a work of (he)art

Aidan loves to create art.

Since he was little bitty, he's always begged for pens and paper. He went through so much of it that I taught him how to use free drawing/painting software online when he was 3 or 4, and then had to limit him to one printout per day. Now he begs for scissors and glue and markers.

He's currently grounded (AGAIN) from crayons and markers. I just about blew a gasket (AGAIN) and knocked his block off (AGAIN) when he said (AGAIN), "Mom. I just drew on the furniture. I forgot. (AGAIN) I'm sorry."


Most of the time, his art makes me happy. Every day, he brings artwork home from Kindergarten. I hang it in "the gallery" in our kitchen, and that makes him happy. (Which makes ME happy. But I'll stop now before you start puking.) He almost always writes "I (heart) Mom" on his drawings. Today, he brought home two new pieces. (hanging on each end of the gallery)

I looked for the familiar message, and was surprised to see he had changed it up a bit. Each picture bore the word M-O-M-E. I looked down at him, and was staring up at me with his little hands behind his back, with the sweetest little half smile on his adorable face. You know the kind of smile I mean: the tight-lipped, quivering, biting-the-inside-of-your-cheek-to-keep-your-face-from-exploding because you don't want to appear too proud or eager kind of smile.

"Aidan. I love it!" I exclaimed.

"It says 'I love you Mommy'".

As I scooped him up into a big squeezy hug, I answered, "I KNOW. I SAW that!"

"But Mommy, it says MOMMY. Not MOM."

"I know, Aidan. You are AMAZING! I love that you wrote Mommy!"

He was so proud.
Me too.

I love that kid. I love him I love him I love him.
<3

Even when he draws on the furniture.

And can I just say that this is AMAZING?? I think I'm gonna frame it and keep it on the wall fo evuh and evuh. :)