Good Things Do Happen

"Bad things happen in threes." That is an old saying that I have heard numerous times. While I am unsure of its origin or basis, I do know that many people speak of it as the truth. Well...I am here to change that. I would like to officially say that GOOD things happen in threes, and I have proof.
Our day began as usual, the frantic running around, making lunch, finding clothes to wear out of the pile by the TV, and cooking breakfast while listening to Playhouse Disney in the background. Evander scarfed down his yogurt, while I filled out paperwork for the children's first dental appointment (yes...I am insane for taking on the dentist), and was out the door with briefcase in hand. Baby was chasing after the dog, and Bubba was on the other side of the counter from me. After looking up to make sure everyone was still alive, I dove back into my paperwork, and that is when it happened. From the other side of the counter, a little voice casually said "I love you Mommy." I put my pen down, looked down at the big brown eyes peering at me from over the counter, just as my heart stopped. Maybe it didn't stop, but it definitely skipped a few beats. I tried to recover quickly and casually responded, "I love you too", but my stomach was turning flips, and I felt lightheaded and excited and shocked all at once. He went on about his business of torturing Baby but I did not rebound that quickly. My son had just communicated a feeling for the first time, and I had the pleasure of it being directed to me. Don't get me wrong; he has said I love you before but only after one of us has said "Say I love you." This statement was totally out of the blue and unprovoked and AMAZING! I hurriedly called Evander and went about my day.
Soon we found ourselves waiting impatiently in the dentist's waiting room. I had explained that the dentist wanted to check their teeth, and I also threw in that there would be NO toy if there was crying. "The dentist doesn't like crying," I had warned. As we settled into our little cleaning room, the hygienist said "So Bubba, why don't you go first since you are the big brother?" I was expecting whining and hesitation, but what did he do? Bubba jumped right up in the chair, and, with a little encouragement, laid down to have his teeth brushed with the real toothbrush (the one they use on us). She was also able to floss and count his teeth with no trouble at all. This is from the same child who, at one time, would not even open his mouth to let a toothbrush in. I was SO proud of him, and the day wasn't over.
Our final stop of the day was speech therapy. The therapist came to get him, but he didn't want to go. I thought we were going to have a tantrum on our hands, but, with some persuasion, he decided to go back for therapy. Before long Bubba and the speech therapist emerged from the door and she knealed in front of me to give me the low-down. Suddenly, I found my heart stopping for the second time in one day. The speech therapist was telling me that Bubba just met ALL of his speech goals, AND he seems to be at his appropriate age level for speech. I could not believe what she was saying, and at the same time I was ecstatic! She went on to ask if I had anything that I would like her to work on because he is doing so well, she doesn't know what else to work on. WOW!
I know that he probably shouldn't surprise me like he continues to do, but he has just come so far. It was only July when he was using a one-word screaming combo to communicate, and, as of March, he was still unable to brush his teeth. Now he is speaking in sentences (he said a 7 word sentence today) and brushing his teeth twice a day. Many people question our methods, but these three exceptionally good events prove that we are moving in the right direction. Who needs old sayings? GOOD things can happen in threes too!