Yesterday, Alex was recovering from a wee bout of the tummy flu. Feeling a bit lethargic…nothing serious. I said, “Well, why don’t we stay home from school today and rest?” He responded by writing me a letter on a scrap of paper lying on my desk.  “Look Mommy. I write you letter.”

In his own words, he told me the blue ball point scribbles translated into:

Dear Mommy: I love Mommy. I love Daddy. Mommy and Daddy love me a lot.

OK, definitely a “pass the tissues” moment, am I right?

Now, adjust your dials to our household’s presentation of Reality Time Theater…

About 5:00 PM, after spending an entire day together (overall quite a nice, quiet and cuddly day in my world view) we were both heading toward cranky land. Suddenly, his behavior was not so perfect and I began to use the old “You’re gonna get a time out if you do ________. That’s one. That’s two…”

Having endured half a dozen back-to-back time out threats, he came into the kitchen a bit later and handed me his Diego writing tablet and said, “I write you letter.”

“What does it say Sweetie?”

Again, in his own words, it says:

I not love Mommy. I leave away. I only love Daddy and kitties.

And that’s life in the Mommy Lane…

Cynthia Werry is a freelance writer and mommy who firmly believes that laughter is the best ab workout available. Cynthia lives in San Jose, CA with her son Alex and husband Dave. Read her blog at The Good Enough Witch.