Four Little Words

My three year old tends to repeat his needs and wants over and over and over. Quite often he repeats himself to the point of frustration.  "I need to watch a show", "I need to watch a show", "I need to watch a show", or "I don't want to go hiking", "I don't want to go hiking", "I don't want to go hiking". When I stop responding to him he will pause say "Mom" and when I say "Yes, what is it Jack", away we go again with what he has already been telling me.

One of his favorite things to say, all day long, is: "I miss you mom". He says this when he wakes up, when we are sitting on the couch watching a show, when we are outside playing.  He tends to follow this with "I'm so glad you came home". Since I am 90% a stay-at-home mom, my usual response is: "I've been with you all day, how can you miss me?". I will tell him that he needs to tell his dad he misses him, that is the person who is gone all day. He will but more often he will turn to me and say "I miss you, I'm so glad you came home". I have to admit I hear it so often I have started to just ignore him. I used to always say "I miss you too" or "I love you" or tease him, but lately I just continue with what I am doing because, honestly, we are together all the time. The chances to miss each other are very few.

Last night I came back from Bible study and went in to check on the boys. Jack was turned all around in bed and laying on his blanket so I decided to move him. I gently lifted him up and placed his head on his pillow and tucked blankie in all around him. His eyes barely opened and he mumbled something. I pulled his pacifier out of his mouth and leaned down to hear him. On a very soft sigh I heard "I missed you mom" as he rolled over and snuggled in.

Oh, Jack, I missed you too.