learning to navigate the world, j-bear style

Merry and Bright

Tonight as I worked on our Christmas dinner, I coughed into my sleeve.

Whenever someone coughed, J asks immediately “okay?” and he will persist in asking until you answer and reassure him you’re okay. It’s my fault he does it, as whenever he gets coughing I ask him the same thing. The habit is completely endearing to me when he does it though.

Anyway, tonight I coughed. And he said, “okay?” and I was busy with what I was working on and did not answer immediately.

And he said “fine, mama?”

Everything stopped, if just for a split second.

One year ago, “mama” was only said as a fluke. It was said once and forgotten. The past few months, “mama” has been said when prompted, and with intention and understanding. I can ask him to bring something to mama and he will bring it to me and so on….

But… “Fine, mama?”

My son asked me, by ‘name’, if I was okay.

The boxes under the tree, he’s making it a habit of trumping anything that could be in them.

Yes, baby. I’m more than fine. I am wonderful for you having asked.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone.

1 Comment

  1. Shereen AbuSaeedi

    Oh mama, I get it. I love this. Recently my 4-year old son with Autism crawled into my lap and, for the first time ever, spontaneously said, “I love you, mama.” And I melted. He’s said it with prompting, and his 2-year old sister says it all the time, but this was the first time he said it on his own, no prompting. It was magical.
    Yes, mama, I understand. <3

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