Our Shadow

Angry Birds go everywhere with him now.  They get tucked in at night and chirp "good morning" from his bed when he wakes up.  They ride on our shoulder and we are told several times a day "Say Hello little birdie!"  They share his food and his drinks, they share his toys and his bed.  They are beloved.

When we accidentally left them at Aunt Boo's house the other day we were not even a block away when he said "Mama... ANGRY BIRDS!  I NEED TO HOOOOOOOLD THEM!"  As we turned the car around he said "Thank you Mama, THANK YOU!"


We were at Grandaddy's Castle the other day for Nicks birthday and Star Wars was on TV. We didn't notice how fascinated he was until it was time to eat cake. As we all sat around the table he stayed right where he was. Just watching. We said "Henry! There is chocolate cake here!! CHOCOLATE CAKE!!" He slowly turned his head to look at us, then just turned back to the movie. As if he was saying "You guys... how can you think about CAKE when something THIS AWESOME EXISTS." It must be in his genes.

He wants to help with everything we do. He has become a shadow of both me and Nick, and it is amazing and overwhelming at the same time. When it's time to start dinner he runs to the kitchen and says "Henry needs to Help MAMA! GET STOOL!" And I look at him and he adds "GET STOOL PLEEEAAASE!" He holds my hand as I peel and dice. He adds ingredients to the bowl, he cracks the eggs. "Henry helping!" he tells me again and again.

In the yard with Nick, pulling weeds or carrying in wood for the next big project. In the laundry room with me, handing me each article of clothing out the the dryer. Henry is our little shadow, always helping, and as he helps, he just fills my heart.

I am starting to plan his third birthday. Three. How can he nearly be three? He seems like such a baby, and yet... not really.  In these three years he has gone from a newborn to being his very own person.  His own little self.  his Angry Bird and Star Wars loving, kind, sweet, helpful self.

Sometimes he looks at me and will say "I love you, Mama! I LOVE YOU!"

Right back at you baby.  I love you more than I can say. But I keep trying.