Sunday, September 14, 2008

Ode to "the baby"


My third child AKA kid3 was and always will be “the baby”. Not because he is a baby, or because is even the "baby” of our house but because he is just my baby. He is sweet as candy, more patient than a librarian, as understanding as mother Teresa, and the kindest little person on earth. (the picture above is him when he was 3, he is now a cool 12)

During the chaos that was my weekend he was so sweet and understanding about it all. He wanted to go to a friend’s house and “hang out” after a birthday party. When his friend asked if they could walk around their neighborhood my sweet kid3 called me to ask if it was okay with me! I thought his friends parents were going to the high school football game and when my smart kid3 realized they were not he called to let me know and I said he could not go after all. He didn’t whine, he stood in the parking lot and waited for me to pick him up. When I told him I know he must be so sad he said “Yeah, I am, but that’s okay I understand”. He makes me beam with pride. I told you he was sweet.

So today in honor of his sweetness I took this kid to lunch and we talked. He told me about his friend and how “cool” this friend is. He told me about school and how he is enjoying it. He told me how he missed his friends from Texas. He also asked me if I thought he was cool.

Do I think he is cool? How do you answer that? Obviously I am a big fan of kid3 of course I think he’s cool! I tell him all the time how he is the most perfect little person alive. I felt like he was asking more than if I thought he was cool though…. I asked him if he thought he was cool. He said he thought he was nice, smart, well behaved, but maybe not too cool. So I asked him if we could fix this problem of not being cool. He very reluctantly told me that he thought he may need cooler clothes. Now for those of you who don’t know kid3 he only wears hand me downs…. Seriously. When kid1 and 2 are getting things here and there because they are on me like white on rice, like gravy on a biscuit…. Kid3 is never bothering me- well almost never. He just doesn’t ask for things. He is often overlooked. He is often forgotten because he is so passive.

We finished lunch and headed to the mall we went straight to the coolest store in the mall and lo and behold kid3 is now "cool". I know you were worried that I would offer to sew him a few cool outfits… like with big buttons, lots of plaid, maybe some animal prints. Nope, I bought him new clothes and he is very cool.

Secretly I thought he was cool before, in fact I think he is the coolest but I guess it really only matters what you think of yourself right? And if a few new clothes will do the trick. Done.

Dear kid3, you’re the most amazing little boy on the earth. I have known from the minute I laid eyes on you that you would make a difference in this hard world. When you were a baby I use to hold you and look at you for hours on end wondering how in the world I ended up with such an amazing person. As you grow older I can barely stand the thought of you leaving home. Every day you amaze me by the way you truly can look into the heart of others and know their needs. I can’t fathom your kindness towards others. I was thinking today about you and how wonderful you are and I thought about what a difference you will make as an adult too. Although I don’t want you to grow up I am excited to watch you amaze others when you’re grown. I’m excited to see you be the most amazing father to your babies. I don’t know how I got the amazing honor of raising you my baby boy but I am honored. I love you; you will always be my “baby”.
Love, Mom

**note to self- learn how to sew so I can sew homemade clothes and embarrass the kids!

1 comment:

wabisabigirl said...

That's sweet:) Good for you for taking time to listen and find out what's really going on with your kids!!! Save Kid 3 for my little London (is that too much age difference???) I want a sweet, sensitive, loving boy for her to marry someday!! And doesn't it almost just break your heart sometimes when they're obedient without complaint?? Not like you haven't been working on that for years, but when they actually do it...London does that sometimes too so reasonably and I'm amazed!