Happiness Is

Last night, H was trying to give J his appetite stimulant. J used to take it quite willingly, but he's changed his mind about it recently. He fights. He puts his hands over his mouth. He runs away and tries to hide. He spits it all out and requires a second attempt.

Last night, I asked J if he wanted to lie in Mommy's lap while Daddy gave him the medicine. J agreed.

J crawled up on the couch beside me, climbed into my lap, and laid down in my arms. H came over with the little syringe, and he and I caressed J's sweet little face for a moment before giving him his little dose.

J: I'm soooooo happy!

And then he happily swallowed all of his medicine on the first try.

I love the things J says and does now. I love it when he runs up and hugs me, gives me kisses, wants to sit in my lap, wants me to sit beside him at the table for dinner. I love when he climbs up on the big stools so that he can eat his dinner at the kitchen island, and when he stuffs his teddy bears into the electric fireplace for safekeeping. I love how he climbs up on top of his slide house and pretends that he's riding a horse or a dinosaur, and when he grabs the top bar and swings. I love when he insists that we take pictures of his antics.

One thing that J says now, which I really enjoy is:

J: I like you!

It's such a happy, sincere expression. And it's just so sweet.

J has his moody times still, of course. They are frequent. But his happy times are doing more and more to compensate for his bouts of bad temper. And he's so much fun when he's happy and playful.

I love being J's mommy. I look forward to the day when I can get up off the couch again and play with him properly. He adds so much to our lives. And, to quote J: "I'm soooooo happy!"