Sixteen-eva!

"Sixteen-eva"

I want to share a little story with you. A story I want to remember forever and a day.

I was getting ready for bed, going about my nightly routine one night, when Josh came tiptoeing into my room. As usual he was going to "hide" in the covers so no one would notice him and he could sleep there all night. For a 33 pound 3-year old, you wouldn’t imagine he’d take up much square footage in a queen-sized bed, but you’d be wrong. Josh likes to cuddle. Which means, if you move to the edge to gain a little space and perhaps a little breathing room, Josh moves with you, like Velcro stuck to my side, until I nearly roll off the edge, clinging to the comforter like a lifeline.

But I’m not complaining. I’ll take all the cuddle-time I can get. I know one day he’ll be a handsome young man, towering over his mother as if I were the child, the last thing on his teenaged mind will be climbing in my lap for a late-night snuggle.

So on this night, I mockingly ask Josh if he’ll rub my back. We usually have some kind of nightly game we play, kind of our bed-time story of sorts, like "Where’s Josh" or "I love you this much" or "gee! my pillow sure is lumpy". This time I decided I’d head him off at the pass ;-) Usually it’s him requesting the massage.

Josh responds with a growl, "Ughhhh, how many times you want me to rub it?"

I laugh because I’ve only ever asked it once before. And I can tell you this much, our little minute-man will not grow up to be a masseur, you don’t have to worry about that.

1, 2, 3, I’m done. My turn. Then he pulls off his shirt and flops face down into the sheets.

So I retort, "Well little mister, how many times do you want me to rub *your*back?"

And he ponders this for all of a second, taps his finger to his lips while he looks into his mind for the answer, "Sixteen-eva"

I smile.

And his chest puffs out as he proudly ponders his response.

Sixteen-eva.

I can hear Halie passing through the hall after brushing her teeth in the bathroom, so I call her in to tell her Joshy’s new word.

Sixteen-eva.

And I tell her the story, and we laugh about it. Ooh’ing and Ahh’ing – how cute.

Then we hear him. He’s laying on his back now, whispering to himself, holding up his fingers. I don’t know if he’s still listening to us, but he’s counting.

One-eva, two-eva, three-eva, FOUR-eva.

Ah ha! And it all makes sense now. An insight into the mind of a 3-year old.

Before this night, I always said to the kids, "I love you forever and a day." It was my signature mark.

Kaitlynn would reply with "I love you forever and a day plus one blue M&M"

And now we will all reply with:

I love you sixteenever!