Big heart in a small body

Lately, Mason has been showing beautiful signs of empathy.

We've recently started watching Disney's series, "Little Einsteins." One of the episodes that we watched featured the 4 main characters helping a "music pet" named Melody to find her ticket to the pet train. The pet train takes homeless pets to their new families. Well, of course, one of the characters gets very attached to Melody, but, because he loves her so much, he puts her on the pet train to find her new family. Shortly after the 4 characters return home, the pet train arrives at his home and-- lo and behold-- Melody is destined for him!

After watching this episode a few nights ago, it was time for Mason's bath. He was bathing in the master bathroom and I was in our bedroom changing clothes and listening to him play. Suddenly, he burst into tears and I went running into the bathroom to find the source of the tears. He explained that Leo was very sad and missed Melody but she had to leave on the train. Fortunately, I could then remind him of the rest of the story, and that soothed him....until he talked himself back around to the part when Leo had to leave Melody. We've been able to watch that episode since then with less tears... but he always has to mention that Leo really misses Melody.

A few days later, we were watching the 1984 live-action version of Don Freeman's classic, "Corduroy." (Ok... suddenly this post sounds like all we do is watch TV!) We've read the book several times, and he's familiar with the story. However, it's been a while-- we usually read "Corduroy goes to the Doctor"... but that's not the point. We got to the point in the story where Corduroy has popped the button off the mattress and goes flying off the bed, knocking over a lamp. The commotion causes the night watchman to come and he takes Corduroy back to the toy section of the store... without his button. At which point, I hear sniffling and I look over to see a trembling bottom lip and big tears--"But Mommy, Corduroy wanted THAT button!" The next time we watched Corduroy... tears again for the same reason.

It's just one more wonderful aspect of the boy that Mason is becoming. He rough and tumble on the outside, slow to cry because of physical pain... but don't hurt his heart, please, it's pretty tender!