It's Not Just a Sippy Cup

I had to run back to my house this morning after dropping Lil Mootz off at daycare to pick up my phone charger.  I rushed into the house and up the stairs.  On the way back down the stairs, I saw this:

It is things like this that make me love my son even more.  Yes, apparently that is possible.

I know what you're probably thinking, "But it's just a sippy cup."

I suppose it is just a sippy cup.  However, when I look at that sippy cup sitting in an odd spot the first thing that pops into my mind is, "I have a son.  I have a healthy, beautiful baby boy that fills up my whole life and sits sippy cups the bottom of the stairs because something more interesting caught his attention."

I can picture him in my mind, toddling through the dining room, holding his sippy cup between both hand, just looking for something to get into.  When he finally see that something, he squats down and carefully sits his sippy cup on the floor, leaving it for later.  I think of him examining a piece of paper on the floor, picking it up and bringing it to me, so he can share.  I think of him pushing his lawn mower or riding his McQueen car and making "motor" noises.  I think of the joy on his face when he can reach a remote or cell phone or camera and he thinks he's won the jackpot.

It is this sippy cup and these toys that remind me that this house is Stonewall's and mine and it is filled with our family that we created together.  It is not always neat and clean.  In fact, it is more often cluttered with more toys than one child needs, shoes that were tossed off after a long day, magazines and books, Wii remotes, diaper bags spilling over and yes, sippy cups.

And the thing is, I'm happiest when I walk into a room and I'm reminded that a family, my family, lives here.  I go to bed at night and I'm happier because I spent more time sitting on the floor and playing with Lil Mootz than I did trailing behind him and picking up after him or because Stonewall and I cuddled up together on the couch at night rather than folding one more load of laundry.

That is why a simple green and purple sippy cup at the bottom of my stairs brings a smile to face.  It is not just a sippy cup.  It  is a reminder of how lucky I am to have such a sweet little boy, a husband that loves me, and a house that is a home.