Love

Lately M has been exceptionally affectionate with both of us. The other night at bedtime, he went up to B and said "Dad, I really, really, really, really, really love you!" and gave him a huge hug. He usually spontaneously hugs and kisses me at least once a day and tells me that he loves me and has taken to putting both hands behind his back with the backs of his hands touching and saying "I love you [or Dad] THHHIIISSS much."

It pleases me that he is such an affectionate child. I hope that this is something he carries forward into the rest of his life. It is important to show and tell the people that you love how much you love them on a regular basis. And, it is something that many of us don't do often enough. I know that B and I say I love you every night before we go to sleep, but not always with the spontaneity and fervor that M brings to the statement. And, so I find myself smiling at M's declarations of affection because I feel that he must feel very loved by us and safe and secure in this house to be able to show such love back to us. And, I try to emulate him and tell both B and M more often that I love them out of the blue and say it with excitement.

When I got married to B, one of my main goals was to bring up any children I might have knowing what a loving marriage looks like. I like to think that M is now reflecting back on the world the love he sees in our home and the love that has been showered upon him by his parents and all the multitude of friends, family members and others who have loved him already in his first 5 years (and B and I before he was even born.) And, I get sad sometimes to think that there are children out there who are not surrounded by this type of love and assurance. If I could, I would adopt every single one of them into my home. In the meantime, however, I am thankful that my child is, indeed, a very lucky child!