What is my Present?

This is the question I get everyday at approximately 1:30 pm from my 5 year-old.  It all started the first day of school for him.  I dropped him off at school and went on my way.  I had to be back to watch my baby when my husband left for work. 

He was on cloud nine.  He loves school.  Before I picked him up from school, I had gone to the grocery store.  At the checkout stand, I saw that York Peppermint Patties.  He loves them, especially right out of the freezer.  When I picked him up from school, I asked him what he had to eat that day.  He said pizza.  I said I got him a present.  He asked what it was and I said it starts with "p" too.  I started making the "p" sound and told him it sounded like pizza.  When I told him what it was, he did one of his high pitched "woohoos."  If you have heard it, you know what I am talking about. 

Of course, that day when I bought the Peppermint Patties, I didn't know it was setting a precedence.  The next day, when I picked him up, I got the question, "What is my present?"  It has been that way ever since.  When I was really sick and it took all my energy just to pick him up from school, one day I didn't have any more "presents" at home.  Presents can be anything from food to a toy, generally.  Thankfully he loves his baby sister, because one of those when I couldn't get enough energy to get him anything else, I told him his gift was getting to play with his baby sister.  He was happy with that.  I was happy that he was happy. 

I felt bad, because some of the days when I was sick, I didn't feel like I should even leave the house.  I had to keep him home from school.  He had a bit of a cough, but he would have been fine to go.  The problem was that I would not be able to pick him up.  It would be terrible to strand a 5 year-old at school.

One of his favorite "presents" after school is "oyster skins."  That is what he calls smoked oysters.  It cracks me up.  I don't know how many children like smoked oysters, but all of mine do.  That includes my one year-old.  I used to eat them whenever I thought to buy them.  The last two times I had them, which is about 3 years ago, I would get sick within 30 minutes.  I think I somehow managed to develop a food allergy.  I haven't had them since then.  I figured that it would be quite a coincidence if it happened both times and several weeks apart.

I am so thankful for my children.  I am thankful that I can do little things for them.  My older children remember that they would get little gifts when they were young too.  It wasn't daily though.  I have started to get them things also.  I figure that it is only fair.  They haven't missed a day of school yet.  They want perfect attendance.  I can't blame them for that.  They are very smart children and they enjoy school.

I hope that someday my children remember this time in their lives and they try to make school, and coming home from school, a memorable experience for their children.  I hope that is several years down the road though!