My Little Boy's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank Thee for my trucks

and my concrete truck 

...

Thank Thee (small giggle)

for my trains

Thank Thee for Mommy and Daddy and Grandmas and Grandpas and my cousins

Thank Thee for mommy makes me healthy food 

and (giggles) the cookies!
...

Jesus Christ Amen

Both our kids have started folding their arms for prayers around age one. We never told either of them to do this, it just happened. One night we'd bow our heads for our family dinner and suddenly notice the baby was crossing their arms with us -- a huge couldn't-be-prouder grin accompanying their sweet little face. 

It's always been an exciting moment. We shower them with praises and they spend the next month mimicking prayers in return for positive affirmation. We actually had to tone down our excitement with Reid because he started clapping each time he hear the word "Amen." It wasn't exactly Church reverent material. Though it was certainly Church cute material.

I remember the fist time Reid copied my words during our night time prayer. Ben and I typically take turns saying family prayers each night (he on the evens, me on the odds). While I was in Utah last Spring I was missing Ben, and his turn at nightly prayers, so snuggled up with Reid I asked him to say the prayers for us. I whispered the words into his ears and he proudly repeated them. 

He almost always whispers his prayers.

Tonight. Tonight, I made a good mom bribe. After our bedtime stories he was begging me to stay in bed with him and snuggle. I told him I would, but only if he said prayers all by himself. Fabulous message, right; I'll love you but only if you pray.

"Okay!" He eagerly agreed.

We both folded our arms and sat in the silence. I whispered "Dear Heavenly Father" into his ears. He copied "Heavenly Father." Then stopped to tell me, "don't help!"

So I waited through a few more seconds of silence.

"Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank Thee

...

Is that right?"

"Yes, keep going buddy." It was dark so he couldn't see the huge smile across my face. By the time he finished up his truck line I was holding in a fit of giggles. The happiness was about to burst out of me. 

Then he dropped the healthy food line, and my eyes filled right up. Before I knew it, it was all over and I was able to quickly compose myself. I didn't want my reaction to seem too hysterical, but he was showered with hugs and congratulations. 

I can't believe my little boy is so grown up.

Oh, and I am totally aware that he may have already said un-prompted prayers once in his Church classes, but I'm pretending like he hasn't.

Also, I feel like the prayer was longer than I wrote it up as, but that is as close to word for word as I remember. After all, I did owe him a good ten minutes of snuggles and tickles at the prayers end. 

A phone picture we sent Daddy after he texted me a link to this article: http://www.salon.com/2014/01/13/i_love_you_more_than_daddy/