gift

today as i drove to haley's with the top down on my car, i passed a bakery and the aroma of chocolate baking wafted in. mega sat up in my lap, pointed her nose to the sky, sniffed and looked at me. i said, 'it smells yummy, huh?' and she said, 'mmm' and the sweetest little whimper came out of her mouth.

truly.

in twelve short weeks she's learned the most delicious forbidden smell of chocolate. (a prodigy, i tell you.) i know of course that dogs shouldn't eat chocolate, so we drove on past, but there was definitely a little twinge of pain for both of us.

this week we've celebrated birthdays for all of my babies. todd turned 12 last friday. luke turned 10 on monday. and mega turned 3 months today. this year for the first time ever, i really felt like i nailed the boys' birthdays. and not just with their gifts.

this year, things are different on their birthdays. this year, with todd in middle school their lives are diverging. and as they have diverged, it's created a space for me. while the past week and a half have been chaotic and every day a jumbled mess; they've also allowed me more time one on one with each of my boys than i've ever had before.

this morning i had a cup of coffee with todd before school. he left for the bus at the same time i left for the gym. in the afternoons; mega and i are in the routine of picking luke up from after-school. last night he and i had dinner together while todd did homework and practiced the drums. (apparently he's covering the rhythm section for the family. thank god someone is.)

and so on. it hasn't been an effort; though i wish i could take credit for it. but it's definitely been a gift. a birthday gift. to mom.

d: more birthdays like these.. many, many more.
b: my 3 month old puppy can talk.
g: i got the best birthday gift ever from my boys: their time.