"Did you know that you have super powers?" I asked him, returning him to his bed for the fifth time that night.
"I do?" he sniffled.
I was desperate - after seeing almost every wee hour of the morning come and go as he'd enter my room and tell me he was scared.
Nothing was working. Prizes. Punishments.
Pleading.
I had nothing left in my back pocket of creative parenting strategies. Exhausted from arguing.
Ashamed from yelling.
"Yes, you were born with it," I said.
I combed the hair on the back of his head with my fingers and whispered, "It's your smile."
He turned towards me. Curious.
"When you were born the nurses came to me and they said 'Did you know that your son has super powers?'"
His eyes brightened.
"And I said 'Yes, I saw it the instant he was born.'"
I smiled and leaned in closer to his ear.
"When you smile, you make all the bad stuff go away."
I choked back my tears, remembering how special it was when he was born. A light during a dark time. Two miscarriages. Living with the in-laws.
The 2nd child that we thought we might not have.
He arrived quickly and easily on a snowy morning. He slept. And took bottles. And liked being held by other people than me.
He changed everything that I had known about parenting. In a good way.
But I'd since forgotten all that - easy baby now very challenging toddler.
"That's all I have to do?" he asked, forcing a grin over and over.
"It's all you ever have to do," I said, kissing him on the forehead.
He smiled at me as I walked out the door.
And I smiled back.
All the bad stuff gone.
Love this post!! Also love the comment above about the perfume bottle - so precious.
Posted by: Katherine | November 15, 2010 at 04:06 PM
Love this...just love it.
Posted by: Nikki | November 14, 2010 at 08:28 PM
I will be using this.
Thanks Kristen!
Posted by: Amanda | November 12, 2010 at 12:01 PM
What a great idea! And very touching. I will definitely keep this in mind.
Posted by: Stephanie | November 11, 2010 at 10:33 PM
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Hope it works too.
Posted by: Issa | November 11, 2010 at 03:22 PM
you've amazing super powers of capturing those lil momma moments and sharing with all of us here.
beautiful post!
Posted by: Dede @ www.divacafe.net | November 11, 2010 at 02:21 PM
How sweet.
Posted by: wm | November 11, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Very wise mothering. Thanks for reminding me of the moments that stick.
Posted by: Carla | November 11, 2010 at 01:21 AM
I smiled so hard reading this -beautiful moment for the both of you :)
I'm bookmarking this one!
Posted by: Amira | November 11, 2010 at 12:47 AM
Oh my, such a sweet story mama. I'm amazed you could come up with something that sweet and fabulous on very little sleep!
Posted by: elz | November 10, 2010 at 11:41 PM
Perfect. Perfect post. Perfect mothering.
And I'm keeping this one in my back pocket.
-Abby
Posted by: @sweetbabboo | November 10, 2010 at 10:07 PM
So cute, thank you for sharing that, I really needed it today!
Posted by: Jennieology | November 10, 2010 at 08:45 PM
Love this! I'll bet Drew did, too.
Nice job, Mama!
Posted by: caramama | November 10, 2010 at 07:45 PM
What is it with boys? Michael was a really easy baby and was a difficult 3/4/5. In fact, I'm still waiting.
Posted by: jodifur | November 10, 2010 at 07:12 PM
Fantastic! Brilliant idea.
Posted by: Jen L. | November 10, 2010 at 07:00 PM
Thank you for reminding me there is a sweet easy baby inside my uber-challenging toddler. I needed that!
Posted by: Angela@beggingtheanswer | November 10, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Aw.
Posted by: The New Girl | November 10, 2010 at 04:37 PM
u da mamma.
Posted by: KMayer | November 10, 2010 at 04:15 PM
I wish I had read this before my horrible morning with my two year old! Great post *sniff*
Posted by: Sarah | November 10, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Oh Kristen. Don't make me cry at work .. So sweet. You remember your parenting series of posts? You have succeeded.
Posted by: Jennifer | November 10, 2010 at 12:04 PM
My eyes are leaking....lovely post...
Posted by: Wendy | November 10, 2010 at 11:35 AM
That is the sweetest story I've heard all week. You are a good mama :)
Posted by: Tia | November 10, 2010 at 11:14 AM
There's something in my eye.
Posted by: Julie | November 10, 2010 at 10:49 AM
Sniffle..... I love this.
Posted by: Amy | November 10, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Great post...sniff sniff...definitely made this momma tear up.
Posted by: Tiffany | November 10, 2010 at 09:49 AM
OMG, that is so sweet!! I love your blog!
Posted by: Mama Sweet Pea | November 10, 2010 at 09:47 AM
Not pregnant, not hormonal, still very teary-eyed. What a sweet moment for the two of you.
Posted by: B | November 10, 2010 at 09:17 AM
I put one spray of my perfume in a small spray bottle then filled the rest of the bottle with water. I told my daughter that whenever she was scared and thought she needed me that she could spray the perfume and smell me and that would make everything better. It's worked for 5 years now. Sometimes I walk in her room in the mornings and can smell that she'd spray my perfume during the night. It makes me smile. :)
Posted by: Linsey Taylor | November 10, 2010 at 08:50 AM
Makes this pregnant hormone surged mama teary-eyed this AM. Thanks.
Posted by: Megan | November 10, 2010 at 08:50 AM
Sometimes it is that simple :)
I also have one of those "easy baby challenging toddler/6 year old" ones :)
Posted by: Laura | November 10, 2010 at 07:46 AM