Loud and clear

So, oddly enough (for me anyway), I've been sick again. This time worse -- this time with what appears to be the flu. Which means I'm achy, headachy, dizzy, weak, tired, cranky, weepy, sore throaty (it's a word), feverish and all the rest. On top of which it's that time of the month for me, and Jim has been out of town (and sick as well) through it all. Poor Grif -- he never stood a chance.

Which is not to say I haven't had some bright moments -- Friday was good and Grif was a shining example of angelic good-boyness at a crazy overcrowded Panera. Then it was too beautiful, and I was feeling a small window of respite from my what I then thought was just a bad cold or sinus infection, so we went to the park... where I was once again amazed at his ability to latch on to another child and form an immediate friendship in laughter and play. It was a beautiful day, and we stayed through nap just because it was too tragic to think about taking him inside and fighting with him to go to sleep.

The next morning, I somehow rallied to take Grif to a birthday party we had been talking about all week, and again, felt better for the interim even though it was near-imposible to get myself moving (and presentable) for the 10:00 am party time. But here's the bonus, the payoff, if you will, even though the combined events (park and party) are probably what pushed me over (way over) the edge into full-blown flu and down and out misery.

At the party, and the park, Girf developed a new habit -- one that he repeated over and over and over. In the midst of loud, excited children, in the midst of all other cacophony and noise, in the midst of his focus and joy on playing or sliding or simply having sheer, innocent, good fun, Grif will call out to me, in his loudest, happiest, smile-filled voice:

MOMMY!!! MOMMY! He'll keep calling, until I answer, Yes, Grif (I answer with a smile on my face). And then the payoff, even louder:
I LOVE YOU, MOMMY!!!!!

Worth every nyquil, zycam, emergen-c, advil and excedrin migraine, don't you think? I hear you, honey, loud and clear.