His little head pops over the crowd of 2-year-olds and the smile spreads across his chubby cheeks.
"Feddy, you mommy here" a little voice is heard above the rest. But he's already running and skipping towards me.
"Mommy!" he squeals as he leaps into my arms.
"Hi buddy. You ready to go get Ainsley?" I ask. We're always in a hurry leaving preschool. Ainsley's bus comes anywhere between 4:13 and 4:27. It's almost 4:00 and who knows how long it will take me to drive the 3 miles to the bus stop at this hour. Gotta love that NOVA traffic. Keeps you on your toes.
He runs out the door yelling "Bye-bye Miss Efny" and heads down the hall. His teacher's name is Miss Tiffany, by the way.
He giggles all the way to the car and climbs up in his seat. I buckle him in as he smiles and says "Ove ewe, Mommy."
"I love you too, Freddie" I respond.
We pull out of the parking lot and on to the main road as he asks me about which direction we're going and tells me which way Daddy goes in the morning. The kid is always interested in how we're getting somewhere.
"Mommy, I cy for ewe day a peeskool." (Mommy, I cried for you today at preschool)
"You cried?" I ask.
"No, my no cy for ewe." (No, I didn't cry for you)
"You didn't cry?" He smiles and nods in my rear view mirror. "That's awesome buddy, I'm so proud of you. You're such a big boy."
"Yesh, me big boy. My happy peeskool. Me ove it." (Yes, I'm a big boy. I'm happy at preschool. I love it)
"I'm so glad, Freddie. That makes Mommy so happy!"
"My no cy for ewe a peeskool. My wait for ewe and ewe come see me a peeskool. We go get Aidey." (I didn't cry for you at preschool. I just waited for you and you came to get me at preschool. Now we're going to get Ainsley.)
"That's right buddy, Mommy will always come get you at preschool."
"Yesh." He turns to look out the window.
"Yook Mommy, fietuck!" (Look Mommy, firetruck)
And with that my worries are relieved. I would still rather be home with him. I'd still rather not rush through traffic every night hoping that I make the bus on time. I'd still rather be room mom and set up play dates and do laundry during nap time. But for now, this is life and it's a good one. And if my two year old is telling me he's happy, then that's all I need.
