Many happy returns

"No man ever wore a scarf as warm as his daughter’s arm around his neck."

It's her birthday again.  My Katherine turned 8 today.  And when she comes home from school, I will ask her about her day at school and then say something like, "By the way, Katherine, how many times to I have to tell you not to leave your bike in the middle of the garage."

And when she opens the door, she'll find her new bike waiting for her.

As a parent, it's amazing how the ways your children return the love you give them changes over time.  Now, instead of kisses, I get "The Cheek," "The Forehead," or "The Lean,"--all delivered so I can kiss or hug her.  Gone are the days of the Arrowroot Biscuit-smudged wet kiss on the lips or the run-and-fling-the-arms-around-my-neck toddler hugs.  Oh, I still get those on occasion, but in this world of 8-year olds, things change, and quite unintentionally I've found a new source of those many happy returns of affection.

A Magna-Doodle.

After Christmas, on a trip to Target to return a duplicate gift to our youngest son, I walked by a corner display of Magna-Doodle Pocket, and snagged one as an afterthought, so Katherine would have something from the trip, too. 

Since then, that Magna-Doodle has not left her night table.  Thanks to the gods at Fisher Price, nearly every night when I come up to kiss her goodnight before going to bed, there's a message for me:  a riddle, a scribble that she dares me to turn into a picture of something, a "Welcome Home Daddy" for when I get back from a trip.  This morning, when she woke up, it said, "Happy Birthday, Sweetheart."

Unintentionally, and magically, it's our new version of the Arrowroot kiss. 

Comments

[leezer]

Wryter:

I love this post! My baby is six, and is starting to give me the lean, as well. She no longer runs and jumps into my arms when she sees me after school. What a great thing you've found in a little gadget that lets your daughter tell you she loves you. Just another little wrinkle in time.