It had to have been after school was in session for a couple of weeks, I think.
Somehow Ty and I had built this little routine, where I would give him a series of 13 fast kisses at the gate of the playground and then he'd run in to join his friends for a little monkey bars or Star Wars play. I think it was first just a pragmatic move. I'd help him put on his backpack, remind him to be a good boy for his teacher and then give him my "kiss-kiss-kiss-kiss, kiss-kiss-kiss-kiss, kiss-kiss-kiss-kiss-kiss" seal for the day, without even thinking about it.
But then one day, when I forgot to add the kisses, after about 10 steps, Mr. Tito walked back to me, looked me straight in the eyes, and asked, "Mom, did you forget something?". :)
Touched, I told Ben about it later that day, when he reminded me, "You know he's not going to come back for his kisses someday, right?"
Which I dismissed with a "Yeah, yeah, yeah", knowing that day was far off... really far off.
Well, I was wrong. By about two "really far offs". In fact it happened 3 days ago. I adjusted the backpack, gave the good behavior pep talk, and then watched him walk through the gate... then to his friends... and finally onto the playground equipment. I gave him a good 5 minutes to remember that his momma hadn't given him his kisses. But he never did.
As I walked back to my car, I realized, it's starting. The rise of independence. Now, our kids will always need/want the love and security of their parents, but they just might not need/want the outward demonstrations of it. That, I'm realizing is more for me, and us, the parents.
So, what did I do? Like any good mother, I might have mentioned it once or twice. Like, I might have asked Ty if he remembered what "he forgot" that morning when I picked him up from school, and then I might have brought it up (in a light-hearted manner of course ;) at dinnertime, and I'm pretty sure I might have mentioned it when we talked that night before he went to bed.
But I'll tell you what, surprisingly enough, he's hasn't forgotten since. ;)
And I keep reminding myself that even though he's no longer this...
he's still my little boy.
My little boy who thinks green is the best color in the world,
and who still waits for his momma's kisses...
at least for today.
Whew. ;)
1 comments:
It is so sad as a mommy knowing that our kids are growing up and little by little getting more independent. These seasons are fast and when another season comes and goes it makes me savor each new stage. The memories you're making of your 13 kisses is a very sweet thing. Little Ty is a cutie pie. And he'll never forget the 13 kisses.
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