The Glory of my Boy

"Your steps are fast Mumma."

I hesitated.  Then took more leisurely steps.  To match my son's.

We were in no rush.  Finley was asleep, John was home with him.

I slowed and he took my hand in his.

And kissed it.

Yes.  He kissed my hand.  He does this often...such a romantic gesture for four year old boy.

He is a Mumma's boy.  There is no doubt about that.

We continued our walk to no where in particular and then I suggested we head down the road to get a donut.

I didn't say much after that, I didn't guide or force a conversation as I usually sometimes do.

I simply waited to see, to hear, what he would say....as we strolled hand in hand.

"What a nice day."  he observes.

"It's a beautiful day...almost like spring."

We crossed our road and moved onto a busier one.

Stepping in mostly unison, the sun in our faces, I felt utter contentment arise within me.

So rare these moments alone with my children once my second son was born.  Yet, so, so very important to all of us.

"Look at that river!" he exclaims pointing at the creek down a small, steep hill that flowed parallel to the sidewalk we walked along.

"Yes, that's more of a creek because it's so small.  Do you think anything lives in there?" I asked.

"Ducks.  Frogs...baby frogs.  What are they called again?  Tadfoils?"

I stopped walking and crouched down beside him, one knee on the ground, "What did you say baby frogs are called honey?" I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly but it sounded so darn adorable.

He looked doubtful, but encouraged by my smile he replied, "Tad...foils?"

"Very close bud.  Tadpoles.  That's great that you know that!"

We continued and again he placed his hand in mine.

"Mmmm...that smells good." we were coming up to the McDonald's and the scent of oil coated french fries wafted from the building and across the street towards us.

"It does smell good."

We arrived at the gas station slash convenience store slash Tim Horton's.

"What donut are you going to get?" I asked him just as we approached the door.

"I'm not sure...I'll see when we get inside."  Such precociousness.

We sat beside each other on the high stools at the even higher table.  He asked me to split his donut it in half.

So we could share it.  Do you see why I think this child is so awesome now? He shares his food...sharing food - especially deliciousness like donuts does not come easily to me so I always think it's astounding when he wants to share his favourite decadence with me.

He munched on his vanilla sprinkle donut.  I watched him, feeling as though my heart might pop out of my chest.  He had a bright pink sprinkle on his lower lip.  He licked it off and then said the words that were right there...in the forefront of my mind....on the tip of my tongue.

Except they came from his mouth.

"I love spending time just the two of us."

Oh those words.  I will never tire of hearing those words....and I know the day will come too soon for me when they won't be spoken again...with that sweet voice.

"Me too baby. So much."

On the way home we jumped over tree shadows, I showed him how to balance on a line with arms out to the side, like an airplane.  He was a natural. I piggybacked him and swooped him into my arms like a baby.  We ran, we walked, - always with his hand in mine.

Closer to home we laid down on an electrical box and watched the clouds.

"I see a pig and a pterodactyl...your turn"

Your turn.  Love that.

"I see a hippo - it looks like it's roaring!  See it's teeth?"

"Yeah!  The pig looks like it's eating a whale."  It did!  

There were fishes, faces and sea horses.

And there was us.  Just the two of us.

Full of imagination...looking up at the blue sky full of wonderful creatures.

It was a glorious afternoon.

You can't buy moments like these.

Okay....so it might cost you a dollar for donut.  But, my oh my, it's worth every single penny.

My and my cool kid. 

He just looked so scrumptious eating his scrumptious donut
I had to take his picture...unbeknownst to him. 

Cheese and Sprinkles!

There's the hippo!  Okay, so he's an earless hippo but do you see it too??

On the green box that promises not to explode as long
as it's not broken into.

Yes.  Glori-ori-ous indeed.