Point of clarification

A friend from college called me the other day. We had not talked for almost two years and he had tracked me down. He had also found my blog and had caught up with my life via my postings. When he mentioned Daniel he said, "Sounds like he's a little monster, eh?" "No, no!" I said, hastily, "He's a very sweet little guy!".

I thought briefly about how he was portrayed on this blog, but then didn't think about it until a few days later when a friend and I were chatting and she mentioned something about Daniel being difficult somehow. I realized that I need to put a point of clarification in print, lest y'all get the wrong idea about my little guy.

Daniel is a very sweet little boy. Yes, he's clingy, and yes, he can be fussy, especially if he's not getting held when he wants to be held. He's not easy-going, nor is he particularly adaptable.

All of that being said, though, he is a very, very sweet boy and I enjoy 98% of my time with him. He is incredibly affectionate -- he gives hugs and sweet, sloppy kisses with his mouth all puckered up. He loves to make us laugh and is a little joker. He is a master of pratfalls and among his favorite things is finding something that will make his sister laugh. He loves music and singing and dancing. He's a big fan of tractors and trucks right now and he also is fond of trains. He likes to color and draw and write. He loves books, especially his tractor and truck and construction vehicle books. He's very helpful -- he loves to pick things up and put them away and loves to bring shoes to whatever member of the family has left them around.

Best of all, he loves his mommy and likes to be with me almost all of the time! That can be an inconvenience and sometimes a rather large inconvenience, but for the most part, it's just a really good thing. He loves to sit on me and have me read to him. And he loves for me to carry him around and show him things, dance with him, tickle him and work him over, and pay him attention of any kind.

Every single day, I am absolutely delighted to be Daniel's mommy and every day I thank God several times that I get to have this little one in my life. I am very in love with this little boy and I think he's just a marvelous little creature. No one should think for a minute that the trying times overshadow the miraculously enchanting times with my little Daniel. And if I have communicated that, I have done him and myself a disservice. He's my very sweet big boy and I love him very, very much.