My Carter...

Carter and I snuggled up during quiet time today. We had just finished reading When I Became a Pirate, one of Carter’s favorite stories. I think I have documented several times how much I adore my 4 year old son’s big heart and soft chubby cheeks. I will be so sad when the day comes that he gets whiskers. Such a shame! I intend to get my fill now. So, I put the book down and found my favorite place to nuzzle my head next to his.

After a minute, he looked at me and said, “This is my most favoritest part!” I thought he was talking about the book, but when I asked him what he meant he said, “When I get to cuddle with you during quiet time!” Well, melt my heart and call me swooned! I wrapped my arms a little tighter around him and drifted off to sleep with a big smile spread across the expanse of my face.

I woke up with a kind of grossed out feeling when I realized that I was laying in drool. One of the blessings of motherhood is the assurance of the daily encounter with some kind of body fluid. As I sat up I was even more grossed out when I realized that I was the one that had been drooling. Nice one, mom. Hopefully, the big spot I left on his shoulder will dry before he wakes up. Sorry, Bud. At least I am the one who does your laundry.

As a mom, I sometimes feel guilty for always saying “No.” “Put that back.” And the classic, “Maybe you can ask for it for Christmas!” When we were checking out at the store after a string of these reprimands, they asked for a box of “Hot Mama’s” (Hot Tamales). They had been good. Translation: we only had to stop once to use the bathroom and we hadn't broken anything that I was aware of, so I caved. It helped their cause slightly that I am somewhat fond of the spicy chewies, and hearing them say "Hot Mama" until the movie sized box has been devoured is an added bonus.

On the way out to the car, they did something naughty. Not so naughty that I can even remember what it was, but naughty enough to make me mad. Once they were buckled in, they wanted some Hot Mama’s. I told them they already had one. (My joke every time they ask for this particular candy. Hilarious, aren’t I?) Of course, they weren’t thwarted by my humor. Being the good mother that I am, I stood firm in my decision that they would have to wait. Being naughty means you have to miss out on treats for awhile, right? So they waited…a whole ten seconds to ask me again…and again…and again…and again. For the love! By this point I was flustered with the stupid hot mama’s and their impatient naughty fans.

Me: “If you ask me one more time, I will throw them out the window!”

Carter: “You know you won’t throw them out the window mom, because a police man would come and pull you over, write you a ticket and take you to jail for throwing trash out the window. Dad would be mad at you.”

(Busted.)

Me: “Then I will just give them to someone else.”

Carter: “No you wouldn’t because they probably don’t want them or even like candy. Maybe they would even be allergic to them, and if it was a stranger they wouldn’t take candy from you.”

Me: “Well fine, maybe I will just eat them all myself!”

(Ha!)

Carter: “No you won’t because if you did your body would be full of sugar and you wouldn’t have room in your tummy for healthy things. Then you wouldn’t have any energy and you would get a fat tummy.”

Darn cute smart kid.

WHITE FLAG!!! WHITE FLAG!!!