Happy Father's Day...early

As our outing yesterday, I took Stephen and Joshua to Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy Daddy a Father's Day gift. I packed up everyone and our 20% off coupon. We got there, I gave Stephen the lecture about staying close to Mommy, or he had to ride in the cart. When we got there, I felt like a kid in a candy store. It's been a long time since I was in that store. There are many things there that I could buy and fill a "need" in the house. So, we passed right by the waffle makers at first. SO, we had to make a second lap around the store. We found them.

Stephen liked the smallest, cheapest one. I was kind of surprised you could get a waffle maker for just $30. However, I talked Stephen into buying the waffle maker that said "professional" on the box and looked like the ones they use in hotels that come with a complimentary breakfast. It didn't break the bank, so, why not? Sean did let me sleep in that morning!

I then headed for the cash register. As I was scanning the walls for wrapping paper, I lost sight of Stephen. I became THE Mom in the store shouting, "Stephen!" "Stephen!" "Stephen!" Finally, he emerged. He got a firm grip on the wrist and a good talking to. He then got put in the cart. At just that moment (of course) a friend (with kids that have grown already) from church comes to us. She wants to look at the baby and talk about how I feel. Well, at that moment, quite honestly, I was pretty frantic.

So, we get home. I get Joshua asleep so Stephen and I proceed to wrap Daddy's gift. We also sign the cards I bought him last week. As I have done before, I hid the gift in Stephen's room. Stephen was with me all of the way. I told him we would give it to Daddy on Father's day. Then Stephen goes to quiet time for the day.

After quiet time, Stephen and I do "school time." I mostly do school time because it gives me one-on-one time with Stephen. I find myself pretty happy during that time because it's easy. I sit, give him an activity. I feel proud because he is learning, I am involved & he gets lots of positives from it as a result. I drink a Dr. Pepper and he drinks a grape kool-aid. Then, we proceed outside to play in the water. Actually, Stephen played in the water and I cleaned sand up from around the sandbox. We did lots of activities between gift wrapping and Daddy coming home.

But-that didn't make Stephen forget.
Daddy came home and greeted us playing outside. Stephen started heading inside immediately. He was talking about birthday cake. I got Stephen back outside because he was all wet and needed his dry clothes on. So, he got Sean to put on his dry clothes. The whole time he is talking about birthday cake. Sean keeps telling him we don't have birthday cake. Then Stephen starts talking about going to his room. He needs Daddy to come to his room. Then he starts talking about waffles. I knew from the second Stephen started talking about birthday cake, he was trying to get to the gift. I was just watching...
I had to grab awake Joshua..but, I am watching closely as Stephen drags Sean upstairs, talking about waffles with strawberries on top. And, "orange juice on top. that would be good Daddy."

I am laughing.
Sean is clueless.

Stephen pulls Sean into his room, to his closet & opens up the door. He takes the towel off the top of the present & Sean laughs. He looks at me and asks if he already knows what's in the gift. I told him he did. Stephen was pretty clear all the way up the stairs.
So, Sean opens the cards as Stephen directs. Then, he opens the gift. There is the waffle maker with a picture on the box of waffles with strawberries and blueberries on top and a glass of orange juice next to it.
So, now Sean and Stephen can make waffles together this Saturday morning instead of pancakes. In fact, Stephen has been wanting waffles every meal since the gift opening....

no more secrets around here!