Proud

Dear Cole,

 I seem to have never ending pride in you, son.  Whether we are at a restaurant and I get to show off your beautiful table manners and appetite, or we are in a meeting about your speech and I get to brag about your counting (to 11!) and your extraordinary literacy (reading sight words!).

 But occasionally, the pride sneaks up on me.  Yesterday, after we had got you into bed, I went into our bathroom.  I noticed a bleach wipe in the garbage can, so I asked your father if he had cleaned up the bathroom at all.  "Nope." he said.  We looked at each other, and I realized that you, my dear boy - you had missed the potty a little while you were peeing, so you took out the bleach wipes and wiped up your own mess.  Without being asked.  Without advertising your good deed.  You simply fixed it and went on with your life.  My darling...at two years old, you show more responsibility and thoughtfulness than so many adults. 

I know there will be many moments in the years ahead - graduations, college acceptances, awards, marriage, promotions - where I will feel outstanding pride in your accomplishments.  But I think I will always look back onto this moment as the proudest I have ever been of you.  Wiping up your own pee - it tells me a lot about the strength of your little character.

And I know your future spouse will appreciate it, too!