Monkey loves his Mama

God has given my sweet Monkey a tender and amazingly sweet heart. He has not, however, given him a very sneaky disposition... something that he may want to work on, since he intends to be a spy when he grows up. Let me tell you a little bit about my week leading up to Mother's Day...

Monday
"Mommy, for Mother's Day, I think you should get to sleep in. Just sleep in as long as you want. That's what you should do, because you deserve it."

Tuesday
"Mommy, are you going to sleep in on Mother's Day? Oh wait, we have church that day, so you can't. Well, you should sleep in on Saturday, then. You definitely need to sleep in on Saturday. Like, really sleep in. On Saturday. This weekend."

Wednesday
"Mommy, are you going to sleep in on Saturday? I really think you should. I need you to sleep in. On Saturday. For Mother's Day. Also, I need to give you your Mother's Day present a day early. Is that OK?"

Thursday
"Mommy, I'm going to give you your Mother's Day present a day early. And I'm not going to tell you what it is, but I'll give you a hint... It's something that we do every day in the morning. But that's your only hint. Also, you're going to sleep in on Saturday, right?"

Friday morning
"Mommy, what's your favorite cereal? I don't mean, like, of all the cereals in the whole world. I just mean... you know, if you had to choose from the cereals we have here at home... what would you say is your favorite cereal from those?"

Friday night
"Good night, Mommy! Don't forget to sleep in tomorrow! No matter what. You need to sleep in until at least... like, 7:00. OK?"

And then there was this...
Saturday morning - 6:08 AM

Me (groggily): Hello?
Monkey (whispering loudly): No! Mommy! You're supposed to be asleep! Remember?
(Why exactly was there knocking, then?)
Me (looking at the clock): What's up, Buddy?
Monkey: I'm trying to give you your Mother's Day present.
Me: But... but it's too early, honey. Go back to bed for a little bit and THEN give it to me, OK?
Monkey (tearing up and on the verge of a meltdown): But, Mommy, I already got it ready.
Me: You did? That is so sweet, hon.
Monkey: Will you PLEASE go back to sleep now?
Me: I will IF you will go back to sleep after you take care of my present.

So much for sleeping in. But a few seconds later, that sweet boy left a bowl of Cap'n Crunch and an apple sitting by my bed, along with a poem and a picture that he made (which included his handprint). I might have had to get up early, but it was worth it.

But Monkey's Mother's Day celebration wasn't over yet. On Sunday afternoon he came running inside and announced, "Mommy! I have another Mother's Day present for you!"

Oh, that is so sweet. What did he think of now?

"I just found it! Outside! It used to be alive--well, it used to have something alive living in it!"

Um... I suddenly don't think I like the direction this is headed.

It turned out to be a shell that he had found in our yard. Of course. You know, being that we live in Ohio, not anywhere near a body of water. That makes perfect sense. But hey, it wasn't a snake skin... not that that's immediately where my mind went from his description or anything. I'll gladly take a shell of unknown origin.

Happy Mother's Day!