Just me and Jack

This morning Jack and I had a date--breakfast and Christmas shopping for his siblings.  A few months ago I took Grant out for breakfast so it was Jack's turn.  He chose to go out for bagels at Panera, and I certainly was not going to argue with that.  I love Panera, but we rarely go anymore.  It's just gotten much more difficult and pricier now that we have 3 kiddos who love to eat--a lot!

After eating an appetizer bowl of Cheerios with honey, Jack was ready to leave for our date.  He got his everthing bagel and chose a table next to the fireplace, which was a good choice on a frigid morning.  He put his napkin on his lap and reminded me to do the same before I'd even settled into my chair.  He then prayed very seriously for our breakfast and carried on a pretty good, consistent conversation.  When he finished his bagel he asked to have a cookie, and I said, "Sure."  Afterall, it was a special occasion, and I may have won Mommy of the Year today.  In fact, Jack told me that this was the best day we've ever had together.  At the end of our meal, Jack collected his plate, then my plate, and took care of them.  As I watched him throw away the trash and stand on his tiptoes to put the plates in the proper place, I saw that my little boy is learning, is sweet, and is growing up.  *sniff*  Forgive my sentimentality, but it's so easy to forget in the craziness of life with three kids.  There is a quote that I often repeat to myself: "The days are long, but the years fly by," and I so many times find myself counting down the minutes until bedtime.  However, with my firstborn rapidly approaching his sixth birthday, I realize that he is NOT going to be this little forever.

And, just because I think this cookie and picture are hilarious, I had to include this one. Jack even shared this massive dessert with me--so sweet!  :)