Seeing Myself Through My Son’s Eyes… And Markers
My poor Superhero has been sick since Monday. Just as I was arriving to attend the Winter Party in his kindergarten classroom Monday afternoon, the teacher’s assistant was escorting him to the nurse’s office. He looked like a zombie… it barely even registered that I’d just passed him and said hi in the hallway.
He missed the winter party, and pajama day at school on Tuesday, and the rest of the fun events we had planned around Christmas. Bummer. After feeling better for a day, he woke up Friday and was coughing like crazy. We went to the doc, and he’s now got croup.
Good grief, this little dude can’t catch a break. And it sucks even worse when it’s sunny and 52 degrees in December in New England and all the neighborhood kids are outside playing.
So, we were hanging out inside today — it probably goes without saying that I am also sick now — and he decided to do a drawing of me on his new easel.
I was laying on the couch, all bedraggled and ragamuffin looking, and he started asking questions as he drew:
— “Is it OK if your head is shaped like a pumpkin?” Yes.
— “Do you want a happy face or a sick face?” Happy. “I’m going to do a medium face because you don’t look that great right now.” OK.
— “What color is your hair today?” It’s brown now, right? I can’t remember through the cocktail of cold medications.
— “I’m going to make your hair look like you’re in college.” I’m not sure what that means, but I can’t wait to see it.
— “Do you want earrings?” Yes. Give me some fun ones.
— “What color dress?” Pink. “I’m going to make it a couple different colors of pink.” Awesome.
— “What color shoes do you want?” Purple. “I’m going to make one purple and one orange.” Oooh, that sounds fun, bud.
He studies what he’s just drawn and says, “Pretend you put on one of the boots backwards. The other one looks like pants, but it’s really a boot.”
The best rendering of myself I have ever seen, by Superhero, 5.
Obviously, I cried because A) it was so cute; B) I was all emotional with illness; C) I love this kid more than anything.
I hate that he’s sick, but we’ve been having a great time playing Go Fish, Hangman, Boxing Robots and his new USA Brain Box game. I miss him when he’s at school all day, and it’s been beautiful to spend some time with him.
Three other notes about today, which I feel must be mentioned, but am too fried to expand on right now:
My husband is the best dad. Hearing him playing so sweetly with the kids while I was laying in bed convalescing made me feel so happy. It filled me with so much love and joy, that I cried a little and then spent the next 20 minutes blowing my nose.
Also, today, Dec. 27, 2014, will go down in history as the day my kids got along all day, barely a skirmish over anything. Simply amazing.
Last, today is the eighth anniversary of rescuing our dear dog, Lucy, from the animal shelter. She deserves her own post, and will get one as soon as I can muster the energy. Happy “Birth”day, Lucy. You’re the sweetest girl in the world.
Lucy on her adoption day. Dec. 27, 2006.
Happy trails, y’all. It’s time for some NyQuil.
The Wild Rumpus 
Those are some very fancy shoes! Hope your Superhero feels better soon!
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Thanks so much! Maybe I can get a pair in real life. 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting!
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