Some Angels Come In Chocolate Flavor

Oh, my Widget. He's adorable, you know. Seriously, deep down, yummilicious, angel-boy adorable.

It's not just me who thinks so, I swear.

He's my shy one, but once people spend some time with him, he wiggles his way right into their hearts. And once he attaches, he's there for good.

Today when I picked him and DramaBoy up from school (as we call daycare, because really it is school for them rather than a glorified babysitting service), I was struck yet again by how he's charmed the staff. Any day I'm able to take my time rather than dash in and out, I have a half-dozen teachers tell me about something he did or said that day that just melted them. Today as I chased DramaBoy (who was extra-hyper, God help me) down the hall and The Widget marched along in my wake, I turned around just in time to see him blow a kiss to his teacher Miss T. at the other end of the hall.

Did you see that? she practically squealed to the Assistant Director. He blew me a kiss! Oh, how I love that boy.

Did I mention that, while shy, he is also an accomplished flirt and ladies' man? Sometimes it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

I'm so glad that he and DramaBoy are so different. I was worried all those years ago when I discovered I was going to have a second boy. Would I have enough room in my heart for two little boys? DramaBoy was so bright, so charming, so special. Would he suffer by having competition for attention? Would he resent his little brother? Would my new little boy suffer by never having sole focus? Would he always be compared to DramaBoy and live in his brother's shadow?

I think it would be much harder if they were more alike. They look very different, they act very different, they have different strengths and weaknesses. DramaBoy is flash and charm and laughter, a slim little mini-me who brightens every room he enters. He is precocious with language, already a wee wordsmith. The Widget is quieter, slower, more observant. He sits on the sidelines at first, watching and learning and assessing each situation. He is slower to put his trust in someone, but his waters run deep and true. He is slower with words and speaking (with an absolutely adorable voice, mind you), but quite amazingly dexterous and precise with physical manipulation of objects.

The thing that a lot of people don't get is that slower does not necessarily mean a lack of intelligence or ability. And there's no doubt that I have two very bright little boys on my hands. Which, really, is kind of scary. There are times when there's a certain look in The Widget's eyes that makes me wonder just what's going on in there. I think there are an awful lot of wheels turning, and it's a little intimidating to wonder where they're headed.

You see, they're both handfuls in their own ways, too. DramaBoy is more defiant, but The Widget is remarkably more stubborn. I may argue more with DramaBoy, but when The Widget gets his mind set on something, my stomach sinks.

Someday he may actually win. (Don't tell him I said so.)

But he melts my heart. There isn't a bad mood that can't be leavened when my curly-haird blondie crawls into my lap and whispers I love you, Mommy! What's even better is that he does that on a very regular basis.

And his kisses? They're chocolate flavored.

Like I said, he's yummilicious.