Emery (6) received a wall calendar for Christmas, and has faithfully checked off a box every night when she goes to bed. A few weeks ago I overhead her talking to her siblings about counting down to her stuffed panda, Lloyd’s birthday. But in all neglectful-mommy admission, I didn’t really know when said-birthday supposedly was, nor did I remember it was something she was hoping to celebrate until this morning when she excitedly reminded me TODAY was THE day and wondered what gift I’d planned for Lloyd.
“Um, how about his favorite birthday treat?” I quickly answered, mentally scanning all the things I needed to do today, and wondering where stuffed-panda-birthday-party preparations would fit.
“Star-shaped sugar cookies with green sprinkles!” she specified.
My too-many-second hesitation must have been detected because Jared mouthed across the room, “help build her faith.”
“Sure! Star-shaped sugar cookies.” I agreed, again scanning my schedule, and selfishly shooting my husband a look of, you’d-better-fill-me-in-on-how-making-time-for-this-will-build-her-faith.
“With green sprinkles.” Emmy again insisted.
“With green sprinkles.”
To squelch any assumption I scramble to fulfill every child’s desire, there are definitely days–moments–this mommy takes a shortcut or raincheck on the requests. But today, we baked star-shaped sugar cookies with sprinkles and sang happy birthday to Lloyd, the stuffed panda.
And helped a little girl build her faith in things which are hoped for.
