Moms: Women Heroes Hoping for Hugs

This morning, my three year-old son was fussing about the tiniest (imaginary) boo-boo on his finger. Loving mother that I am (over-indulgent), I covered it with a glow-in-the-dark Spider Man Band Aid.

“Fanks,” said my son, admiring the band-aided finger and in the sweetest voice, he sighed, lovingly shook his head back and forth and said, “I luf you.”

“Awww,” I said, “I love you too, buddy!” I was leaning in for a huge hug when my son looked up at me as if he’d forgotten I was standing there.

“I was tawking to da Band Aid.”

It’s the job. Motherhood. There are limits to how excited kids can get over the purveyor of toothpaste and hand sanitizer.

You’d think it would be different with my five year-old daughter. Same two x chromosomes, right? Common ground from which to bond?

One day in our backyard sandbox, I wanted to boost her self-esteem by expounding on why I was always proud of Mommy’s little girl.

“Um, I’m Daddy’s little girl,” she responded, deadpan.

Well. She was right.

She was elbow-deep in the sand, scooping a muddy moat around a mound of wet, drippier sand.

I was sitting on the edge of the sandbox with my shoes on.

Her self-esteem seemed fine.

“But honey, Mommy’s so much better at putting your hair into ponytails,” I said with rapid little nods that said, Sweetie! It’s me and you against the stinky boys of this household!

She looked at me with her long eyelashes that practically swayed in the breeze. She tilted her head to one side. Her charming little face made my heart ache with love.

“I kinda hate ponytails," she said. "They hurt my head.”

Later that night when tucking my band-aided boy into bed, I tousled his blonde hair and began to leave the room.

“Mom!” he hollered.

“Yes, buddy?”

“You furgot to hug me.”

Yessssss! I’m back! The one you really love is the one you call out to for hugs at bedtime! Surely! I snuggled him up and smelled that fresh-load-of-laundry scent that was my little boy.

I paused.

I tucked him back in.

I paused again

I turned off the light.

In the dark, I heard a sigh from my little cherub. “I luf you.”

Honestly. I hate those glow-in-the-dark Band Aids.