The greatest love in Jack's life right now is bread. He can take down 2 whole pieces in one sitting. We'll all be at the dinner table and I'll try to feed him chicken and vegetables, but all he'll be doing is reaching that little arm over for the bread. I've hidden the bread behind plates or under napkins in an attempt to get him to eat anything else first. But my baby is a bloodhound and he just knows that there's bread lurking somewhere close.
Maybe it's because it's the first food he can pick up and eat all by himself. He nibbles the crust and then the inside, back to the crust, back to the inside. Last night he sat on my lap while eating some bread, laid his head down on my chest, bread in hand and just sighed- sublimely blissfully happy. To little Jack, sliced bread is the greatest thing since...well, you get the idea.
So that's what Jack has fallen in love with lately. I am amazed every day at his great capacity for love. Bread, pillows, teddy bears, shoes- he falls in love with every magical new thing he discovers.
On Valentine's Day we were in urgent care for a suspected pink eye situation. How perfect! Pink eye on Valentine's Day! But sitting in the pharmacy waiting for his prescription he smiled at everyone he saw. As sick and tired as he was, it didn't stop him from enjoying every second of this moment while he was in it. A woman looked at him and remarked "He's such a happy little guy, isn't he?" I almost cried. Not because I was tired and not because I have a very strong aversion to anything related to eye ailments and there Jack sat, smiling, while goop was strung across his eyelashes like spiderwebs. No, not because of those things. I almost started crying because telling a mom that her baby is happy is one of the nicest compliments you can pay her. He's happy. At an age where he is a reflection of his environment, the fact that he's happy means that we're making him happy. He doesn't worry, he's not afraid, he's just happy. And that makes me happy.
So to the mystery woman in the pharmacy who gave me such a sweet affirmation, to my baby whose festive pink eyes made him a goopy cupid and to Trevor, my Valentine for almost 7 years who brought me dinner that night, Happy Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is my most favorite holiday. I know I am in the minority on that. You will hear people complain a lot about this holiday. They'll say that it's a "Hallmark holiday" designed to get people to waste a lot of money on candy and flowers. If you find yourself single on Valentine's Day, you'll feel very conspicuous and it might even make you feel lonely. But I hope that you resist the urge to hate Valentine's Day because, the fact is, the planet Earth needs more reminders that Love is the cure for all that ails it.
So that's what Jack has fallen in love with lately. I am amazed every day at his great capacity for love. Bread, pillows, teddy bears, shoes- he falls in love with every magical new thing he discovers.
On Valentine's Day we were in urgent care for a suspected pink eye situation. How perfect! Pink eye on Valentine's Day! But sitting in the pharmacy waiting for his prescription he smiled at everyone he saw. As sick and tired as he was, it didn't stop him from enjoying every second of this moment while he was in it. A woman looked at him and remarked "He's such a happy little guy, isn't he?" I almost cried. Not because I was tired and not because I have a very strong aversion to anything related to eye ailments and there Jack sat, smiling, while goop was strung across his eyelashes like spiderwebs. No, not because of those things. I almost started crying because telling a mom that her baby is happy is one of the nicest compliments you can pay her. He's happy. At an age where he is a reflection of his environment, the fact that he's happy means that we're making him happy. He doesn't worry, he's not afraid, he's just happy. And that makes me happy.
So to the mystery woman in the pharmacy who gave me such a sweet affirmation, to my baby whose festive pink eyes made him a goopy cupid and to Trevor, my Valentine for almost 7 years who brought me dinner that night, Happy Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is my most favorite holiday. I know I am in the minority on that. You will hear people complain a lot about this holiday. They'll say that it's a "Hallmark holiday" designed to get people to waste a lot of money on candy and flowers. If you find yourself single on Valentine's Day, you'll feel very conspicuous and it might even make you feel lonely. But I hope that you resist the urge to hate Valentine's Day because, the fact is, the planet Earth needs more reminders that Love is the cure for all that ails it.
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| Jack on his first Valentine's Day, 2/14/11 |
He comes by his love for bread so very, very naturally! I love the observations you're making and your blogs remind me so much of the Gospel writers comment that "Mary kept all these things in her heart." I know you are - and you're sharing them with the world, too. Thank you honey. Love you so.
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