This happens every day. Not once has he shown any interest in actually carrying out this plan. He couldn't care less about playing dump trucks or bulldozers with G.G. or Poppy, but he always says it.
It's tradition.
It's what we say.
Sometimes he pretends that he isn't going to say it, but if I leave the room, I'll hear him start to whimper. I will sometimes say, "I'm going to tell you what," to speed things along, and then he giggles and says, "No, I'm going to tell you what!" And then he does.
It's what we do.
It's tradition.
Except that yesterday he didn't say it. He said goodnight and we blew kisses but he didn't tell me what. He didn't whimper when I left the room.
I kept thinking about it all evening. Is he past it? Are we done telling what? I don't know that I'm ready to be done telling what, but I don't want to push to keep it, either.
So today when I put him to bed I just sort of let him take the lead. I tucked him in and told him I loved him, and started to get up from the bed. He pulled me down and said, "Mom, I want to tell you what. I want to play dump trucks and bulldozers at G.G. and Poppy's house tomorrow AND {squeezing his chubby hands on my cheeks until he's given me an fabulous fishy face and then roaring} I want to take the dump truck and bulldozer TO THEIR HOUSE TOMORROW!" Then he fell back against his pillow, laughing.
I guess he needed a break so that he could make some improvements.
I told him it sounded like a great idea, and then we blew kisses and I left the room.
He won't always want to tell me what. Or maybe he will but it won't be the same sweet kind of what. He won't always insist on wearing pink infant sunglasses for his school picture or be adamant that I call him Magnet Boy or Super Dog. Someday, tomorrow will actually mean tomorrow and not any moment in the future. Yesterday will be a specific day and not any moment previous to this one.
I know that, but I'm glad it's not this moment.
Never tired of being told what,
Magnet Boy's Mama
