Everyday Heroes

Let me preface my story with some recent background. Lately, Jacob has turned against his best friend (Handy Manny) and become enamored with Blues Clues. Everything is Blues Clues now. When we drive down the street, he is so observant and spots every single vet office because they usually have a paw print on them somewhere and he yells “MOM A CLUE!!! Do you see a clue?!?!” He puts books on the floor and sings “Blue ska-doo we can too” and does a flip onto the book. When the mail comes he screams “MAAAAAIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (and does jazz hands, like Steve does when the mail comes on the show).

But, most importantly (pertaining to this story), he carries a notebook around with him where ever he goes now. All of a sudden he’s such high maintenance. He always loses his notebook or his crayon and we have to search around the house to look for it…and he’s getting specific as to which notebook he wants now. I’m telling you HIGH MAINTENANCE!!!

About 2 weeks ago Jonathan had a t-shirt on from The Disney Cruise we went on for our honeymoon. On the back, all the characters have signed their names. Pluto signed with a blue paw print (which brings up the ever-pressing question as to why Goofy can write his name but Pluto can only stamp a paw print…but that has absolutely nothing to do with this story). The kid went WILD!!!! “A clue dad you have a clue. Where’s my notebook….where’s my crayon?!?! Mom where’s my notebook.?!?!?!? There’s a clue!!!” So we quickly found his notebook so he could keep track of this clue.

Here’s where the real “everyday heroes” comes into play. Actually, I guess it would technically be "everyday heroines." The other day, we were watching Blues Clues together and the clue was a cup. Jacob had out his notebook and was scribbling in it (like he usually does). So I said "Jacob you have to draw the clue like Steve does." I figured I could draw a cup. So I said "Jacob look, watch mom draw it." So I took his notebook and I drew a cup. He was SO impressed. He clapped and screamed “Good Job Mom!” (which cracks me up every time he tells us “good job”)

At this point, I decided to show off a little and draw Periwinkle, the cat. She is, after-all, just a circle and some triangles. He screamed and jumped up and down…. “Mom you did it!!!! YAY Mom….Good job”

He then proceeded to ask me to draw Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper. After each one he got so excited that I did it. Then he asked me to draw Pail and Shovel. He screamed and yelled and jumped on me and gave me a hug. “You did it mom! Good job!” This was, by far, my proudest day as a parent. I was so excited!!!

So that day, I was thankful for EASY to draw characters, which made it possible to impress my son with my sub-par artistic ability. I am also thankful for a little man who gets so excited about little things. But most importantly, I am thankful for my son whose gift is obviously encouragement. I sincerely hope that as he gets older, he holds tight to that spiritual gift and continues to uplift people and brighten their day by making them feel better about even the smallest things they accomplish.

As a side note, he then asked me to draw Blue. BOMB!!!!! I have no clue how to draw Blue. I am still working on that one.