Hamster Love

The boy's two-year classroom at daycare has a pet hamster. His name is Bacon. That's right, Bacon. The kids chose the name. Now we have to be careful in the house when we talk about eating bacon or The Boy gets worried that we will be eating his hamster. Have I shared how compassionate and concerned about others the boy is?

The Boy is always worried about other people's (or hamster's) well being. I hope and pray that he stays this way. I also hope and pray that he will always want me to give him goodbye kisses, but I am not sure that will be as "cool" once he enters elementary school. Back to the hamster....every morning, the boy has to check on Bacon. If the other kids in the room are bothering him, The Boy very sweetly tells them to be nice to Bacon. He definitely has love for the Hamster. I think Bacon can feel that affection because it seems, according to the boy's teachers, that Bacon has a certain affinity to The Boy.

Love comes in all forms, even Hamsters seem to understand how it works. The other two year old classroom at the boy's school just recently acquired a female hamster. Bacon has become aware somehow that Princess is in the center. He tries every time he is in his exercise ball to make it to the room in which her cage resides. I don't know if he thinks he will be able to get to her, but he makes his way across the gross motor play area to the door every chance he gets. It must be love. Princess and Bacon sitting in a tree. . .

I wake up every morning to the sound of my son saying "Hi Momma, I awake, I loves you." I wonder sometimes when and how did this love happen? It just did...for both of us I guess. I don't think there is anything more beautiful than hearing your child say I love you without being prompted. The boy now says it all on his own, not just in response to when we say it and I don't think the warm feeling I get when he does say it will ever go away. I hope and pray everyday that he sees how much love exists in our family and that he learns to cherish that gift. I hope that I can teach him that. So, whether it is Hamster love or people love, I hope that The Boy will share his love as much as he can...I know I can't get enough of it.