It never crossed my mind to purchase anything for Triston for his "graduation" but hospital guilt set in. As I roamed Jewel-Osco at midnight looking for the perfect plant or flower to suit each staff member I couldn't help but notice all the grad balloons floating about. It hit me! I NEED to get him something. He alone hyped up this whole day with excitement and talk and oohs and aahs during our hospital-home phone conversations-I just had to make it even more memorable for him.
Ideas? NONE when I started browsing. What the hell do you get a preschooler at Jewel? But I thought back to our conversations. How often he mentioned the term summer break, swimming in Ayden's pool and again and again SUMMER BREAK. I am sure that marvelous head of his had grand summer schemes brewing away (only for us to crush them or put them on hold while leukemia takes lead to our plans and adventures) but if there is one thing I have learned about my T, it does not take much to please him. I am blessed in that way.
So I ran across the summer aisle and then the ideas poured into my hazey-brain. I grabbed the scuba diver kit and a pair of flip flops. And between you and I -the flip flops were to be the bigger hit! He has never owned a pair. I have this thing about kids running around w their toes exposed and I just could not give in in the past. But here I was ready to please my big guy. I chose a navy blue pair w surfer something on them (reminded me of his glasses).
Then the icing on the cake was waiting for me at the end of the aisle. I box as tall as me full of plain, cheap t shirts. I can make him a tshirt. Not sure if I mentioned in the past his adoration for special tshirts, especially those that don't fit me anymore bc of the "baby belly fat" or "your stomach stayed a little big after you had three boys" (thank you, T!). I couldn't find any fabric paint or markers but I just decided to go the cheaper and whatever-energy-you-got-left-after-midnite route. I used a permanent marker. I had no idea what it would do in the wash but I will hand wash instead to avoid that predicament. At the store I again had no ideas what I was even going to put on the shirt but I knew it would come to me (or at least it better have by 4 am or I was SOL).
I thought about what has recently been on his mind. Recent covnersations and observations. He has spent alot of time talking and drawing about us as a family. Noticing how he, G and Caden have grown and sharing examples with me. And taking in each person's favorite things and hwo we share that love for activities and things with each other. He still loves to hear about their nicknames and how they got them. You can guess I got teary-eyed while thinking of all this at 2 am (hey, I got a late start to the shopping list, okay! I realized Wednesday night when returning from the hospital that the items I had intended for his school rummage sale were due on Thursday as well. So following dinner I "rummaged" through the home to complete the list of giveaways I compiled the weekend before. I figured why even think of setting up my own yard sale and risk time and labor when the school literally asked you to just drop off. They would do the labor, price tagging, EVERYTHING! Sweet deal in my book AND the sales went toward the school. Perfect. THEN I was able to run over to Jewel and YES I am a crazy woman for even attempting all of that crap). But I love what transpired from a late walk down memory lane kind of project. It simply said it all.
The plus side to having a reading preschooler. This is officially the first card I have ever bought him. He has received plenty in the mail over the years but this one is special to me. I never would have imagined I'd be buying my 5 yr old an elementary/high schooler type grad card but what it had to say protrayed everything I felt about him not only that day but in the mos leading up to tht day. More perfection just landing into my cart, alone on a Wednesday night in Jewel. Oddly enough-a shopping trip I won't forget. Even now each time I pass the card aisle I think of T's graduation and 4 yr prek.
Daddy is holding a hug cloud, I am holding a kiss inside a heart, Triston is holding a book and wearing his glasses, Grayson is holding a train and Caden is holding a ball (he and T have been playing alot of that together lately, rolling it back and forth as they sit across from each other and then race on all fours to snag it). And of course, Bryley is there too!
He really liked it! I liked the fact I created something unique for him. A memorable item we can hold onto for years. And in case you were wondering, he LOVES his flip flops and wears them in the yard often (and I have even allowed him to wear them on short errands -eeek!)
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