Arthur came home from school last Thursday with his backpack full of surprises. He ran up to his room, clutching several things to his chest.
"You didn't see me, Mom?"
"I didn't see a thing."
Two hours later, during rest time, he opened his door and yelled. "Mom! MOM!"
I met him on the stairs, his hands full of papers and bags. He handed them all to me at the same time, told me his teacher had said you could give the surprise to your mom anytime, you don't have to wait until Sunday. He just couldn't wait.
Among the prizes were a picture of a bee, a tote bag with hand print flowers, and this letter.
You guys. It's the best thing I've ever gotten. And not just because he guessed my age a full 20 years younger and I am really good at jumping.
I love being a mom. I love being Arthur's mom.
Last week, I rode my scooter next to his bike, up and down the street. We do this every day from 4:00 to 5:00. Sometimes we're racing, but sometimes we're just cruising and chatting. On this particular day, we were discussing our summer plans and things we want to do on our upcoming vacation and I realized, quite suddenly, that Arthur is my friend. I had assumed that being friends with your kids was something that happens once they are older, if you're lucky. I never knew what great company a four year old could be, but Arthur is one of my favorite people to hang out with.
Steve and Arthur made the whole weekend grand and I was sorry when it was over. The good news is that in May, there's something to celebrate almost every weekend, so I'm already looking forward to the next one!
