Unexpected pride

There are many moments, probably daily, when I'm proud of my boy. Things like when he says "thank you" without prompting, tries a new food or picks up his toys without argument.

Then, there's those really special moments, when I need to celebrate a milestone. Milestones like when he first walked on his own, the first diaper-free day, and learning to swim without assistance warrant calls to Grandma.

On Leap Day, I got to celebrate a moment of pride I wasn't anticipating. How awesome!

I had been feeling badly that the boy doesn't get to paint very often. We made him a really cool easel for Christmas and he's free to use the chalkboard side any time he wants. But, being ridiculously busy, I've been avoiding the mess involved in painting. I decided Tuesday he deserved to explore his creativity and got out the paints.

The photo at the top shows his typical work - colorful blends, but completely abstract.

Here's what he painted the other day.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees the trees.

This is the first time he has painted, or drawn anything other than blobs or circles. He says the one with the purple leaves is in another world. No joke. There was no prompting on that. I couldn't believe how proud I was. I couldn't wait for his father to get home so he could share our excitement -- and, he did. And, we did call Grandma.

I will definitely be saving this painting for many, many years.

And, the easel is just waiting for my little artist's next creation.