Melinda Beth

I was on the computer this afternoon when I heard the kids playing near and around the Christmas tree. They were taking the candy canes off the tree. I told them not to play with them. Disobeying my command they continued to do so and then I heard a jingling noise and crash. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the tree shaking and Bradley jumping off a tall stool bouncing kind of into the tree and onto the floor. The crash I heard was a glass ornament shattered on the floor. I was furious at the result of their disobedience and trying to maintain my patience I grabbed the handful of 8 or so candy canes from Emily's hand, held them up with my own two hands and dramatically cracked them all in half. Emily was devastated.

Tonight I took Bradley and Jason shopping. Bradley is a shopping trooper. He seldom complains and he always finds something to occupy him as I browse the aisles. We were out until about 10PM, much past his bedtime. When we got home he cheerfully got himself ready for bed and came downstairs to show David and I his Blue's Clues pajamas and shiny, clean teeth. David then asked him who he wanted to take him to bed, Daddy or Mommy. Bradley looked back and forth between his two parents for several moments thinking. Meanwhile, David and I were both touched that he loved both of us so much that he had difficulty deciding. However, it became evident by his response that he was actually thinking of how to kindly break the news when he so tactfully replied with a nervous smile, "Uh, I can do it myself."