Love You Too

Abby has a new habit. I noticed it a couple of weeks ago as she was eating her breakfast. It happened so quickly that afterwards I asked myself, Did she just say that? And so, when she did it again the next day I wasn't surprised, but it certainly warmed my heart.

Now, I've shared enough about our mornings around here for you to know that they're a bit busy. Usually, Jason and I are tag-teaming it and I'm running down to get clothes from the dryer, up to iron them, down to make breakfast and lunches, up to put on my make-up and do my hair - you get the drift. It was on one of those quick trips that I zoomed by Abby as she was sitting at the table, eating her Cheerios and watching a program, that I stroked her head as I went past. It wasn't something I thought about - it was just something I did because she was there. Abby didn't miss a beat and without pausing in her eating or movie watching she simply said, "Love you too, Mom." That's when I stopped and turned back to her in amazement. I hadn't said a thing - at least not with words, and yet she knew that by my touch I was telling her that I loved her - even when I didn't realize it myself. Have I mentioned that Abby is a genius?

I turned right back around and put my arms around her and planted a big squishy Mama kiss on her cheek and told her (with words) that I loved her. I think she humored me and then we all got back to business. I remember thinking about it during the rest of the day, and smiling when I did.

Since then she has told me that each day, like this afternoon when she got home from school. The bus driver made it a point to mention to me that Abby had been abnormally quiet on the bus ride. Usually she and her good friend get each other going and I'm sure it is a wild ride, but today she really didn't say much. I noticed it too. She didn't try to get into the driver's seat when she got to the front of the bus, she didn't fight it when Miss Kathy put her backpack on her, and she didn't even try to sneak back to visit with her good buddy one more time before leaving, she just calmly walked to the front of the bus and looked at me with quiet eyes, and Abby rarely has quiet eyes.

I figured this was just residual tiredness from a long day at school, after a couple of days home sick, but I picked her up anyway and carried her across the street to the house. As I walked with her to the front door she curled around me and put her face in that spot where my shoulder meets my neck - my "snuggle spot" and I squeezed her a bit harder. That's when I heard it, softly she whispered, "Awww, Love you too, Mama." Once again she knew that my hug meant love, and she acknowledged that. Despite the fact that it happens often, she still has the power to surprise me with her sweetness.

After some dinner (and some ice cream "with the sauce" a.k.a. chocolate syrup) she perked right up and was once again the girl with the dancing eyes - and feet. We ended the evening by enjoying some Kung Fu Panda, and since she was so sweetly cuddling on my lap I let her stay up a few minutes after her bedtime to finish it.

We went off to bed, and after a short stint of giggles with Dada (at Mom's expense - humph!), she fell asleep in my arms, and as I watched her sleep I kissed her forehead and thought: Awww..love you too, Abby.

The cheeky-monkey found some "buko-gun"
and bold as you please popped it in her mouth
without asking. When I said to her, "Hey, did
you ask for that?" she impudently replied, "No."
and kept shoving it in her mouth. Good thing
she was so sweet earlier - the stinker!