I'll Always Be Your Kiddo

Dear Jackson Caulfield, you are going through a phase. The phase includes showing adoration upon your Mama at the excruciating exclusion of all others. It means you say the sweetest thing to me, like "You are best mama in the whole world!" and "I [want to] make you feel loved."

Tonight, the inspiration for returning to this chronicle of our life of Growing Up Grove was this: "Mama, I'll always be your kiddo. Even when I'm grown, I'll still be your kid." Yes, I answered, and I will always be your Mama, today and always, no matter how old you or I get.

Then, as I sometimes have a habit of doing, I muttered to myself: "If I could bottle this...keep you this sweet forever." Whenever I think I am talking to myself, they always hear me. So, then Jack said, "Why Mama?" Oh, because you will grow and I hope you will be this sweet forever, but maybe you won't.

Like when you are 5, as evidenced by his 5 1/2 year old sister calling my actions "disgusting" because I made her get off the tablet when she couldn't control her emotions over Jack "destroying her game" (for posterity's sake: the game was Tic-tac-Toe). But, I still love her, because she, too will always be my kiddo.