Hand in Hand

Young Men (for Peter), Boy Scouts (for Peter and Cooper), Cub Scouts (for me), and Activity Days (for Phoebe) all take place at the same time, which makes Wednesdays late nights for us. After we get home the boys inevitably want a snack and sometimes have homework to finish. It was nearly 9:30 when the boys finally fell into bed last night.

Usually Bryan does bedtime while I take care of Topher, and sometimes I'll take care of the girls routine and maybe even Cooper's if Bryan is working late, but I rarely tuck Peter in. Last night though, Topher was asleep when we got home so I tucked the big boys in.

When I do bedtime with the three middles I have them pick a song, then I hold their hand and sit on the edge of their bed while I sing to them. I did that for Cooper last night, he asked for Hush Little Baby, or the mockingbird song as he calls it, his usual choice. Then I asked Peter the same question. He asked for the moon song, I Don't Want to Live on the Moon from Sesame Street, his favorite from when he was small. I settled down on the edge of his bed and started singing.

That's when something unexpected happened. As I sat, holding his hand, I had a flashback to when Peter was still an only child. When he was a one-year-old he and I took many walks through the Provo neighborhoods around our apartment, his small chubby hand in mine. Then I came back to the present, singing the song I'd sung so many times before, his hand in mine. Except now, my hand is the small one. Tears filled my eyes and I had to slow down the song a few times to keep my emotions from over powering the singing.

When I finished Peter said he was glad he wasn't a typical teenager who was too cool to hug his mom, then he gave me a big hug.

Oh Peter, I'm glad too.