But then there are days when your kids make your heart melt, when you feel like the luckiest Mom around, when you are convinced you have the best/cutest/funniest/sweetest kid(s) in the world. Those are the best days.
Today I took Ryan to a candy-buy-back event hosted by our dentist office. I was so proud of my little boy and his generous heart. He very willingly gave up over five pounds of Halloween candy (he only kept 10 pieces) to be sent to our troops overseas, in exchange for only $5, a couple coupons for free stuff, and two raffle tickets for bigger prizes. I didn't even have to talk him into it - all I did was tell him that he would get some money and that all his candy would be sent to the soldiers fighting in other countries, and he was all in. He told me that he wanted to give the soldiers his candy so that they could put it in their pockets and always have something to eat when they are hungry if they have to go a long time without food. *Heart melting.*
Ryan didn't win any of the bigger prizes, but it didn't matter. He still drew a cute picture and wrote a note to send to the troops and then went about his day with a smile on his face.
After the event was over, we stopped into an accessory store so I could look at some earrings. Ryan started picking out all sorts of fancy, dangly, sparkly earrings and insisting that I buy them. I told him I didn't need fancy earrings. His response?
"I want to buy you fancy earrings so you will look pretty tonight."
"What's happening tonight?"
"You and me can go out to dinner while Dad stays home with Kennedy. Just us. Cus I love you."
Well...how do you say no to that? (I did say no to the earrings, especially because little Miss Kennedy started screaming her head off and we had to leave the store ASAP, but I couldn't say no to the date offer.)
So we got the super angry, tired baby into the car and started driving home. At some point, the Bruno Mars song, "Just the Way You Are" starts playing on the radio. About two-thirds of the way into the song, Ryan interrupts from the backseat:
"Mom, you wanna know what I think about whenever I hear this song?"
"What?"
"I think about how I want to tell you that you are amazing. Just the way you are. You don't need to be any more pretty or anything."
*fighting off tears, heart melting*
Seriously, how did I get lucky enough to be this kid's mom?
I love my Ryan Bug. He has the ability to pierce my heart in ways that no one else is capable of. The past year and a half have been very challenging for him, as he has been forced to learn how to take care of a sick mom and then how to be a big brother. It has not been easy for any of us, and I often feel like there is just not enough of me (or Pete) to give both of our kids every bit of attention they deserve. But Ryan still finds ways to remind me that it will all be okay.
I am grateful for days like today. Because, let's face it, tomorrow could very easily be a different story... (especially if he keeps playing instead of cleaning his room...grrrrr!)
Love you Bug :)
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