How extreme can one child be? Seriously, I don't even know how he does it. Brayden calls me up to his room tonight because he has"...a few questions that I know the answers to, but YOU don't know the answers to." Always with the mystery, that one, but I let him have his moment--it was obviously REALLY important to him.
As I'm sitting on the bed with him, my sweet boy couldn't be cuter. His eyes are huge and brown surrounded by those lashes and he had the most innocent expression as he asked, "What do you think is the BEST gift you've ever given me?" Now I know what guilt trip I WANTED to throw at him, but I thought I would just let him be an eight-year-old for a few minutes.
"I don't know--your DS? No--wait--Santa brought you that. What about your skateboard? No--Grandma and Grandpa bought that for you. Pillow Pet? Nope--Nonnie and Bobpa. Have I ever bought you ANYTHING?! I don't know..."
Now the little bug is laughing at this point as he tells me, "You are WAAAAAAYYYY off, Mommy! The FIRST best thing you ever gave me was having me born and the NEXT best thing you ever gave me was LOVE and the THIRD best thing you ever gave me was hugs and kisses and the FOURTH thing I love the most is my DS. But that IS from Santa. It's okay though--you give me A LOT of things. Like DINNER, right?!"
He really can be the SWEETEST boy--I know that seems hard to comprehend, given the stories I've been telling recently, but he REALLY is sometimes. On Sunday we went to the Dollar Store to get some things for his birthday party (tomorrow). It turns out this particular store only takes certain types of debit and credit cards, so we had to put most of the stuff back.
"I'm so sorry, sweetie!" I said as I combed the hair back from his eyes. "I will try to come back this week with the money to get everything else."
"That's okay, Mommy--we don't NEED that stuff! I'm lucky I'm even having a party!"
The woman behind the recipe nearly dropped what she was holding.
"Is he for real?!" she asked.
"Oh--yes he is," I replied, remembering the MANY times throughout his eight years that he has said, "That's okay, Mommy--I'm just lucky to have_________!" and he really means it when he says it.
The woman said repeatedly that he made her day and she repeated the story to all who would listen. THESE are the moments I need to focus on and share with others. THESE are the things I should cling to when my son is yelling at me and misbehaving. I'll remember that when we are getting ready for school in the morning. Maybe it will prevent me from leaving WITHOUT him tomorrow...
a new home
11 years ago
AWWW! That is the best! I love these moments! It (usually) makes up for all the times we feel like a horrible mom. If he says stuff like that we must be doing SOMETHING right, right?
ReplyDelete(I don't know how many times I've threatened to leave without Bud. He's sooooo slow!)
That's my Godson!!!!!!! Taught 'em everything he knows :-)
ReplyDelete-just how to perfectly pester, annoy and torment until victim is at end of said rope...then let loose with the most amazingly loveable and generous sentiments!!! Happy Birthday dear sweet boy!
MND-I'm QUITE certain that we ARE doing SOMETHING right! I just wish I knew what it was so that I could do it MORE OFTEN! Thanks for the support--I was beginning to think that I was hearing crickets after that last post, and every time the doorbell rings I prepare myself to greet someone from Social Services. I'm sure they will feel BETTER about me when they walk through my home and have to pull crusty oatmeal off of their feet at the end of it...
ReplyDeleteKate--if that was your plan to get back at me for all those years I tormented YOU, well played, my friend. Well. Played.