It Must Be Bunnies

Yesterday, I got stuck at work for 12+ hours, unexpectedly...which meant I didn't see Cordelia at all (and won't until this afternoon). I got home at 7, just in time to kiss Cody goodnight. When I burst into his room, I got the best hug and, "Mommy! Thank you so much for coming home to me!" (Insert sound of my heart cracking.) We got some cuddle time, and when JVL said he would go downstairs to give us MommyCody time, Cody replied sweetly, "Daddy? Is it ok if you just stay in my room with us? Could we do our cuddle time as a family?" We talked a lot about his day, and here are some of the highlights.

CJP: Mom, I was awesome today. Well, I did have some tribulations with Daddy. But tomorrow I will not pick at my boo-boos, and I will not pull on Bidi, and I will not slam my door. Tomorrow when you come home I will give you an awesome report. I will try not to do tantrums. Well, I did a little bit of tantrums today. But then I made an awesome recovery. And we went to the sprayground and it was awesome!

SLL: I'm so glad to hear that, sweetie. Tell me about your time at the sprayground. Was it crowded?

CJP: Oh yes. It was a little bit crowded. (JVL told me there were, at most, four other kids there.) And I got a little bit sensitive when it was time to leave. It's possible that I cried and cried. And I asked Daddy if he packed Patches for me to cuddle and he didn't. But then my sister did something so kind. She had three bunnies with her and she shared two of her bunnies with me when I got upset! She gave me both of her very own bunnies to hold! Wasn't that so kind?

SLL: Oh Cody. I am so proud of that sharing. It was very kind. I think she is learning about sharing from you. You are setting such a good example. When she hurt herself yesterday, you brought Bidi down to kiss and comfort her. And today, when you were sad, she offered you her special bunnies to help you. That is excellent sharing, and great brothering and sistering.

CJP: Well, sometimes she does not share. And yesterday I got upset because she knocked down my towers when I was building them. Wasn't that so unkind of her?

SLL: Well, I think she probably thought it was part of a game. I don't think she meant to be unkind. She is just learning. That's why it's so important for her to see your good example.

CJP: Oh Mommy, I will teach her! I will teach her about no hitting, and no biting, and no kicking, and no grabbing. I will teach her about being safe. But Mommy, one of these days, when she climbs up onto the couch and stands up when she is not supposed to do that, you will not get her down when I warn you. One of these days she will just fall off and bonk her head and hurt herself, and then she will learn. That will just be too bad for her.

JVL asked me where on earth he got that last part. I confess: from me. Because she is at the point where she gets my attention, grins, does something totally risky, and makes sure that a) I am watching in horror and b) she is grinning madly while taking her life in her hands. And Cody's right. I can't always get there, and in truth, I think it only encourages her when I do. So, yes, one of these days, she'll bonk her head and maybe stop being, as he calls, her "a wittle dawe-devil!"

PS: Kelly, the headline is just for you.