My Favorite Boy

This has nothing to do with dating. My Kid is 3 and he's been acting especially 3 lately. When I tell him its bedtime, or anything else he doesn't want to hear, he growls. He's such a picky eater that its a constant negotiation to get something besides carbs into his tummy.

Tonight after work, I picked the Kid up. He played in his sandbox while I gathered up the trash, cleaned the kitty litterboxes, took the trash can to the curb, and checked the mail. Kiddo asked me to get a chair and sit near his sandbox. I finished the chores, got a chair and my book and sat down to enjoy the sun. Before I could even open the book, Kid decides he's done playing outside and is hungry for dinner. Dang.

Made dinner for him, heated leftovers for me, fed the cats, ate, cleaned up the kitchen and gave the kid a bath. Brushed his hair, brushed his teeth, cleaned his little ears, slathered him in lotion (extra for his little sunburned face), and dressed him in his firetruck pjs. We read two stories like we always do. Usually, this is where I tell Kiddo its time to get in bed and go to sleep. He whines and fusses and eventually I run out of patience and tuck him in and leave the room.

Tonight though, I was so tired that after stories, I laid on the floor of his room. He snuggled up next to me and pointed out my cheeks, my nose, my teeth.  I asked him what color my eyes were "Blue! Just like one! We match!"  He's so damn cute.

We poked each other and giggled and snuggled on the floor for the longest time. We were laughing too much and I worried that it would be even more of a struggle to get him to sleep.

I got Kiddo into bed and tucked in. Still tired, I climbed into Kiddo's train bed too. I asked him to tell me about his day. Snuggled up, nose to nose, he told me about riding in a boat and picking blackberries. Halfway through the conversation, we lowered our voices to a whisper. There was no one but cats in the house, but it felt like sharing precious secrets.

I knew we'd been talking for a while so I asked Kiddo for my hug and a kiss before I left his room. He told me he needed "extra kisses. I need so many kisses!" I needed a sweet moment like that today. He's a good kid and I'm fortunate to be his mom.