Running with Honey

I hear commotion. The kids, my husband...there is chasing, squealing, laughter. Then someone whizzes by me and my husband and my kids all say, "Why didn't you grab him? Didn't you see what he has?!" No. I had not seen it. I was doing paperwork on the sofa (the mounds of paperwork that have piled up on my desk for the last week that I have been dreading). So I look up when I hear feet coming my way and there is Charlie. Naked on top, boxers on bottom. He is laughing heartily and squealing, "Hide me! Hide me!" and trying to sneak next to me on the sofa and squash himself down beside me and he is holding an open bottle of honey. Honey is so difficult to clean up. Its just so sticky! But I started cracking up because I just thought it was hilarious that my 2 yr old knew that it was naughty, ornery and hilarious to run from everyone and try to hide with the bottle of honey. He was laughing SO hard. So, I hid him of course, or at least did the best I could, since he was cracking himself up very loudly. But I was so happy. Why was I so happy? What about my son hiding behind me with a bottle of honey was so wonderful? Well, yesterday when I reprimanded this same 2 yr old for being naughty and hitting me with a toy, he started crying for his babysitter and said she was nice, and said that she would not be mean to him. This broke my heart. (even though he had smacked me with a toy - I know it is warped) I always have to be the bad guy though. I have to be the one to say, "bed time. share. time to come inside. wash up for dinner. quiet down...." And I figured that this is just how my kids thought of me - as the not fun one. But tonight my 2 yr old trusted that I would hide him! While he had a bottle of honey in his hands! What faith he had that I would be on his side in his little sneaky game! What trust he had that I would endure his charade! Yea! I am not just the voice of reason and discipline! I am also seen by my 2 yr old as fun, and sly and most importantly, on his side.