Last weekend, my friend Jamie (who happens to be a Sunday school teacher) hosted a slumber party for some of the little girls at her church. I got invited, too.
I could hear the little imps before Jamie had even opened her front door. Inside, I found four miniature sleeping bags, in varying shades of pinks and purples, lined up, facing the TV, and four little girls in pj’s dancing and singing to Hairspray. The living room was a sippy cup obstacle course.
I had showed up just in time to make sugar cookies.
While I was helping her press Barbie pink sprinkles into a bit of dough vaguely resembling the shape of a duck, Keira, a three-year-old with a pint-sized Dorothy Hamill, smiled at me.
“You’re a mom.”
“Nope, ” I said. “I’m not a mom.”
“Yeah, you are.”
Like, duhhh. If she could have rolled her eyes, she would have, but I expect it will be a few years before she picks up that fine skill.
“Okay,” I said, conceding. “I’m a mom.”
She grinned and with the back side of her hand, pushed her hair off her face, leaving a trail of flour and candy sparkles.
“I want to give you a kiss!”
She could have said, “I want to give you a cup full of nuclear waste!” or “a pencil in the eye!” and I would have been just as delighted. Concede your point, get a kiss. I kept the sticky, rainbow sprinkled smooch as a trophy. And I realized, that she was right; on some level, I must be a mom. Because I just let myself get railroaded by a three-year-old.
But man, If I got a kiss every time I conceded an argument, I’d probably be way less stubborn about it.
yeah … baby kisses make it all worth it.
cute!
Aww, little ones are just absolutely adorable. My 1 1/2 year old niece has officially won my heart. Almost makes me want to breed a whole army of them…almost.
If I had known that there were sprinkle kisses to be had, I might spend more time with my friends’ kids.
Can you actually hear my heart going pitter pat from Texas?
Huh…if I believed in signs (which I concede I do), I’d say this is a big one indicating you made the right decision. Adorable story
That sweet little story is going to help me keep a smile on my face during the last few hours of hell, um, I mean “work.” Thank you.
Yeah, I’m a sucker for toddler kisses too.
Yeah, I’m a sucker for toddler kisses too.
Children have a natural born instinct or a sixth sense about adults, if you will.
Just like, as an adult, you can instinctively tell if another adult likes you or not.
That little girl sensed that you were a mom. That you are good with children. And she wanted to reward you for it with a kiss. How sweet is that?
Moments…..like that….are priceless..
My bf’s 5yr old son, Gavin, is obsessed with watching me put my make up on. He likes to watch me curl my lashes w/my eyelash curler!
I have some little girl barettes left over from a gf’s bachelorette party that they made us wear in our hair, in pigtails also, in our funky pj’s, out to the bars. Gavin found those barettes & asked what they were & I told him.
Then he asked how they worked & I showed him. Then he wanted me to put them in my hair so that he could see what they looked like. How sweet is that?
Priceless…Moments…
Then he told me that I could give them to my little girl one day when I ‘get one.’ hee hee
Yeah, I’m a sucker for toddler kisses too.
Wait a while. When I urged my eight-year-old to hurry up in the bathroom this morning, he stormed past me and said sarcastically, “It’s not like the house is on fire.”
I lose every argument. I hope law school is not too expensive.
Awesome. They always say things like that & it melts your heart.
And yes, you are a mom, if you count Sir Hal, which I do. Of course, I’m a pet-mom too, so of course I would!
My four year old niece keeps asking when she’ll have cousins. “But you have breasts, Aunt Trish,” she reasons knowingly. “And breasts are to feed your babies.” Not understanding the finer points of conception, she’s quite frustrated that I haven’t gone to the baby store yet to pick one out.
I remember when my bf’s son was only 3yrs old, he’s 5yrs old now. He wanted to know where babies came out of. He knows that they grow inside of a mommy’s belly, but he wanted to know where they come out of. So then he asked me if they came out of the mommy’s mouth!
I just told him that the mommy & daddy go to the hospital and that the doctor helps take the baby out of the mommy’s belly.
awww! My heart melted!!
Haha! At least you get a kiss!
When I said to my 3-year-old niece: “Come and give Aunty Glovefox a kiss!”
She promptly turned up HER cheek to be kissed instead.
ROFL!
That is so adorable! and 3-year-olds KNOW how to roll their eyes. My cousin, who is 3, knows how to. It’s sad. lol.
It was priceless when my now 5yo held open the door for me the first time and said “After you, Your Highness.”
You may not be a Mom yet, but you’re obviously one at heart, and kids have x-ray vision in that department. Great story, mixing your sacharrine sweet sentiment with adult charm. I love your writing.
I have always know that I wanted to have lots of children. My eight year old niece certainly reminds me of that everyday. I love her so much.
You lied to a child?? Horrifying! (I’m joking Internet).
I would not know what to say to a 3 year old wearing floury sprinkles. I think my DNA was programmed incorrectly.
“I want to give you a cup full of nuclear waste!”!!!
I really did laugh out loud. What a delightful story.
I swear nothing is cuter than hearing my 3 year old cousin yelling from the other room “Come play with me!” and when you get there, all you really get to do is watch him play and tell him what a great time you are having.
So sweet! My 4 year-old is sitting on the table, so I had to get a kiss from her. And I managed to sneak one to my 6 year-old before he ran upstairs!
Yesterday my friend’s daughter (also 4) had her dance recital. They had all the girls introduce themselves and say what they wanted to be when they grow up. SHe said she wanted to be a mermaid!
That’s so cute! My friend’s 1-yr-old daughter doesn’t yet know how to kiss. So she just opens her mouth and places it on your cheek to give you a kiss and it’s super-adorable.
your blog is wonderful.
just thought you should know you have a new fan in NC.
I got called a “dad” by my friend’s kid. Maybe I should consider waxing my upper lip or something…
Kid’s are cute, but to get the real picture, you also need to experience the beauty of comuting with a screaming 4 y. old at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
there is nothiing like 3 yr old kisses. nothing.
These are the moments you hold on to when you have a screaming, cranky 5 year old in the middle of the afternoon on the weekend, lol.
My little man will be 6 this coming week and my heart is breaking. I am every so grateful that he is still an overly affectionate little boy. He is the only man in my life at the moment and I thank God EVERY SINGLE DAY for moments like this one that you just shared.
Nothing in the world can touch your heart more than something that comes out of the mouth of a child.
Embrace and enjoy them!
great story!
and you ARE a mom. you just haven’t met your children yet.
Ok, there are 8 days left until my daughter is born…and you just made me cry. I loved it!
My mom tells me that when I was a little girl and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always “a mom”. Well, I had my first child at 20 and my second at 23. I absolutely loved it even though there were times when I wanted to pull my hair out. Now I’m a grandma and when my 5 year old grandson wraps his arms around my neck and tells me that he loves me, I just melt. And when he leans over to give me a kiss out of the blue, I’m in heaven.
Children are so adorable. They say the cutest things!
I have 2 boys and they are just as adorable. And we do like the idea of a little girl in our family, especially my wife who always dream about it.
Where are the Hallmark commericial people when you need them? I hope the genuine selfless affection you received makes up a little for how lousy the last couple weeks have been since you got back from Europe.
My nephew said to me recently. ‘come with me, let me show you the room where i grew up’. he’s 2 1/2. love it.
You are absolutely tremendous — thanks for sharing that sweet experience. Let there be more of them for you.
Oh yeah, you gotta love 3-year-olds! Not only are they adorable, but they can be hysterical too.
My 3-year-old niece, to my sister:
“Mommmmmmm!! Ian [her 4-year-old brother] won’t let me see his bugger!”
Hahaha, very cute. 3-year-olds are totally adorable and completely manipulative. Gotta love ‘em. : )