which led back to the old truck at Dillon's.....and I felt that we had certainly come full circle as we pulled up to meet his ride. 

My ears took awhile to get rested after that morning full of Aaron's very happy, and very prolonged, chatter.  Then last night, just before he finally closed his bedroom door for the last time (I hoped), he remembered something important that he had wanted to tell me. 

"Mom? I was talking to Barb today about cloning humans.  She asked me what if there were two of me?"

Even the thought of that made my knees weak.

Aaron continued.  "I said if there were two of me at home, my Mom would really lose her nerve." 

He laughed at his funny joke, and I laughed at his funny joke as I agreed with him.  Yes, Aaron, I would completely lose my nerve if there were two of you!  I didn't tell him that my sanity would be lost as well, no doubt.

Yes, one of Aaron is enough...........more than enough.  And on most nights as I lay my head on my pillow and rest my weary ears, I am thankful for our one Aaron.

Our one and ONLY Aaron!