I’m grateful for Hayden

Sometimes, I’m not grateful enough for the blessings in my life. We have good jobs (and by some miracle, mine allows me to stay home with Hayden!), a comfortable home, a (relatively) safe neighborhood (and town and country—thank you, vets and Happy Veterans’ Day on Sunday!), food, clothes—and most of all each other.

I pick these group writing project topics in part because I’m excited to see what everyone else has to say on the topic (all of which have been excellent), and in part because I want to find out what I have to say on the topic.

I’m grateful for Hayden because he has shown me (and will continue to show me) that there is an entire world out there—outside of myself and my thoughts that can so easily dwell on my own needs.

I’m grateful for Hayden because he loves me, even when that means he can’t stand to be away from me for even a minute while I open the 400 degree oven or read or surf the Internet (which I really gotta stop doing while he’s around).

I’m grateful for Hayden because he really is a well-behaved, obedient child, even though he likes to pretend he isn’t at the most inconvenient times. He’s good at pretending, for a 21-month-old.

I’m grateful for Hayden because just looking at him sometimes fills me with an overwhelming desire to hug and snuggle and kiss and squeeze him for hours on end.

I’m grateful for Hayden because of spontaneous hugs and kisses.

I’m grateful for Hayden because he’s said “Mommy” for months (but he did just start saying “Daddy” again yesterday!). Even when he says it fifteen times while I’m looking straight at him, it’s nice to know he finally understands who I am.

And if there could be a “right” answer for a prompt like this, it would be that I’m grateful for Hayden because he’s mine.

This post is part of the November Group Writing Project. Submit your entries before Monday!