And the award for Parent Of The Year goes to........

Watch me walk. I'm lighter than air. See how my feet don't touch the ground? I believe this is what's referred to as walking on cloud nine. (Where did that phrase come from, by the way? Are all the clouds numbered in some sort of fashion? And if so, how did number nine come to be the one that everybody walks on when they're happy? Just a thought.....) Wanna know why I'm so dang pleased with myself? I know you're sitting at the edge of your desk chair, face pressed up to the computer screen thinking "Yes, please tell me, Rachel! I simply can't continue with my day until you tell me what's gotten you so excited!!" Well then, OK. I'll tell you. I was talking with the mother of a 6 month old boy yesterday. She works at the Y in the Children's Program Center and spends about 2 hours a day with Landis, since that's where he hangs out while I'm working. He digs it, as they do all sorts of fun things like letter of the day, and make fun little crafts to match! (Yesterday he made a Watermelon man. The day before he made a woodpecker. Can you guess this week's letter of the day? Go on, you little brainiac!)
Oops. Sorry......... Let me go ahead and steer this train of thought back on track........
As I was saying, we were talking, this mom and I and I complimented her child. He always seems so even tempered, laid back, and just an all around sweet little boy. I told her so. "Thanks." she said to me. "He's a good baby." She paused. "Actually, I have high hopes that he'll turn out like Landis."
I wasn't sure if she was joking or not. I searched for a trace of sarcasm in her voice, but there didn't seem to be any. "Really?" I asked with one eyebrow raised in skepticism.
"Yeah" she replied. "Landis is great. Truly, he's just a really great kid."

I was floored. This mom, this first-time-mom, aspires for her child to be like mine because he's a really great kid! Behaving like a normal and completely sane person, I thanked her sincerely for the compliment. But as soon as she'd disappeared around the corner I fell to my knees and tore off my shirt US Women's Soccer Team style, pumping my fist in the air and yelling "YES!!!YES!!!YES!!!!!!!" at the top of my lungs. Because, holy cow! What a huge score!!!

OK -- I really only did that in my head, since I didn't want anyone to wander into the supply room and wonder what on earth was going on. But I'm riding this one, baby. I'm riding it as long as I can. First, because it is so affirming that all the times I've dealt with tantrums, and melt-downs, and backtalk, and (insert the daily challenges of 3 year olds that make you want to pull your hair out by the roots here) have been worth it. And second, because even though I've only been at this parenting thing a measly five years, I know enough to know that this walkin' on cloud nine thing won't last long. Tomorrow will be a new day, and I'm sure before the sun sets, someone in our household under the age of 5 will have mooned a neighbor.