He is standing over me. Breathing heavily through his mouth. I squint, watching him. “Shh” he places his curled forefinger over his plumped lips. He moves closer, I close my eyes. He places his chunky hand on my head, using my head as a balancing tool,he bends down. I can feel his breath on my face. I try hard not to smile. I let out an exaggerated snore.”Silly mom” I can hear his chest rattle as he coughs and laughs at the same time. I feel the wet splashes on my face, which is nothing new to me.
His button nose is now tipping mine. I wrinkle my nose. He laughs. He inhales, I can hear the wheeze escaping from him as he roars ‘Wake up mom”. I can feel my lips curl upwards, he now knows for sure I am not asleep.”Wake up mom” he laughs as he rubs my head with such excitement that I’m left with little choice…I open my eyes big and wide. “It’s me Ethan” he straightens up, arms stretched out as wide as his stiff body will allow.
I grab him, pulling him close, he lets himself fall into my arms. “Blove Blove” he wraps his arms around my neck,making it hard for me to breath, I gently ease them off onto my shoulders, he smothers me in wet sloppy kisses. “Ohh I love you too buddy”, I kiss him right back.
He hops off my lap, says “Bye”,he has had enough of ‘blove’ for now.He limps back into his play room, banging the door behind him. I watch him through the glass panels, “Spongebob Square Pan’s” he screams as he jumps up and down,inching closer and closer to the mounted TV.
I smile as I get up to start the dinner, I know I’ve got 15 minutes until he comes back in for some more ‘blove’.
It is these small, small moments that make up a lifetime of memories.