Parenting

I told Theo he could pick where we went on our morning errand. So, in the car, I ask “do you want to go to Target or Toys R Us?” “Toys?” “Yes, Theo, Toys R Us or Target?” “TOYS, TOYS, TOYS!” So, off we go, to use my $10 gift certificate). I let him pick which ever Thomas train he wants. He lights up when he sees Salty and hands it to me, pointing out the ones he knows “Edward, Emily, Henry…”

So, we are checking out (takes forever, the stockboys gather ’round Theo, admiring his Air Jordans, which made him really shy), and they ask him if he wants to sign up for the birthday club. “Of course” he says & everyone laughs.

We leave (the same way we came, in a monsoon) & he asks if Salty will fit on his track. He gets all excited when I tell him it will.

Rebecca falls asleep on the way home & Theo loves watching the rain & the big trucks on 75. I tell him I bought him Salty since he has been such a good boy. I tell him I know Rebecca has needed Mommy a lot & that he has been very patient waiting for my attention. All of this when he hasn’t even felt that well. I told him I was proud of him & that he was a wonderful big brother. He sat up so tall & smiled so big, like he would levitate off the seat.

I am sitting in the front, feeling all proud of myself for making this a lesson and helping raise such an angel. He tells me Rebecca is sleeping and that he won’t talk too loudly.

We get home & he vaults out of his seat to play with Salty, forgetting what he said & waking her, but she is smiling at him.

I bring her up the stairs, serene in my knowledge that our son is exceptional and our daughter will be as well.

As I pass him to get Rebecca’s lunch ready, he says “Mommy?”

“Yes Theo?”

(smiling sweetly)

“I want to go back.”

“Why Theo?” (Was it watching the trucks? Waiting for the rain to subside in the parking lot & talking about the sounds it made? My telling him how proud I was of him in the car?”)

…………………………..

“I need Henry too.”