The Hallowe'en that Wasn't

While Louis and I were heading back from Woolwich and Cole's hockey game, Claire and her friend Marley decided to help Chloe with her costume make-up. She wanted to be a Zombie princess. By the time we got home they had really gotten off to a great start and I think they pulled it off:

Are Zombie princesses supposed to smile? No matter, she looked adorable. All dressed up with a place to go and dreams of candy and gum in her head!

Well, she had a place to go, up until her Trick-Or-Treat partner, Darth, decided he didn't feel well enough to go out. Not go out? And HE made the decision? Clearly there was something wrong and the boy was seriously ill. Or maybe he was just tired and his 6AM practice was catching up to him.

A shot of Benylin and he was off to bed. In the meantime, there were plenty of tears and some serious wailing could be heard in the shower. My poor girl. My poor boy.

The others?

Not so concerned. They watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show and One Missed Call. They got so freaked out by the One Missed Call, I went to check on Claire this morning and found all three of them crashed in her room. Ah ... teenagers!

The Caterpillar

My baby, Caden, often entertains us by doing "the caterpillar". We tease him that he will never need a pick-up line but he'll use his eyebrows instead. It is comical and is one of those strange talents that you bring out at family functions ... or later in his life when (perhaps) too much alcohol has been consumed!

A few weeks back a commercial was spotted. We realize that it is computer animated, but Caden LOVES it. Not only that, but he can almost do all of the "moves". Though, he does complain that her eyebrows go way too fast for him to keep up. Nothing dissolves my family into giggles like this commercial. Or, really, watching Caden mimic the commercial.

Enjoy ...

Hockey Continues

* QUICK SUMMER UPDATE *

Just in case you thought we were spending our summer away from the rink, let me assure you, that is not the case. The boys are enjoying their Friday evenings running around town. We live on the far West side of town, one rink is kind of mid-town and the other is on the far East side of town. Normally Louis and I argue over who will be attending hockey, only because on a hot steamy summer night it's a welcome change to cool off in a rink! Alas, our weather has pretty much stunk so the one drawing the short straw gets to go.

Over the last few weeks, Caden has improved in spite of himself. Still lazy as ever! He is of the belief that if you know all of the hockey stats, know all of the rules, know all of the lingo that will make you a great hockey player. As much as I tell him he has to try to improve he seems to think the hockey gods are watching over him. They're not.

On the other hand, Cole would prefer stiffer competition but is learning to have fun at his hockey. He's taking the opportunity to practice moves and take shots not normally available to him. His last game, he ripped a slap shot hard and hit the goalie in the chest - the poor boy went down and didn't get up, for a while. Yikes.

The most astounding aspect of this summer? Cole continues to maintain his #1 scorer rank:

What a hoot!

(Shhh, don't tell him, but that'll all slip away as he is going to miss a few games! Just thought I'd include it here so he has "proof" when he waxes nostalgic, in years to come, over the one partial-season as a young lad when he was high scorer.)

Plans are already underway for fall and winter training for the two of them. They really enjoy the sport. Caden enjoys the cameraderie and teamwork of it all and Cole enjoys the discipline and skill involved. Whatever works. As long as they're having fun that's all that matters!

Tuesday just flew by!

Do you ever have one of those days that just seems to fly by? You just go, go, go? That was our Tuesday! I hadn't anticipated the insanity which probably made it more frantic than it needed to be, but I think I can state, for everyone, that fun was had by all.

• Laundry and housework was interrupted by my chauffeur duties as I dropped Claire off at the mall with her girlfriends for lunch.
• On the way home I took photos in to be developed and picked up some groceries.
• Those were quickly put away and I headed over to the school for Cole's D.A.R.E. graduation ceremony. Louis met me there and we enjoyed the ceremony with quite a number (really, a surprisingly large number) of other parents.
• I took off to collect little Miss Mall and Louis brought the kids home.
• We all arrived at the front steps of the house to enjoy the year-end reading of the report cards!
• A bit of garage organizing (Louis' ongoing project) while Chloe and I made dinner.
• Louis left after dinner for his hockey board meeting and I took Claire up to her baseball game.
  
• Louis meeting went longer than planned so packed the kids back in the car and went to get her! We were all back home and ready to sleep by 11PM. What a full day!

Claire with her new glasses and her prized google phone.

Cole with his D.A.R.E. medal. He enjoyed the course. I'm afraid of when he might have to employ the coping strategies taught. No doubt far earlier than I'd like!

My little helper. Chloe and I took a bit of a break in the kitchen action to join everyone in the front of the house.

While cleaning out the garage my boxing gloves were found! Caden put them to use, not good use, but he was fascinated anyway.

Lacrosse Pictures

This is Caden pre-lunge. I'm not sure if this was a simple cross check or the jump-on-the-back-and-wrap-the-stick-around-neck move. Put a stick in his hand and my boy becomes a more than a little aggressive. He's not mean spirited and it's always a shock to me when he relies on completely insane moves to win. He spends a lot of time in the penalty box.

On the other hand, Cole has taken to lacrosse like a duck to water ... now that he no longer runs like a duck, that's a good thing! He's aggressive and always aware of where he is in relation to the other players, the goal and the ball. You can see him thinking. The older boy game is far more enjoyable to watch - more passing, more aggressive, less luck, more skill. Cole is so fast you blink and he's from one end of the rink to the other.

The noise in the stands is incredible.

I've never experienced anything as rough as lacrosse. Very little padding is worn and the boys are going full out all the time. The screaming in the stands is nothing compared with hockey - which I thought was loud, until I experienced this season.

I've really enjoyed it: short, sweet, fun, now our weekends are free all summer long for the first time in ten years!

TGIF 19.06.09

I'm trusting that my instincts are right: I am interpreting messages clearly and preparations are being made as a result.

I'm grateful my children are undaunted by obstacles and challenges. It wasn't until tonight that Caden remarked that it really seemed to be a big deal that his team tied the Shamrox team at the lacrosse game tonight. (I don't think I was the only parent to lose her voice cheering!) Though he's fully aware that this is Gala (aka Championship) Weekend, he really didn't understand the significance of the tie. I like that he plays every game to win. The significance of the game is lost on him. Every game is played the same, played to win. Wow. Imagine if we all gave 100% effort all the time at everything we enjoyed?

I'm inspired by the forecast. Though it looks like tomorrow will be wet and miserable, the last week of school is expected to be clear, sunny and in the high 20*s. The countdown is officially ON!

It's all about flexibility

and the realization that you are not alone; aka, there are other, equally crazed, parents of multiple children running all around town and out of town, too. We have Gala Weekend for lacrosse and a baseball tournament. The start is always brutal.

This weekend looks like this:

EDITED in red

Friday:
03:15 Collect Cole, Chloe and Caden from school Done
03:16 Crazy begins Indeed
06:00 Drop off Cole for Lacrosse Playoff Game on West side of town The Mammoth team won 9-6. Cole didn't score, but he did play tough. So sorry I missed it!
06:00 Cancel Caden's 3on3 Hockey game Done, and they won anyway :)
06:30 Take Caden to Lacrosse Playoff Game on East side of town Holy smokes was that ever an exciting game. Our boys are in the basement of novice lacrosse and they gave the #1 Shamrox team a run for their money. The score ended up tied 3-3. Was it ever exciting. I think I lost my voice!
06:30 Louis and Claire leave for Brantford (1 hour SW)
08:30 Claire plays baseball game vs Kingston in Brantford tournament Last I heard (10PM): 5th inning and they were winning 9-3
08:30 Take Cole to 3on3 Hockey game on East side of town Which they won 17-14. Cole scored 5 goals. He played well, but really has to get used to his new stick!
And I must remember to thank Doug for bringing Cole from the West side of town to the East side of town! So happy that both sets of our boys play on the same lacrosse teams and Doug lives on the East side so, though it is an imposition, it's not a colossal imposition to ask him to bring Cole with him!

Saturday:
10:15 Louis and Claire leave for Brantford Rain delay, they left at 1PM
12:15 Claire plays baseball game vs Niagara Falls in Brantford tournament Cancelled
01:00 Caden plays Lacrosse Playoff game on West side of town The Wings beat the Titans which means we go back to the rink for 7PM for the tiebreaker.
03:00 Cole plays Lacrosse Playoff game on West side of town, same arena, thankfully! And the Mammoth won their game, moving on to the semis!
03:15 Claire plays baseball game vs. Ancaster in Brantford tournament Claire won MVP!
05:00 Cole plays potential playoff game Fortunately, they played the later game so I was able to take them all over to Boston Pizza - pasta for Cole, chicken for Caden and Chloe had a burger
06:00 or Cole plays potential playoff game an hour later which was INCREDIBLE. Our boys really wanted to win and you could tell. They're in the finals tomorrow afternoon.
07:00 and Caden plays potential playoff game Which the boys played well but lost, a tight game 3-1.
I really don't like, but completely understand "potential" games. They're just so difficult to plan around and everything is completely up-in-the-air all day. For someone who lives by the calendar, I have to admit, I get a bit jittery on days like this! The solution? A full bag of magazines, toys, and other distractions.

Sunday is all about potential games. If the stars align and everyone wins:
08:30 Claire leaves for Brantford With all of the cancellations, Louis and Claire left the house at 7:15AM to be at their first game for 9AM.
10:30 Claire plays in one of two potential playoff games Though she played well, Claire was home in plenty of time for Cole's Championship game.
02:00 Claire possibly plays the Championship game See above :)
02:00 Caden possibly plays in the Championship game No championship game for Caden.
02:30 Cole possibly plays in the Championship game What a game! So much fun. Cole and his team did not win, but they really gave it a good effort with a final score of 3-1.
05:00 Stopped by the liquor store and picked up some wine and Caesar mix!

Somehow I'll manage to get everyone fed and to their rinks on time. Chloé will be entertained and supportive. Louis will make sure Claire does her thing. The whirlwind of activity will be over and everyone will be in the kitchen by, at the latest, Sunday at 6PM wondering what to do next.

Later is always better because that means their teams have won and there won't be any sad faces or pep talks. But we've done it all before. As parents, Louis and I will just roll with it. And, really? The kids have done it all before too. They know that win or lose, as long as they have given 100% to their teams, that is all they can expect of themselves. Certainly that's what we expect of them.

I do wish for you and your family far less chaos this weekend. I will make every attempt to post my SOOC Saturday but please forgive me if I forget!

Lego Crazy!

Lately Caden has been OBSESSED with Lego. He takes a project and makes it work in many different ways.

When he was little, I bought The Bug a ton of Lego. All sorts of Lego. Especially that year Chloe was in 1st grade and he and I were home together. Just the two of us. I tried everything. I was desperate. He was completely not interested. I hated the idea that it would go to waste, so I gave most of it away.

Now I wish I had kept all of it. He got a couple of kits, cars and spaceships, for his birthday and it took him no time to put them all together. He is so proud of himself. I am too. Lego was one of those things, when we left Sick Kids in May 2003, "he'll never be able to do" - along with gameboy, reading, math and playing organized sports. Now he's 5 for 5. I'm tremendously relieved. Not only that, but he's begging me to attend robotics camp (he's one year too young) which is all about Lego as well. That just means he has a whole year to practice. Even better? He's old enough now there's a good chance I won't walk on it.

Slow Sunday

Caden in the morning.

The boys and I are just settling in to watching the French Open. We are torn between rooting for Roger Federer and the "newcomer" Robin Soderling. (I am a tennis-junkie from way back and really miss the sport. Maybe it's time to dust off the racket and play with the kids?)

The funny thing watching over-commentated sporting events is the number of questions that arise. Like the one Caden asked: how long does it take to be a newcomer? Or the natural inclination of my children (and, shhh, me too) to root for the underdog. Though, given Federer's season, perhaps there is an argument for him being the underdog!

I love watching events I enjoy with my kids. They always offer a different and refreshing perspective.

The Un-Birthday, Birthday

Every once in a while, life creeps in and birthdays are not very special.

Today was Caden's 9th birthday. He jumped out of bed exclaiming "wow, I'm nine today!" (I know this because he was sleeping - his last time, he promises - in my bed.) Then he jumped out of bed and gave me a hug "my first nine-year-old hug!" Too cute, my boy.

Here's the rub: Cole was in a hockey tournament and they made it into the next round which meant we had to play, happily, on Sunday. Today. Caden's birthday.

The good thing was Caden's buddy from school was at the rink with his big brother, Cole's teammate, and they kept each other company. I'm sure, though a bit premature at 9 years of age, we will see plenty of photos over the years of these two boys at the bar :)

Claire had the camera and snapped this pic of Cole in action. He had a great tournament.

So great a tournament, that during the game this morning he earned "Player of the Game". He was over the moon thrilled; so good for his shattered confidence.

On the way home from the arena, we stopped by Marble Slab Creamery on Lakeshore. Caden has been asking for months, really, since last fall, to go for ice cream at this place. I suppose it's like a Cold Stone Creamery found in the States.

It might not be much, but it was what we could manage for today. As special as we can manage for our much loved, special boy. Not to fear, a birthday party is being organized, just not today.

I laugh as I write this. Caden is sound asleep. Has been for over an hour. In my bed. He came in, gave me a hug and in a voice only Caden can manage, gently said "mama, it's going to be hard to get used to my bed again, can I just start here with you?" Melt my heart. Maybe he'll sleep in his bed next year.

Command Performance: Mother's Day

Each Mother's Day we go for a lovely lunch at my Dad's home in Toronto. It is a "command performance" which means, it is not to be missed: and we never would. My kids get such a charge out of seeing their extended family. This year was so much fun as all of the grandchildren have grown up so much, even since we last saw the crew in December, and they enjoy seeing each other so much. They might enjoy it more than the adults, but I doubt it :)

Each year we take a family photo out in the back yard, but I figured when I read the frost warning (yes, frost warning) before we left, that there was chance we'd not get any outdoor photos taken. I did pack along my portrait lens (admittedly giving me trouble - or maybe it's the photographer!) and took as many photos as I could of the festivities so that I can put something together for my parents as a thank you.

There is a perfect North corner in the house and with the flat light of the day, portrait opportunities were perfect. Each of the grandchildren posed for me, I asked them to strike whatever pose they chose and then I took the photo. I wanted to capture them as they are, their true personality. I got some really good shots. Here are my kids (as I don't have permission to plaster everyone on the internet!):




They clean up nice, eh?

It was such a wonderful day. Cole and Louis left early to get our hockey guy to the rink for 4PM but the rest of us stayed to say a leisurely goodbye. Until next time ... in December!

I wish for all of you a very happy Mother's Day. I hope you all got breakfast in bed, colourful construction paper cards, lots of hugs and plants like I received from mine:

Every Day

Caden loves a buzz cut. We chose the #2 buzz this "summer" but I can tell he's not happy. It's not quite short enough.

Each year my boy requests: big eyes, pleading voice; for a buzz. I hestitate. I hesitate because of this:


Yes, a bald spot. Not a natural bald spot. A bald spot as a result of a bed sore.

Yes, a bed sore. Because in 2003, Caden was in bed, in a coma, for two weeks.

Yes, in a coma. He silently went into the pool and almost - thank God (big G) almost - drown.

I hate that bald spot. I hate that it ever happened. I hate that I wasn't home. I hate that it happened during my first escape from our house. I hate that I think that it was an escape. I hate that it was my very first National Scrapbook Day and that it now taints enjoyment of my favourite craft. I hate that it hurts my husband since he was the one home. I hate that the authorities thought it was our "fault" rather than a tragic accident. I hate that it effects my children. EVERY DAY.

I love that bald spot. I love that my son survived. I love that my older children treat him with thankfulness, tenderness and joy. I love that he is my husbands "favourite" child, hell, he's the favourite of everyone. I love that he is so kind and gentle (well, outside a sport arena). I love that he continues to be fearless. I love that he is branded for life - the bald spot and the "salamander" scar - proof that he is strong and willful. Though that force of will might just be the end of me. I love that he has a wonderful sense of humour. I love that he shows us the "caterpillar" at least once a week. I love that he brings such joy and embraces life, fully. EVERY DAY.

EVERY DAY.

Whatever will I do?

Conditioning camp is over!

Both boys participated in one-hour sessions with about 20 other hockey players per class for the better part of April. A total of 34 hours watching them (and their friends) being put through their paces in an effort to be prepared for hockey tryouts. Louis and I played plenty of divide-and-conquer in order to get them to the rink and all the other activities.

Funny story: Caden and I arrive a the rink for his last session: number 14. At the front we checked the screens for the rink and change room assignment. Incredulous, Caden turns to me and says "tryout camp, TRYOUT CAMP! What am I trying out for? I'm not trying out for rep hockey, mama. I'm not ready!" I had to assure him that he'd been at tryout camp all month and no, he didn't have to try out for rep, I just thought it would be something fun for him to do in April. "Yes, it was fun. But, mama, I'm not trying out for anything, you make sure George knows." Okay, buddy, I'll let him know.

Now, the other one, has been going to tryouts and continues to go. The last of them are being held over the weekend.

Oh my, what on earth will we do in May?

According to Caden

All of the best Saturdays start with helping Daddy make pancakes. So that is exactly how our day began.

I hope your Saturday started just as well!

What was your favourite book?

Growing up, "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak was my favourite book. Not a big book, but I could get lost in it for hours. (This favourite was closely followed by "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.) I'm happy to say that it is a favourite in our house with my own children.

Caden was all excited when he ran up to me and managed to sputter out that there's an upcoming Where the Wild Things Are movie. I don't know if I want to go and change my memories of the book, but who knows, it may just enhance the experience. And plus, my boy wants to go and who am I to ruin his fun? The scheduled release date is October 16th, so I may be over my aprehension by then.

Enjoy:

The Lacrosse Era has begun

We signed up the boys for Lacrosse on Thursday evening and in anticipation of weekend clinics and went out to get the equipment on Saturday. The boys are psyched to start!







The timing couldn't be better.

Every summer since the kids were five they've played baseball. There has been some dabbling in soccer and rugby, but baseball has been a mainstay. It makes sense, after all, we own a baseball training facility.

This year we have a natural break for Caden - he's spent the last two years in "rookie ball" (machine pitch) and a third season would not improve his skill level (there are all kinds of issues with how the boys and girls learn or really, don't learn, the sport through the league) and he's not mature enough to move up an age level, he's a young almost-9 and just not ready to play with the 10 and 11 year olds.

Cole is a great little baseball player and we've explained to him that to take a summer off at age 12 to explore another sport is the right time. It was his decision but we, Louis and I, encouraged him to really think about Lacrosse. After all, it's only four months and he can always go back to baseball if he doesn't like it.

Our family philosophy is to have the kids experience, to varying degrees, as much as they can so that they can make choices from a position of knowledge as well as desire. It makes for crazy days of driving and dropping off and picking up: insane logistics but that's why we're here ... to give them as many opportunities as we can.

Now to finalize summer camps and trips and all those days in the sun. I enjoy the unstructured structure of summer and really look forward to the long days and warm weather. I'm equally anxious for the arrival of the structure of fall, but right now, I think a little summer would be lovely!

Snow Day

This morning I awoke to the the Blackberry buzzing and the following message: "This is a message from the Halton District School Board. All parents, students and staff are advised that due to inclement weather, all schools and board offices are closed today."


Caden was delighted (especially in his new sock monkey hat, a gift from Cole), as were Chloe and Cole. Claire had to go to school and let me assure you, those roads were slick. Luckily she had only a half day so there was no driving in the evening rush hour. We saved that for the not-cancelled hockey practice!

In the meantime, a friend hailing from the U.K. sent along this (much circulated) funny:

The Official Canadian Temperature Conversion Chart

50° Fahrenheit (10° C)

Californians shiver uncontrollably.
Canadians plant gardens.


35° Fahrenheit (1.6° C)

Italian Cars won't start.
Canadians drive with the windows down. (or, in my case, with the convertible top down - but I do wear mitts!)


32° Fahrenheit (0 ° C)

American water freezes.
Canadian water gets thicker.


0° Fahrenheit (-17.9° C)

New York City landlords finally turn on the heat.
Canadians have the last cookout of the season.


-60° Fahrenheit (-51° C)

Mt. St. Helens freezes.
Canadian Girl Guides sell cookies door-to-door.


-100° Fahrenheit (-73° C)

Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Canadians pull down their ear flaps.


-173° Fahrenheit (-114° C)

Ethyl alcohol Freezes.
Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg


-460° Fahrenheit (-273° C)

Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops.
Canadians start saying "cold, eh?"


-500° Fahrenheit (-295° C)

Hell freezes over.
The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

Unacceptable: Goon-ish behaviour

Do you remember my praise of Caden's 110% extreme hockey of yesterday? Let me clarify, it was extreme hockey; but, it was not goonish hockey.

This morning was GOON hockey. That kind of hockey is completely unacceptable.

What you see in the photograph above is Caden writing letters of apology to the coach from the other team as well as one particular player and his parents. I'm so upset with him right now. We sat down together and came up with:

Dear Coach X,

I'm sorry I hurt your player S at the hockey game this morning. I got caught up in wanting to stop him and became a goon. I should have been ejected. It will not happen ever again. Please forgive me.

Caden
#2, Wolfpack

All of the notes are similar. Do you remember the days when you had to write lines? I'm so tempted to have him write "I will not be a goon" about a million times! I've scanned the notes and sent them on. Now we're trying to come up with a suitable "punishment" so that he remembers what he did wrong and never repeats it. My idea is that he take all seven weeks of summer holiday and actually become a good hockey player at hockey camp. My theory: if you can skate and play well, you do not have to resort to cheating or goon tactics. He thinks it would be best if he just promises (fingers crossed, no doubt) that he'll never do it again.

Hmm.

ETA: I'm happy to report that Caden's apology has been accepted by his buddy (and parents) and all is well.

Boys are fun to watch

Caden and his Wolfpack team played in a hockey tournament in Toronto this weekend. Caden was thrilled to have been taken out of school on Friday in order to play their first game - which they, sadly, lost. Today they had two games at two different arenas in fairly short order. We arrived at the first rink for 6:45AM after a 45 minute drive and both games were completed before lunch.

We had a bit of time in between the games so we took ourselves off to Starbuck's where Martin and Helen kindly treated Caden and I to some goodies. Doesn't Starbuck's have the best lemon-poppyseed loaf? It was also good for the boys to drown their sorrows in treats as the first game this morning was a tight one, but our boys were on the losing side of the outcome. But Caden's buddy did get Player of the Game - good job! So, I prefer to look at our trip to Starbuck's as a celebration.

I'm going to say it here, right now, Helen needs a stand-up routine. We can call it: Helen on Hockey. She cracks me up. I'm not sure if it's her observations - or her observations with her British accent. Hysterical. In a good way :)

At any rate, to the point of this post, and the photos above: It always brings me great amusement to watch my kids interact with their friends. The whole body language, comfort and ease in themselves. Especially the boys. They seem to say absolutely nothing, a few grunts and a bit of sport chatter, but get along so well. Fascinating.

In the end, the boys won their last game of the day. A hard fought game where Caden played a version of EXTREME HOCKEY - part hockey, part soccer, part football and was covered in snow by the end of the game! Nothing like giving 110%.

The Kindness of Strangers

Last night, after Caden and his team won in the quarter finals of their tournament in the Stoney Creek Winterlude, I promised to take him to the Mixed Grill for his favourite meal: lamb lollipops.

Caden is such a delightful little guy; he has the brightest gray eyes, full of fun and mischief!

So, Heather comes over and my little guy orders corn meal encrusted calamari with chipotle sauce for his appetizer and lamb lollipops with a half order of french fries. I have the chicken special. I asked him about his game. His best moment and what he thinks he might change for the next game. We had a nice little conversation then he took himself off to wash his hands before the meal arrived.

The meal arrives, we eat and chat about hockey (the Canadian Junior team was playing Russia during our meal), the upcoming school year and his hopes to get an Eagle Award, what camps he'd like to attend in the summer - he's asking about Cricket - seriously?, why he prefers the Wii Mario Cart over the DS version and yet another rendition of "Hey There, Delilah" since it's his favourite song. I so enjoy Caden-led conversations, they are all over the place.

Then it's time to pay the bill. We ask for the bill and Heather brings it over. She sits down and starts "about the bill ..." As it turns out, the couple who had been sitting across from us were so impressed with Caden ordering calamari and lamb, his very polite behaviour, and having a conversation with his mother, they bought us our meal.

Oh my!

Heather continued to explain that the woman has a nephew the same age as Caden and she is loathe to take him to McDonalds, let alone a real restaurant, because he is so poorly behaved. She wanted to reward Caden for being such a good boy. Heather also invited her to come on a Thursday night so that she could see all of my kids since all four are equally well behaved.

Wow.

I am still flabbergasted by the kindness of this complete stranger.

I have had "a day". What a wonderful way to end it and affirm that I'm doing something well! So, if you see a well behaved child, you don't have to buy a meal, but do mention something to that child and their mother. You have no idea how much it is appreciated!