JUST a t-shirt

It's 12:30am and as I was folding a mound of endless laundry that covers my bed and I await the cry of the cutest baby girl in the world (who cries to get me to come get her, and bring her to my bed....not to cuddle, but to just be close to me and know that I am nearby), I remembered I promised Jonah he could wear his Toy Story 3 t-shirt tomorrow. The same Toy Story 3 t-shirt that is wet and dirty from wearing it for less than an hour yesterday, but is proof of the fun they had with their new Kai-Lan sprinkler in the backyard.  I contemplated if it was worth the trip down 2 flights of stairs, in the middle of the night, risking missing the first cry from Lily, to put it in the wash, and worse off, wait until it is done washing, to throw it is the dryer.

Yes. It is worth it. And I even felt honored to be trusted with that request.

Because I have his tiny little boy voice etched in my mind, and I can vividly remember this mornings conversation;

"Can I wear my new Toy Story 3 shirt?" he asked as I pulled his pj top off from around his neck.

 "Oh no baby, it's dirty. You can wear it tomorrow."

"Ohhhhhh. Okay." 

and it wasn't one of those annoying, whiny "Ohhhhh"'s, it was like he was saying "Okay Mom. I understand. But it still is pretty disappointing because I REALLY loved that movie and I REALLY wanna wear it, right now. But okay. I'll wait until tomorrow. If you say so."

And when he wakes up, and at the foot of his bed is his NEW Toy Story 3 shirt, laid out ever so perfectly, like a neatly wrapped gift on Christmas morning, he'll remember that promise I made to him.  That promise that some may deem as unimportant, or trivial, is all but that to an anxious 3 year old boy.

There will be a day, when his requests will become more elaborate and dangerous and creative, and will come with a higher price tag (either emotionally or financially), and will be more likely to require a "No.". But until then, I am feel as though it is my duty to be the one to make his wishes come true.

Even if it "just" a NEW Toy Story 3 t-shirt......it's not "JUST" to him.

*cue.....lily's cry*