Oh No!

May I begin by saying that I am a "Goodnight Moon" parent? I love that sweet little book. Since my trio were born 11 years ago, I have been a fan. All four of my kids and I have taken great pleasure in searching for the cute little mouse who hides his way through the entire book. Bedtime memories for me will forever be woven with memories of this sweet story.

However, Margaret Wise Brown's companion book to "Goodnight Moon" makes me cry. Have you read "The Runaway Bunny"? The little boy bunny wants to run away from home. His dear mother is steadfast and assures him that anywhere he runs, she will go...if he becomes a fish, she will become a fisherman; if he becomes a flower, she will become a gardener, etc...and the story of mother-love is not lost on me. But I can't help but always feel so sad that he wanted to run away in the first place. And yet, because I love the illustrations (Thank you Clement Hurd.), and yes, the Mother's persistence, we read it anyway.

A few minutes ago, Cate picked "The Runaway Bunny" for her nap time routine...and today, the story was not lost on her. Every time I turned the page and read "If you run after me, then I...", my beautiful two and a half-year-old would put her hands to her mouth and gasp, "Oh no!" in obvious discomfort that the boy is running away. And so today, we had a rite of passage...my little girl went from simply reading the story to processing the story -- and was as horrified as her Mommy that the bunny would want to leave!!

So yes, one day, she'll need to have wings to fly away from home. But today, I'm counting my blessings that she is at least appropriately dismayed by any such thought of leaving her Mommy!

Goodnight stars. Goodnight air. Goodnight noises everywhere.