Simple Pleasures

It’s 11:30 and I’m tired and fighting a 12 hour headache. Gary and I spent the evening at the local Chamber of Commerce meeting and after a long night of networking, city budget talks and monotonous speeches, I’m looking forward to bed.

It’s hard to hide the impatience I feel when Matty hands me yet another book. The excitement of the evening has given him a second wind. An evening full of visiting neighbour kids, a babysitter and a few hours without mom to keep things in check, has kept my little guy awake, fighting sleep, afraid to miss more fun, and a chance to make up some lost mommy time.

The long day finally starts to take it’s toll, but still fighting the urge to snuggle up on the couch and nurse for fear of falling asleep, Matty grabs my favourite foot cream and say’s “sawj?” His nose is stuffy from a cold and his tone is slightly nasal and I wish I could record his childish two year old voice, expressing himself with this new vocabulary.

Of course I say, laying him down on the couch, his head propped up on an old afghan.

He sticks his chubby little feet in my lap, he loves his feet massaged.

“Sawj” he sighs as I lather a large dollop of sweet, faintly nutty, smelling cream between his toes. “goooood” he whispers.

I trace the green, red and blue lines he’s drawn all over the tops of his feet. “Pick-ers” he says proud of the pictures he’s drawn all over himself.

He has a mess of long red stripes scrawled on his tummy. “Gooood” he says again and I notice his eyes are starting to flutter. I can’t help but smile to myself and he notices my grin each time he opens his eyes and smiles back.

He’s ready to give in to sleep so I lay my head next to his chest and listen to him breathe. Like always, he immediately sinks one hand into my hair, fanning his fingers out. I barely make out one last word, “hair” as his eyes roll back and my little boy falls asleep. His long lashes rest on his cheeks and I can’t help but brush his hair back across his forehead. Faint blue lines are revealed under his hair where he’s hidden more artwork.

My little angel, fast asleep.