The Love Pile

My little Casanova is at it again.

Making me all weepy with his lovey dovey words.

Zane is REALLY excited about his 5th birthday on Sunday. So much so, that he has already taken to wearing a construction paper birthday crown around the house.

In preparation for turning 5, we decided to do a bit of overhauling in his room. Now, let's be clear. My definition of overhauling is to redo a room using items that can already be found in and around the house. No new furniture. But voila! Turn around and the "new" room looks entirely different!

Luckily for him, the attic space that has housed my office for the last 6 months is just not working out in the way we had hoped due to the lack of heat. One day in the future, once we check off the countless projects we already have planned for this house, we will redo the heating system so that the largest part of the attic - the one with a vent - can serve as a bedroom or office. The smaller room (the vent challenged side, which up until today served as my office), will now become the "attic" - actual storage.

But until that day when we can redo the third floor, I have moved all my furniture, files, inventory, etc. into the guest room, which other than having a bed, is quite lovely for an office space. And once my decorator neighbor has at it one may not even realize the bed is a bed. Hey, all I know is that it's warm, and it has a door I can close - which was my initial request when I prayed for a house with a home office.

My moving in, meant that some furniture from the guest room had to move out and into Zane's room - namely a bookcase that matches one he already has.

As we set out to organize his toys so that he could fill the "new" shelves, I witnessed Zane's knack for both organization (which I never knew), and the art for making one feel loved (which I did know).

Perhaps it was that he felt so very honored to have an entire evening devoted to his room. Perhaps is was because he was getting "new" furniture. Perhaps it was because I actually billed the massive cleaning session as a means of turning his room into 5 year old's room.

Whichever the case, he went to town on the space by actually initiated the setting up of piles as we dumped all his toys on to the floor.

"This is the give away pile. This is the go down to the basement pile. This is the throw away pile. This is the Harper's room pile, and THIS is the keep on the shelf pile."

I was so very proud of how he was able to sort and make decisions as to where toys would land. And then, we came to some cards that I had given him.

"This is going in my Love Pile, because you gave it to me and I love you and you are so beautiful."

These are the moments that make every tantrum worth it.

He also found some photos of a dear friend of his from back in Evanston.

"His pictures go in the Love Pile because I love him."

We finished his room and settled in to read some stories before bed, whereupon I found myself clutching my soon to be 5 year old a bit tighter.

No sooner had a I finished and said good-night, Harper called me into her room.

"Mom, you wanna do my devotions with me tonight?"

Where are my babies?

Don't get me wrong, I don't crave any more babies in my Love Pile, but when I look at these two I can't help but marvel at the experiences and the history and the memories that we have already created in only 9 years of being parents.

At the end of the month I will have a 5 year old and a 9 year old.

I'd say that's a pretty good Love Pile.