it went down just like this.

he was in his jammies, sitting on sam's lap waiting for bedtime stories by the light of his colorful christmas lights hung around the window.  i was slowly making my exit out of the room {we take turns putting him down each night} & saying my goodbyes.

"nigh-night parker... sleep good!  i love you.  muah!"  : : blowing kisses : :

"bye-bye mommy.  i love you."

and then i had to be mopped up off the floor because i had melted into one big giant mess of mom goo.

sure he's said those little words before when he was repeating after me, but tonight it was different.  tonight they were accompanied by a wave goodbye & a little peck of his own hand blowing me a kiss.  if i could just bottle the sweetness i'd have enough to last a lifetime.

and you know what?  i needed that today.  because it was one of those days.  he woke up a couple hours earlier than normal & just couldn't deal with things.  anything.  it was one of those toddler-on-the-floor-kicking-&-screaming kind of days.  this?  this was my payday.

it's funny how after a long day of tantrums & food-throwing, all this little man had to do is get out his cutest littlest voice, say "i love you" & then curl up in his bed holding on tight to his little bear & drift off to sleep in order for me to be excited about doing it all again tomorrow.

he totally redeemed himself.