Sunken Treasure

The Bear loves playing with matchbox cars. We have a bucket from the Miami Sea Aquarium filled with about fifteen tiny cars and four trailer hitches that he plays with on a daily basis. He uses these cars to explore the world around him. In the mornings he loves to sit in front of our big bay window and line up his cars on the sill. While he plays with them he watches the big cars drive down our street and greets them with an enthusiastic, "Fire truck! Wow! Hi fire truck! School bus! wow! Hi school bus! Garbage truck! Wow! Hi Garbage truck!" You get the idea...

He is always on the look out for cars and he always has a tiny matchbox car in his hand or on his pocket. I love the way he says, "motorcycle, scooter, bicycle" and the cutest of the cute "vehicle" which he pronounces "vee-hick-le." The boy lives for cars. When he holds a matchbox car in his hand the whole world seems to shrink down to their size and together they can process everything. No details escapes his notice. The little car in his hand giving him courage to take it all in and explore the world around him.

A few weeks ago, before all the insanity began, the Bear and I decided to have a "Mommy and Me" date. I dropped Cubby off at his great grandmother's house and left with the Bear for a morning of fun. We went to the French Bakery and bought several flaky butter croissants and some hot chocolate. We strolled down Miracle Mile and watched the cars drive by while we ate. We laughed. We laughed a lot. Not at any one thing but at the joy of being out doors on a beautiful day and with each other. Its a wondrous feeling indeed when you realize your child likes you as a person and not just because you are the taller person with access to food. He spent that morning showing me just how much he likes me, and I showed him right back. I'm proud of my little man. I love his sweet obedience, caring nature and affectionate heart. The fact that he is absolutely gorgeous and a bona fide Prince Charming in the making doesn't hurt either.

After a good while of strolling we took off for the local library. The Bear loves going to the library. We play the same game every time we go. It begins in the parking lot, just before we come upon the long sidewalk that leads into the library's courtyard. This sidewalk is cloistered by several native trees and bushes and on cloudy days, this small walk feels a bit like a jungle. The jungle it became. There is a tiger that lives under the stone bench, he is usually sleeping, so when we arrive at the library we make sure to tiptoe our way down the path, quietly making our way over the softly crunching leaves until we break into the open sunlight of the courtyard. (Editor's Note: This is only the rule on the way IN to the library. On the way OUT it is very important to run and giggle loudly so that we wake up the tiger).

Once in the courtyard we make our way over to a large square fountain situated just to the right of the large wooden door that lead into the library. This is, of course, the ocean. We like to sit on the limestone rock ledge of the ocean and spot all the animals that live inside. The Bear always finds the most animals. Dolphins, fish, whales, sharks, seagulls, starfish, and even a seahorse live in this ocean. On our big day out however, we sat on the ledge finishing the last of our hot chocolate when the Bear inserted something unusual in between "dolphin" and "starfish."

"CAR!!!" he said.

"No sweetheart," I corrected, "you mean BOAT."

"No Mama, A CAR A CAR A CAR!!!" he yelled.

"A boat?" I asked again.

"A CAR!!!!!"

I looked at him and saw that he was pointing down into the water, nearly beside himself with excitement. I peered into our ocean and indeed, there at the bottom of the fountain parked between a decaying leaf and an old penny, sat a bright purple matchbox car. As if some sweet, mischievous angel had left it there just for my little boy. It really did carry the feeling of an intentionally well placed gift. We initiated a search and rescue operation to haul up our sunken treasure. After a few squirts of sanitizer, the Bear walked happily into the library, holding his matchbox car and ready for more boyhood adventures.

I smiled over this moment for the rest of the day. I wondered how many treasures I've walked by in the past few years. That special eye for discovery we possess in childhood seems more veiled with each passing year. How nice to have two little boys in my life who can throw back the shades and let the light in. Its hard to miss the little things in life now that I am always looking down at my two little boys...I am so thankful for that.