The Celebrated First Debate

They always say you are not truly married until you have your first argument, but what about that first argument with your child?  Most people think of when their child yelled “no” in the middle of the store and collapsed into a tantrum.  I am talking about that first debate, where they let you know they want something different.  I had that the other day with my youngest, TL.

This morning, when I was still groggy, he came up and said “Sweetie,” trying to wake me up.  Now, this is what my husband affectionately calls me, so I knew where he was getting it.  A little while later, he was in his highchair eating breakfast and I decided to make sure he knew to call me “Mama.”  So, I said, “I’m Mama, not Sweetie, okay?”  He replied, “No!  Sweetie!”  I countered with, “No.  Mama!”  We went on for many rounds—and cracked up the whole time.  Meanwhile, my husband and I kept giving each other looks of amazement; we couldn’t believe he was doing this.  There was no echoing, no rehearsed sayings—this was all spontaneous and appropriate!

I know the laughing will probably come to bite me in the behind in a couple years, when the cute debating turns to annoying whining, but it is worth it.  I celebrate the small things, because for my boys there is nothing small.  They work for everything they do and deserve to be praised for it.  But most of all, I praise God for giving me the opportunity to raise these terrific little men.