The nuances of eloquence

Xander takes my breath away sometimes.

(All my children do, but Xander's the most articulate, so I know what's going on in his mind more so than the others.)

I was wrapping birthday presents for the boys' friends, Ava, turning 3, and her brother Mateo, turning 6.  For background, know that these are the children who, when I once kissed Jonathan and then told my boys that I hope they love their future spouse as much as I loved Daddy - Xander agreed and said he was going to marry Mateo, and Ari chimed in that he would marry Ava.

Xander said he wanted to make them something, in addition to the purchased presents.  His eyes lit up as he said, "I know, Mommy, I'll make them paper airplanes!"  So he did, very laboriously, with scissors and tape and folding and refolding.  And he wrote on each one, "FROM-XANDER, TOO-AVA" and then "TOO-MATEO."  I very carefully placed each plane in the gift bag, so they would be easily visible.

"They're going to love them," I mentioned to Xander as we were getting in the car to go to the joint birthday party.  "They'll be able to tell how much work you put into them."

"Yes," said Xander.  "And how much love."

My heart melted.


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(In the interest of full disclosure, however, Xander also won the family whining contest on the way home.  He didn't like the pizza at the party and was still hungry, the cake was vanilla not chocolate, he had to pee and we weren't home yet, why couldn't he eat all the candy from his goody bag, why did Ari have a different color bag than he did, why did we have to leave so early, why didn't we give him a quarter for the arcade game at the play place, and more that I can't remember.

Articulation sure has its ups and downs, let me tell you!)