Some of our most memorable conversations are volleyed between the front and backseats of the minivan, while we are on the go. A few days ago, Tucker said, "Hey, Mommy? I'm getting bigger!"
"Oh, yeah? How do you know?
"Because I keep eating foods into my tummy, and they are making me bigger. I'm growing bigger like Daddy." He was oh, so proud.
"And do you think you'll grow up and have a beautiful wife someday, just like Daddy?" (I'm not ashamed to seek such affirmation from my kids. I'm not.)
"Yes. I will."
"And who is Daddy's beautiful wife?"
"MaeMae."
(MaeMae is Robb's mom.)
"No, MaeMae is Daddy's mommy. I'm his wife."
"No. Daddy doesn't love you. He loves MaeMae."
"No, Daddy loves me. I'm his wife, Tuck."
"No. He doesn't love you. He only loves MaeMae." Tuck was insistent.
"You are wrong." I countered his insistence.
"Nope. I'm right. He doesn't."
Robb loves MaeMae, and so do I. And thankfully, she is one stellar mother-in-law whom I enjoy beyond words. But, I am confident that even MaeMae wouldn't want Tucker to tell the world that his daddy doesn't love his wife, he only loves his own mommy.
Upon further reflection, I realized that perhaps the whole conversation was rooted in jealousy, since Tucker would really prefer to be the #1 Man in my life. In fact, he believes Daddy doesn't need me, since he has MaeMae. Along the same lines, Tuck seems to believe he won't need a wife, since he has me. In his mind, all a man needs is his mom.
(It's all a little too Freudian.)
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