Caleb

So, left in wake of Eric...is his three year old son, Caleb.

(an older picture of the little Ham)

An adorable, playful kid that has the most gorgeous eyelashes I've ever seen and an infectious personality.

His mother is one of the craziest people I have ever met in my life, and on numerous occassions has corned me in bathrooms to seek answers out about Boy, Eric, and family, and how things are when Eric has(had?) Caleb. (Eric and the mother weren't together after awhile)

She was very young when she got involved with Eric and very young to be a mother, and I just don't think she had the time to mature into a woman with adult sensibilities before Caleb came along and she hasn't grown up since. But, she is his mother, so I am just praying that she figures it out sooner, rather than later. I think I've written about it before, that if Boy and I were financially stable we would seriously consider adopting Caleb, but...that just won't work at the moment.

Boy is Caleb's godfather and although Boy isn't very religious, I know he takes this role--of raising Caleb with morals and values, very seriously. I also know that he is heartbroken that Eric won't be around to do the "dad" things--- camping trips, Boy Scouts, teaching him to play lacrosse, etc. Boy plans to do these things with Caleb.

We currently live about an hour from Boy's parents and Caleb. We've been house hunting for the past few months, but our area is so wide (and our budget so low) that it's really frustrating. I graduate from my program in December and hopefully I'll be able to find a full-time job. Once we know where I am going to be working, I think we will resume the house hunt. But now, a major priority for us is to move closer to Caleb. Even a half an hour closer would make things a lot easier. But--I don't know. It's difficult to talk these details with Boy and, well, it's just difficult.

We are going back to visit Caleb this weekend. It will be the first time we've seen him since his mother told Caleb about Eric (speaking of...she told Boy the day before that they were telling Caleb last Saturday, and he had to work. It pisses me off that if she really wanted Boy to be there---she should have given him more than one days notice). I think it's going to be horrible. but...it leads me to my current predicament. I don't know what to do to entertain a three-year-old. I'm not a mother and, well, honestly, I just have no idea what is age-appropriate yet fun? Any help? I know a lot of you are mothers and aunts, and any suggestions about how to spend the day with a three-year-old would be really appreciated.

Thanks, ladies.