Prologue: You'll remember that I love math and I love to read. I also love peonies, but that's not relevant to this story.
Last Tuesday night as we were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, we had this conversation:
J [to me]: When are you going to bake us those cookies?
Ethen (12): We have cookies?? [He started digging through the fridge and freezer.]
me: I never said I was going to bake cookies.
J: Do we have to butter you up first or what?
[Hmmm, now THAT is a great idea.]
me: Well, maybe if y'all are ALL sweet to me, I might bake cookies.
Alex (8): Wait. What kiiiiiiind of cookies? [He's not committing unless he's sure the reward is worth it.]
me: Chocolate chip.
Al: Yesssssss!
J: Aleegirl, that dinner was so good! The house smelled delicious when I walked in!
Al: Yeah, dinner was sooooo good!
E: It was...great!
me: Oh no no no no no no no. You already told me that. You don't get to recycle compliments for cookies! You have to do better than that!
[I mean, y'all. It was a package of Nestle Tollhouse break-and-bake cookies. They take 2 minutes. But why not milk it if everyone is playing along? Why not encourage kindness?]
me: Hey Ethen, how does my hair look?
E: It looks...normal.
[Sigh.]
E: Oh! I know! [He runs off.]
J: But baby. That chicken was amaaaazing...
Al: It was! It was good!
me: Thank you, baby, but that's not gonna work. What else you got?
[Now the boys really kick it into high gear as they consider their audience.]
E [hands me a paper]: I got a 97 on my math homework today!
me: Alright!! This counts! Hounder gets cookies! 97, way to go! That's awesome!
E: Thank you!
Al: I...I...I got a new book today! [He grabs a book off of the counter and shows me - a chapter book, look out!]
me: Okay! Do we get to read it?
Al: Yes!
me: You'll read it to me tonight?
Al: Well, it's kind of hard.
me: Okay, so do I get to read it to you? We'll start tonight?
Al: Yes.
me: Okay, this counts! Hondro gets cookies! Alright!!
Al: Yesssss!
[It melts my heart that the boys' sweet thing was what they each knew would make me proud of them.]
me: How 'bout you, babe? What did you come up with?
J: You're beautiful. You're the love of my life.
me: Well. I'll take that any day. Cookies all around.
Epilogue: Alex and I did start the book that night. We sat on the couch; he held the book and turned the pages. I even snuck in a few comprehension questions. And when I got to the end of each chapter, he wanted me to keep reading.
