"Thanksgiving" Lunch with Aiden

Thanksgiving is exactly one week away.

Today, Aiden's preschool had a Thanksgiving Lunch for the kids and all of the parents were invited as well. The look on Aiden's face when he turned around and saw me was amazing. I haven't seen him that genuinely excited in a while! It was just the look of pure joy. He already had his tray of food so I went and stood in line for mine. I heard a familiar voice yelling "Mommy!" and when I looked over, he had the biggest grin and was waving his little arm as hard as he could. That little boy is everything I am thankful for.

After everyone was finished eating, the teachers for each class told the kids to line up and get ready to go back to the classroom. Aiden started to walk toward the line and then froze and turned around. His face was red and he had a waterfall of tears streaming down his cheeks when he said "Mommy, please don't go back to work! Stay with me!" It was everything I could do not to burst out into tears myself. I told him I would walk him back to his classroom and he calmed down for a little while until we got to the door. The kids were getting ready to go play on the playground so I told him I would walk to the playground with him but then I would have to leave.

He started laughing and getting into a better mood on the walk to the playground. We went through the gates, I put him down, told him bye and he took off running toward a group of children. I started walking back to my car, but turned to look and I heard him yelling for me and he was running toward the fence as fast as he could. It was heartbreaking. There is nothing worse than having to leave him while he's crying for me. It makes me feel like I'm abandoning him and it hurts. It hurts because I don't know if he really understands that I'm leaving because I have to and not because I want to. Damn these feminists. Moms should never have to work!