Sunday, June 8, 2014

Shopping With Sam

It's Costco day.  Sam has an appointment on Saturday mornings and when he's done we go to Costco together.  He asks for a scrap of paper from my purse and finds a pen.  He sits in the backseat of the van, carefully spelling out each word to make our list. He places himself in charge of making sure I don't stray from the list, and if he sees me even starting to gaze at something in a forbidden area of the store, he puts the list in front of my face and says, "Stay focused, Mama!"

We like to walk slowly, and stop at every sample station.  He tries everything.  He loves the Chinese noodles as much as the baked beans.

We look at the toys, he thinks it's fine for us to stray to this part of the store.  Sometimes he says, "Well it's okay with me if you buy those chocolate covered blueberries, even though they aren't on the list."

We marvel at the new products we haven't noticed before.  He points out the breakfast sausage he wants me to buy every time we come here.  There is a rhythm to our shopping, we do it the same way each time.

When he concentrates on the list and takes the shopping very seriously, I feel like I'm catching glimpses of the adult he's going to be.  In his wide smile, I see the baby he used to be.

After we pay, we each get a fountain drink that costs $.59.  On the way out he hums and skips along.  He is his eight-year-old self now, with spikey hair and long eyelashes. His open-mouthed smile reveals his collection of differently sized teeth with lots of gaps.  "Mama!  Thanks for buying me this drink!" he says.

Shopping with my Sam is one of the simple pleasures that makes me feel peaceful and grateful to be living this life.  I feel so lucky to be able to spend this time with him.  It's something I used to take for granted.

2 comments:

  1. I missed this post; I'm so glad I found the "older posts" link. It is interesting that you can see Sam move from "responsible Sam" to his little kid self.

    It is a gift that you are able to notice these things, Andi. Sam is a very lucky little boy.

    ReplyDelete