A Date

Back before Reese was born, anything with just Mattie and I was just everyday life.  Shopping or running errands with her, was just that, running errands like any other mom with their kid.  Watching something with her on the couch beside me was the only way to watch tv. We were quite the pair she and I.  We did most everything together because 1) You can’t just leave your children at home by themselves and B) there was only one of her.  Now, things are a little bit different.  I have three little people to accompany me on errands or shopping and I will be honest, they aren’t as enjoyable as they once were.  Sometimes, I even wait till Brandon comes home so he can watch them letting me peruse Target in peace and quiet at 10:00 at night.  I love me kiddos, but they are a mighty force when they are all three combined.  And it’s sometimes nice and even a little magical, to spend time just with them one at a time.

Lila and I get our nights together after the other two have gone to bed and really, she’ll have plenty of time with me after the other two leave our little nest.  And up until she was born, Reese and I spent all day together.  But Mattie – time is a little harder to come by these days.  Today, however, we have been given a little gift in the form of a nap.  Reese has been asleep for over two hours today and for once, I haven’t had anything else to do except whatever Mattie wanted me to do.  We have done a 4 month photo shoot of Lila (even though she is days away from 5 months) and ate ice cream sandwiches.  And we are now curled up on the couch watching a Taylor Swift special and eating popcorn.  I am taking a little mental picture of this moment, hopefully to be pulled out and savored in years to come.  Those years when she has so much going on with her friends and her very important life, which we all seemed to have had when we were teenagers.  Or those years when she has gone off to conquer the world and no longer lives here with us.  I will remember how when Reese would go to sleep, she would look up at me with those crazy big eyes and extremely crooked teeth and say, “Mama, could we have a popcorn date….with a special movie….just you and me?” Like it was the greatest thing in the world, a show on the couch with mom.  Who needs Disney World? And if that isn’t sweet enough, I’m watching her sing along with Taylor Swift, staring admiringly at this person who she truly believes is one of her friends.  And she’s cramming popcorn in her mouth between words.  Its precious and slightly gross, but mostly precious.

As a chore, Mattie’s job is to pick up dog pooh in the back yard every few days.  She doesn’t complain that bad about it, but we all know she doesn’t really like it much either.  But here on our tv and popcorn date, she leans her little head onto my arm, snuggling in real cozy and says, ” Mama, I’d pick up dog pooh for the rest of my life to get to go and see Taylor Swift.” I hope Taylor Swift knows how loved she is.  If she’s having a bad day, it would probably cheer her up to know that a little girl out there in Memphis, TN is willing to sell her life into dog pooh slavery just to watch a 90 minute concert .  And right here, I vow to one day take her to that concert.

And like that, our date is over.  There is the familiar sound of an almost 4-year-old stumbling down the stairs and Lila wants to be fed.  But it was great while it lasted Mattie, and tomorrow, I will hurry and get all my work done early again so that when Reese goes down for a nap, maybe we can have another date.

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