it happened during a shower

This morning while Elliott was catching a cat nap before church, I suggested Liam try out the new markers he got in his Easter basket while I took a quick shower. I also put the TV on for him, so I didn't expect much. And in the rush to dress and get out the door, I didn't think about it again...until I was picking up this afternoon and came across this drawing.

"Liam," I said, "Did you draw this."

"Uh huh."

"This morning?"

"Uh huh."

"Is it a whale?"

"Uh huh."

"Did you do it by yourself?"

"Uh huh."

Now, I don't know why I asked this dumb question. Who would have helped him? Andrew was already at church. We established that Elliott was sleeping (not that he would have been much help) and I was showering (and hopefully I am still sane enough to have remembered if I had helped). Of course he did it by himself. But I didn't even know he ever thought about whales or that he even knew what one looked like. It is startling and breathtaking when your child does something you had no idea they could do. It's as if they are turning 20 while you watch. It is scary and beautiful, and standing in the kitchen holding this strangely amazing representation of a whale, I teared up. If he could understand all this emotion, he'd probably say something like, "Mom, it's just a dumb drawing. Don't be so weird. Chill out."

Thankfully, he's still young enough not to be cynical about my blubbering, and simply noted, "It's okay, mom. It's a happy whale."