I tuck his quilt up around his chin, kiss his forehead, lean in and rest my cheek against his, inhale that puppy breath. He smiles, sleepy eyes dancing as he asks,
“Mommy will you do the thing where you pick me?”
I smile.
My friend Heather had taught me this last year…
“Oh Dutch, if I took all the little boys in the whole wide world, and I packed them all into a giant football stadium; and if I went through one-by-one and looked at every single little boy in the whole wide world. I’d look at each one and say Nope, not this one; Nope not this one; Nope not this one. Then I’d say, That’s the one! That’s the one I want! Do you know who I would pick?”
He can’t contain himself he’s smiling down to his toes, giggles erupt.
“Me! Me! You’d pick me!”
“That’s right babyboy, I’d pick you.”
He grins, content. “Will you do the girl one?”
I share the same story about all the little girls, then narrow it down to one. “Do you know who I would pick?” Again he’s giddy: “Heidi!”
“That’s right. I’d pick Heidi.”
Heidi perks up her ears from across the room. “Mommy will you do the thing where you pick me?”
I go over and repeat the story for her. No matter how many times they hear this they still just bubble over, they love it so much.
When I finish I hear Dutch say it softly from across the room.
“If I took all the little mommies … uh … big mommies in the whole wide world and I went through every one. I’d say Nope not that one, nope not that one, nope not that one. Do you know who I’d pick?” His grin stretches to his ears, you’d think he held the biggest secret in the world.
“You Mommy! I’d pick you!” I shake my head, laughing.
These kids heap love when they are loved.
Heidi wants to join the fun and pipes up in her bird-chirp voice:
“If I took a’ the li’l mommies in the whole world, I would look and say No not that one. No not that one.” and of a’ the li’l mommies in the whole wide world I would pick …
Daddy!”
We all erupt. Heidi’s won the day.
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{Where can you heap love today? Who needs to know that you’d choose them every time? Thanks for reading.}
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
So sweet! I remember those endearing words with my children when they were wee ones. Thanks. Brought a smile to my face.
Loooove it!
love it ,, we did that with you and kris… papa
What a blessing to watch our grands adore their mommie and daddy. Oma
BTW, readers, this fun little game works even if you have more than one child of each gender! My friend with 7 kids says, “Of all the 5-year-old boys in the whole wide world…” They don’t care how specific you have to make it as long as they’re chosen!
Just love it… little kids are so adorable. The little one I babysit is 2.5 years old and today she said ‘I will drink my milk and it will make me big, strong and brave.’ really?
I just have to tell you. I read this and was gushing! Literally, I was reading it aloud to some of my girlfriends, and I got to where Heidi was chiming in her ‘picking’ story. You know that moment where your brain reads faster than you are translating the sentences? Well, I laughed so hard! This brought me so much joy and comical relief! Sweet Heidi.
Thank you for sharing those sweet and uplifting moments, they are greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Cotton!
So cute Sharon! We have to write all those things down!
Kelsey, you’re so dear. Glad you could get a laugh! I can’t believe Heidi wasn’t even born when we met… crazy.