Normally Big Guy puts Bug to bed. Sometimes he puts both kids to bed and sometimes we split the process. If we split, I usually get LadyBug. She likes to be sung to and Big Guy doesn’t sing. Last night, after a busy day, we were more than ready for bedtime. Bug declared that Mama (that’s me!) should put him to bed. I looked at Big Guy with a bit of desperation in my eyes. Bug’s nighttime routine is longer and more involved than LadyBug’s. It also tends to involve a lot of crafty parenting to convince him that he actually should want to go to bed. I wasn’t sure I had the energy for it. But when Bug pitched a royal fit over it, I decided to give in and just have some fun.
We chose Where the Wild Things Are for one of his good-night books. At the end of the book, Max decided that “he wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.” That is my favorite line from any of Maurice Sendak’s books, but I wasn’t sure if my 3 year old would get the concept. So, I asked Bug, “Where do you think someone loves him best of all?”
And he smiled his sweet smile as he said, “Home.”
Then I asked, “And who loves him best of all?”
He grinned again and said, “His mom.” Giggle.
“Who loves you best of all?”
“My mama loves me best of all.” He paused for just a moment and then his smile got bigger. “My mom AND my dad love me best of all. And I love YOU.”
The sweetest of parenting moments.
If Where the Wild Things Are is a favorite of yours, you’ll want to visit TerribleYellowEyes.com for a tribute to the artwork of Maurice Sendak.
