Tables and Comfort

Well. It's official. I still have darn cute kids.

We have this silly little "kiddy" table in my kitchen...perfect size for Rianna and Jacob. It drives me absolutely nutty having it in there because my kitchen is small and it blocks the cabinet and the door to the basement. But alas, every time I move it my kids notice and ask for it to be returned.

So I put it back.

Sigh.

They love it. They eat snacks there, they school, and so many other things. I have a huge map on my kitchen wall and the table sits in front of it. Jacob often stares at it and wonders about far away places. As much as I don’t like the silly table I can't get rid of it! Oh well. I think I should just plan on trying to like it instead! :)

So anyway, my kids are eating there before their bedtime snack, and Rianna wants me to sit next to her. There are only two chairs and both are being occupied at that moment, so I opt to sit on top of the table. This of course makes my daughter VERY pleased. She loves to be touched and know that someone she loves is near her. Her "happy feet" start bopping up and down as she says, "Thanks Mommy!!" I just laugh and say, "You're welcome, dear." She looks at me sideways and smiles in her "I have something witty to say" look. "Am I a deer, Mommy?" I smile back and say, "Yes, you are my dear!" She smiles, throws her head back and squealed, “NO! I am the hunter!"

Oy vey.

I often have to remind myself she is only two.

Then tonight Jake and I decide to clean his room. Yes, a very daunting task if you have seen my kid's room lately. We are both "DONE" trying to find things in it and have been talking about cleaning it for weeks. Besides, we need to find his goggles for swim class!! Well, we start tonight and it feels darn good. So, we clean everything but under the bed and in the closet. Of course...the two scariest parts, but at least you can walk in there now without yelping because you stepped on some tiny toy.

Afterward, I help Jacob make his bed and he crawls in it. We pray and give kisses goodnight. "Mom? Do you remember my li li (pronounced Lee Lee)?" I think, "DO I REMEMBER YOUR LI LI??" OF COURSE!!!" His li li was his blanket. It was one of those "throws" you give people for the wedding day that usually has patterned hearts all over it and they always have FRINGE! The fringe was the part that Jacob loved! He rubbed a hole in his blanket and it eventually tore. My mom-in-law (with permission from Jacob) fixed it and made it into two li lis. It was absolutely irresistible to Jacob. Most any blanket with fringe would do, but he especially liked this white one (or should I say two after Mom worked on it!). Well, one day he asked us to put it away because he knew he had to stop sucking his thumb and his li li made him suck his thumb.

Wow.

We were totally astonished. So, we made sure he understood what he was asking and he was okay with it. It's been in a box in the basement ever since.

Well, back to my original story... So, he asks me if I remember this blanket. I tell him that I indeed do. He then asks me for it. It kind of surprises me so I ask, “Why?” He just says he wants to sleep with it. He then says he doesn’t want to suck his thumb (and then immediately promises he wouldn’t! LOL), but that he misses the way it feels on his nose.

I tell him that I couldn’t get to his original li li but I knew where a substitute was located. He is happy with that idea. I give him the other blanket, and he immediately brings it to his nose and giggles. "This feels good, Mommy. Don't worry. My thumb will not go in my mouth."

Not what I expect. I forget what a creature of comfort he is.

Wonder where he gets it! :)