On Chocolate.

I've been working a lot lately, Peanut -- and you really miss me these days. I am really missing you, too. I thank God that I have the job I do, and the team I do, because if I didn't, I don't think I'd have the luxury of the give-and-take that I do. But I have to say work has been getting more of the "give" lately, and you've been stuck with more of the "take."

See, I know that I have a week off coming up. And I know that we've got the three-day weekend ahead of us. And you're getting older and starting to comprehend time a little better. But I still think it's hard on you not to have me in the now.

And it's hard on me to be gone, missing moments.

So, we make the best of the moments we have! Thursday night Daddy was still a little sick, and I was really tired and we were all a little restless after dinner. I said, "I want some ice cream," to no one in particular, and you took that as an invitation to take me to Baskin Robbins. Which I agreed was a good plan.

You've been wanting to take me to Baskin Robbins for awhile now -- Daddy took you the other day and you just thought it was SO COOL and ever since have been talking about how, some day, you're going to take me there and show me the ice cream store with all the FLAVORS!

So we threw on our shoes and off we went.

In the car you decided you wanted chocolate. You love chocolate anything, but you especially love chocolate ice cream. I wanted Rocky Road. (You were okay with that decision because it looked pretty much like chocolate.)

You got a cone, which is rather new for you (you told me you didn't realize you could eat the cone!) and I got my cup, and we sat down in the chairs. I could hardly stand how cute you were with the chocolate all over your face, and on the tip of your nose. But what got me the most were your eyes. There were shining. Sparkling. You were aglow. We were together. WITH ICE CREAM! Just Mommy and Eden!!

It made me so proud and so happy to see your heart exploding with joy. When you are older and if you are a mommy you will understand why it also made me a little sad -- because I wonder if the loss of me day to day increases your joy with me when I am home.

One way or the other, it was one of the best evenings of my life. Right up there with the afternoons playing in your room when you were 9 months old with the evening sun lighting up your room in a golden glow. With the ethereal mornings when you were a tiny baby, nestled up to me tummy to tummy, nursing and cuddling and sleeping. With our quiet times outside before the neighborhood exploded with kids and we were just the two of us, exploring and discovering together.

After ice cream we decided we were having so much fun we decided to take my car through the car wash, go buy daddy some medicine at Target, and go to Kohl's to buy mommy some exercise pants. It was the best evening of the whole week! It's fun to get to watch you grow up, and I'm realizing how much fun we're going to have together over the years. Hanging out with you is a pretty cool thing.

One of my best, most happiest things!