A small milestone

I. in peaceful slumber. . .

Since he's been born, youngest son I. has been quite the momma's boy. Naturally, his first word was "mimi" (assume that's "momma"), and for the first three years of his life, that life revolved around mom. Though I tried to help out as much as I could, it was M. who did nearly all the feeding, bathing, playing, and nurturing of I. It wasn't that I didn't have time for him, rather I tended to spend more time with E. as he matured. E. and I are best buddies, but I've never had that kind of relationship with I. Which, at times, when he spurned my requests for hugs and kisses or even the chance to put him to sleep at night, tended to hurt. I know I shouldn't take things personal--after all, he's a toddler. . .he'll come around.

The past week, it seems he has. We went out to dinner the other evening, and I. got extremely sleeply in the middle of the meal. I asked him if he'd like me to hold him while he slept, and he nodded and climbed into my arms and fell fast asleep. In the past, he would've shaken his head and said "no, Mama!" Imagine my surprise last night when he asked me to change his pull-up, put him in his pajamas and put him to bed. "You sure you don't want mama to put you to sleep?" I asked. He said, "No, you daddy." Well, push me over.

I. has a peculiar little habit when he falls asleep of reaching up and holding onto M. ear lobe. Last night, as he drifted off to sleep in his little bed, he reached over and held onto mine.

I think we've reached a small milestone. Now I truly feel like his daddy.