Near and dear

Today, Buzz came home from his first day of class at an enrichment center. Being midway through the semester, he missed quite a bit of the projects and content, and he came home absolutely crushed that he didn't get to make a robot bird. I don't know why, but it pains me most when he is sad. I love all my kids for their wonderful qualities, but when it comes down to it, I know that when Buzz is sad, there is really a reason (even if it is perhaps not a valid one). The other boys are more volatile in their emotions and tend to cry or get angry much quicker (and for more invalid reasons), so I usually spend most of my time explaining things to them rather than true mommy-style consoling. I know these moments are fleeting with Buzz, since he is closing in on double-digits at light-speed time, and he won't always want to sit on my lap to talk about things. But for now, I will take all I can get of it!