Freckles

Today Bug had his first "teenage" moment.

He grew freckles on his face.

At least I think it happened today. Whatever the case, I noticed some cute little freckles poking up around his nose and under eye area. As I think they are adorable, I thought Bug would enjoy seeing them too.

My hopefulness was short lived.

Honestly I didn't sense a problem when we were looking at them in the mirror, but soon after that he claimed, "The freckles aren't cute!" and he seemed on the verge of tears. Seeing something coming on, I decided to try to show him how much I thought they were cute, so I said I would kiss them and I got one kissed before Bug pulled away with a devastated look on his face. "If you kiss them, then they won't go away!"

And he practically stormed out of the bathroom. I followed and found him in the kitchen near the stairs covering his face. "I don't want anyone to see my freckles!" Honestly, I didn't know what to do. He really seemed to be acting like a teenager with acne or something. I tried everything I could to explain to him that the freckles were just a part of him now and not liking them, or being sad about them wouldn't make them go away. I also pointed to the many freckles on my arms (from sunburns... don't ask me why, but when I burn, I freckle... and tan a little... but mostly I freckle). I tried my best to explain to him that Goof Ball doesn't have any freckles right now, and that Bug didn't have any freckles when he was younger either. Freckles popping up like that is just "normal" and maybe the older he got the more the freckles would go away.

Through all my explanations, Bug said, "If Jesus touches the freckles, then they will go away!" I wasn't quite sure what to say to that... so I just continued on my thought process that maybe the freckles will go away by themselves just like they came by themselves. Eventually (I don't really know how) I got him to accept the freckles on his face. I continuously told him that with or without freckles, I still love him and think that he is really cute. After he had calmed down he said, "If Daddy sees my freckles, he might laugh." Maybe that was the root of his fears, as I never really got him to tell me why. (He doesn't seem to understand the word 'why'. I ask, "Why don't you think they are cute?" "Because... they aren't cute." You get what I mean...)

After that I started to find something for us to have for lunch and Uncle Kracker's song "Smile" came on the radio. It has been a favorite here for all of us, and I danced the first chorus with Goof Ball singing... well he was laughing... I was singing. Then I put Goof Ball in his booster for lunch and then picked up the big and still somewhat self-conscious Bug and danced around the kitchen with him for the second chorus. I think it helped.

So there you have it. If you come across Bug any time soon, don't stare at his freckles (really, you can't see them easily anyway) and whatever you do.... don't laugh at them. ~_^