The Friendship Bug has Bitten!

My friend Jen posted something on Pinterest yesterday that said, "Don't let yourself become so concerned with raising a good kid that you forget you already have one."  In this stage of testing limits, trying out independence and potty training, the terrible two have been just that some days.  Terrible.  I told Paul that I feel frustrated, mean and like I am the "angry mom" a lot lately and I don't like it.  Many of my friends that have kids this age have all said the same thing, so I know I'm not alone, but some days, I swear, it's a good thing Owen is cute!

February is friendship month and Heidi told us in our February newsletter that the friendship bugs were about to start biting.  I didn't know what that meant.  Today on my way to pick up Owen, I was getting mentally prepared for Heidi to hand over the bags of wet undies and pants from the day, for a fight with Owen to pick up his toys and get his coat on, and to be patient while he got into the car seat "all by mineself."  It's hard not to focus on that when it is the routine day in and day out.  Today was different though.  I walked in the door and one of his friends, Madison, told me that Owen got 3 bugs today.  Again, not really sure what she meant, I gave the courtesy smile and "Oh wow!"  Then Owen came running over and told me the same thing.  I looked to Heidi for an explanation.

Throughout the month, when she catches the kids being kind and friendly to each other, she is going to give them a paper bug with their name on it and they get to hang it wherever they'd like.  4 bugs were given out today and 3 of them were to Owen!  He helped his friend Lily get her fork off the floor when she dropped it at lunch, he built a bunch of Lego flowers and gave them to Madison because she liked them, and he found his friend Drew's blanket and brought it to him so he wouldn't be sad without it.

There are so many things that I hope for Owen's future, but first and foremost, I want him to grow up to be a kind person, being generous with others, and making them feel good.  I was so proud of him today!  It's very easy to get caught up in the daily struggles, and Jen's post and Owen's bugs were a great reminder today that sometimes I have to sit back and enjoy the kind, compassionate little boy that I have instead of focusing on the little struggles.