Rosy sparkly dress

Our five kids wanted to have a discussion about what to get me for Mother’s Day, so I went upstairs and (supposedly) closed the bedroom door. I’m sorry, but I just was too curious and wondered what they would say. Kevin was about 5 which means that Brian and Tim were about 6.5 and Julie would have been 8.5 and David would have been about 10. My husband Dennis was there in case a moderator (or referee) was needed.

A few suggestions were made, and the older ones had a good idea of how much could be purchased with the small amount of money there was to spend. The usual sorts of suggestions came up and there was laughter and discussion. Somewhere along the way, though, young Kevin expressed his desire that they buy me a “rosy sparkly dress.”

Older siblings being how they are, this suggestion was met with derision and outright mocking, as Kevin continued to hold his ground and insist that nothing else would do for Mommy but a “rosy sparkly dress.” (I’m not sure what gave him the idea.) One comment led to another until Kevin was in tears and he left the group to find solace upstairs with Mommy.

He wasn’t aware enough to realize that my knowledge of the situation obviously meant that I had been listening, but at that point he wouldn’t have cared anyway. I hugged him hard for his loving desire to get me “something better than all of their ideas” (as he stated it) and wiped his tears away.

I could end the story there, but it did end with a funny remark. As I explained to Kevin that we didn’t have the money right then to get a “rosy sparkly dress,” he looked at me with shock. “Yes you do!” he exclaimed. “You can get it out of the MAC machine!” (ATM)