The Perfect Day!

I think today may have been one of my most favorite days in all of my life. I got to spend almost all of it with just Hayden. He has been pretty sick with a nasty virus the past couple of weeks and we thought he was getting all better this past week and then last night happened. He was literally up every hour, on the hour. Around 4:30, after I took him back to his bed for what felt like the 100th time, he started screaming and complaining that his ear hurt really bad. If you know Hayden at all, you know it was pretty bad because he never complains about anything hurting on his body. Whenever he's sick, he never complains. I only know he's sick because his fever spikes to around 104 and then I have to make him rest until his fever goes down.  And even then he still doesn't complain about any discomforts and persistantly asks me why I won't let him play with his friends. Anyway, we gave him some Tylenol and he finally fell asleep in between Kyle and me and we all slept like rocks the rest of the night!  I got him into the doctor and she said he had a double ear infection that was pretty gnarly. Yup, his ear infection came back from two weeks ago and it came back with a vengeance last night- in BOTH ears.

Two weeks ago with a high fever and the beginning of an ear infection. He never sits still unless he's sick and he never complains about being sick.

You're probably wondering why this is my favorite day after that story of Hayden being sick and in pain, ha ha! Well, that was just the preface. Hayden is so full of HIGH energy and so extremely spirited that I rarely get a chance to just sit and really "BE" with him. The only time this happens is when he's sick. He just wants to snuggle and be held and you'd better believe that I took full advantage of that today!

Sitting on my lap and playing with my phone while we're waiting for the doctor to come check Hayden out. He NEVER sits on my lap!

We sat and watched movies most of the day and listened to our favorite songs. We talked about school and his friends on the way to the doctors office. He wouldn't let me even let go of his hand while we grabbed a drink at the hospital cafeteria. He was so full of snuggles and loves that I really didn't want the day to end. On our way home from the hospital he asked if we could watch "baby Hayden movies" and so I pulled out the camcorder at home and we watched several hours worth of Hayden as a baby, growing into my favorite little (almost 5 years old) boy to have ever walked this planet. If you can't tell, I'm kind of in love with my little man.

It was such a special day.  It was so fun to watch the joy on his face as he laughed about all the things he did when he was a baby and how mommy and daddy acted or REACTED in the videos as well. I found him responding to my cues from these old videos, like he was cheering his baby self on from another dimension. It was so adorable.

I had to run to our Young Women's activity tonight and it was so hard for me to leave him for just that short hour.  I came home and as soon as I walked into the house, Hayden greeted me with a HUGE smile and made me close my eyes because he and daddy had a big surprise for me! He walked me into our front room where he and daddy had just finished assembling our new baby bassinet for our future little miracle! :)  Our day ended with me helping him work on reading his newest book and sounding out his words. He's so proud of himself for sounding out his words and I think he could have sat on my lap reading all night if I would have let him.  We finished our goodnights with our usual "Old MacDonald- Hayden's Style" and he was out before his head hit the pillow. Seriously... my favorite day ever!  Or at least in my top 5 favorite days.

I was struck by how grateful I am to be his mommy today. I'm always grateful for that, but today especially. No matter how many tantrums, frustrations and just plain silliness that Hayden throws my way, I am so proud and blessed to be his mommy.  My life would not be half as wonderful if Hayden wasn't in it.  And since adoption is constantly on my mind 24/7 these days, I have to just shout at the top of my lungs (or at least type at the fastest speed possible) how utterly grateful I am for it's presence in my life, as well as Hayden's. Without it, we wouldn't be us. I wouldn't be me and he wouldn't he, ha ha!

No, joking aside, I truly feel blessed to have been adopted by my parents. It doesn't define who I am, but it's definitely a part of who I have become.  I am grateful every single day that I was given the opportunity to have both of my loving parents guide me and teach me through out my life (and they are still teaching me). I really hope, when Hayden is older, that he has the same appreciation for all that he was given by his parents and his birth mom too.  I know that one day he will begin to grasp the concept of how much he is truly loved by so many people in his life.

I know I'm a little mushy today, but Hayden just brings out the mushy, gushy, lovey-dovey side of me... especially after letting me just "BE" with him today. I am grateful for this day. I am not grateful for ear infections, but I am so grateful for time with my little man. And anytime I can GET time with him, I am going to TAKE it!

We built a fort underneath Hayden's bed this past week and spent about an hour playing in it together.

I am blessed beyond measure to be your mommy Hayden. I love you as big as the sky!

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

Adrienne