May 9, 2003 - Friday
Harry's class spent the week working on Mothers Day presents, which consisted of a sweet little poem signed with the child's hand print then lamenated and a carnation. The carnations arrived at school on Wednesday and Harry, seeing a couple of other kids take one (some kids aren't there on Thursdays and Fridays), immediately wanted to take one home himself. But, despite some resistence I was able to talk him into leaving it behind, saying how the flowers were going to be a surprise for Mothers Day and that the school was a better place to hide them until then. The same thing happened yesterday and we talked about the surprise element some more.

Harry did take his flower and present home today and we talked some more in the car about how it would be a secret until Sunday morning when we would present mommy with it and say "Happy Mothers Day" very loudly. (Last year Harry said "Happy Mothers Day" so meekly that mommy didn't hear him.) We stopped at the local garden center on the way home - what a fun place for the boys to run around, do you think they'll mind if we just hang out there about once a week? - so I could pick up something for mommy, too. That way, Harry and I could both have presents and have a secret together. Right?

When we got home, we decided to hide our surprises in a corner of the basement. It was a good place since mommy would never look there between today and Sunday, but a bad place because the boys, once down there, did not want to leave and would surely still be there when mommy came home from work. 'No problem,' I think, 'we do come down here from time to time to play and "work." I'm sure mommy will suspect nothing.' On the other hand, if she does come down to see what we're doing Harry may not be able to keep the secret and may take her over to our hiding place...

So much for planning. As soon as mommy's garage door closes and she walks into the house through the door at the top of the cellar stairs, Harry runs over to the bottom of the cellar stairs and yells in his loudest voice, "Mommy, I got you a flower for Happy Mothers Day" and turns to run to our hiding place to get his. So, much for the notion of a secret. At least I still..."and daddy got you a flower, too." Never mind.


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