Getting the Clean Off

My 3 year old is going through an intense phase of needing pretty much constant attention from me.

I realize this is largely due to his favorite playmates from the summertime, his big brother and sister, going off to school from 8am to 3pm every day without him. And he's not used to entertaining himself, the older kids have been around telling him what, when, where, and how to play. And although he doesn't say he misses them, what he does say is, "Mommy, play with me!" "Mommy, where are you?!!!!!" (if I disappear from his sight for even 6 seconds!) "Mommy come with me to my room to get my Big Duke." "Mommy wait for me!" "Mommy, don't go upstairs without me!" "Mommy, you left me!!" (If I sneak away to unload the dishwasher or, gasp, go to the bathroom without him!)

I wonder if this phase is God getting me ready for our next child, who we will adopt and will likely need nearly constant attention from me to attempt to catch up for the attention she lacked while in an orphanage.

I know this phase will pass for my 3 year old son, and so although it is tiring, I am trying to savor the sweetness because I know he won't be my constant companion forever. I just pray he outgrows the neediness before the next child joins our family!

And I can still appreciate the humor of it all. The wanting Mommy every waking moment played out like this on a recent morning:

I went to get in the shower and my 3 year old protested, "No! You're already clean!" I assured him I was not and got in the shower.

He proceeded to scream through the shower door over and over again, "You're already clean!!!"

and then after about 2 minutes of that it switched to, "You're getting the clean off!"

"Mom! You're getting the clean off!"

For all the peace and relaxation he drains from my life, he certainly fills it with laughs!

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