My 4 year old boy

"Mummy, there is so many work to do. Have to help you hang clothes, have to play game, have to play drawing board, have to play playdoh."

Hahaha. Well, I guess little ones are very busy people too aren't they?

My 4 year old boy is the most affectionate little boy. He loves cuddles, hugs and kisses, sitting on people's lap and being carried. He loves to be carried so much that sometimes he feigns tiredness or pretends to be tired by dragging his feet and letting his arms fall down. Its a funny sight and we often have to struggle not to laugh to discourage this behaviour. He usually does this at the shopping malls. One moment he'd feign tiredness and the next, he'd be off running leaving us panting while chasing after him.

He would kiss me often and count the kisses as he does so. He smiles and laughs often. He has been this way since a baby. He loved to smile as a baby and this trait has continued even now as a boy. We always ask him to smile "until eye small small, mouth big big" and he'd happily grin at us.

He is a little bit of a cry baby though. A small fall or if bullied by his sister or if does not get his way sometimes, he would cry like a baby. If I scold him, the cry would escalate to bawls and he would rush to hug me and say sorry. Its hard for me to dislodge myself from his I'm sorry hugs but I try not to encourage it because I do not want his appologies to be insincere ones.

Complain, Cry, Bawl, I'm Sorry, Its Okay. This is the cycle that I do not want to encourage. Still its really very very hard not to hug a boy who rushes to you to hug you. I will hug him but usually not immediately. (that is if I can stand it) He is smart isn't he? Next time the girls will have trouble with this affectionate boy who really knows how to tug at your heart strings. Speaking of which, I really do treasure his hugs and kisses now because one day soon, he will be too shy to hug and kiss mummy and later on his hugs and kisses will be reserved for girlfriend and wife and not mummy and I will be very sorry I turned down his I'm sorry hugs.

You hear that son? Once upon a time you loved to hug and kiss mummy. (This is for the benefit of the little boy whom I imagine may read this when he is grown.)