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.
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