One on One

I spend most of my time with the boys as a pack. I don't think I realized this until Sundays became time for Griffin and me to bond, to lunch, to shop, alone, while his older brothers skied. I love Sundays. Yes, it's easier to parent one child at a time, rather than three. But it is also so precious to have the one on one time with my child, to listen to him uninterrupted, to giggle with him and love him up selfishly and unabashedly.

Last Saturday, Aidan had a swim meet. Aidan's entry into the meet was a little past the deadline (yes, bad mother. BAD!). This left him only swimming in one race. We were done much earlier than planned and instead of heading home, we opted to go out for breakfast, just the two of us. Aidan was thrilled to have me to himself over bagels and hot chocolate. And once again, I loved the chance to enjoy one of my children solely and completely.

This weekend it is Brennan's turn. I told him that on Saturday, we are leaving his brothers home with Daddy and heading out to breakfast, alone. His eyes lit with excitement as he pondered our options for breakfast fare.

Later that evening, as I put Brennan to bed, he hugged me close and whispered to me, "I have so many things that I have to tell you about school and my friends from today, but I am going to save it all for our breakfast. That way I can tell you all of it without anyone else there. No one else can hear. It will just be me and you."

I smiled and told him I couldn't wait. He asked me to help him count down the days until Saturday again. I left him, snuggled up under the covers, counting down the days to Saturday on his fingers.

It is such a simple thing, to take your child out for breakfast with just the two of you, but sometimes it is the simplest things that matter the most of all.