"I Like You"

One of the best things about having a very verbal preschooler is that they wear their hearts on their sleeves and will not hesitate to tell you exactly how they feel. Of course this cuts both ways but in the post-Valentine's world, let's just focus on the positive. There is nothing quite so satisfying as walking through the door after another soul-sucking day at work only to be greeted by someone going, "Momma! I missed you! We got you cake!* It's a surprise! I love you!" Having Calder meet me at the door everyday like this is just the best. It's like having a golden retriever that can talk. Of course every day doesn't involve the promise of surprise cake but it's still just as nice even without the baked goods.

You can hardly see the dirt and cat hair at all.

 So yes, yesterday was Valentines. I am a crappy mother and wife and gave Calder and Bruce cards I made while riding the L home from work. Let me tell you, I am not the greatest artist but I can draw a human heart with a fair amount of accuracy while on a  moving train. That says something. There was no sappy post from me full of feelings and emotions and whatnot. Sorry, I am a crappy mommy blogger too. I was too busy being pressed into gnocchi-making and ice cream cake-rehabilitating duty as soon as I got my boots off. Plus, Bards don't do sentimentality. We just don't really roll like that. We express our feelings with humor. And food, usually baking. Sure I spent a great deal of my tweens and teens writing overwrought poetry about my feelings and diary entries about the boys I liked but even then I was pretty much writing what I thought I was supposed to be writing. So yes, I tell people I love them all the time, I am not a total cold-hearted beotch but other than  that... if I make fun of you and cook for you, that's when you know how I really feel.

You know you're jealous you didn't get one of these.

Calder on the other hand, is a no-holds-barred emoting machine. When he likes you, he REALLY likes you. And he will tell you that, frequently. First thing in the morning, "Momma, it's day time. Wake up. I like you." Last thing at night, "Love you, Momma. Close the closet door." Even in his Tasmanian Devil-whirls of frenzy  when he is bouncing off the furniture, walls, dog, people, etc., when Calder comes crashing into you it's usually accompanied by a "Sorry, Momma. I like you!" and then he's off again to inform the dog how much he is also liked. It's sad to think that with me and Bruce for examples, Calder will eventually clam up as he gets older but I hope his Mr. Feely-phase sticks around for just a little while longer. I like spending every day feeling a bit like Sally Field. 


*Calder, in his excitement, dropped the ice cream cake on the kitchen floor. Fortunately it was frozen solid and only portions of it had to be reconstructed/scraped off.