Nearly a year ago, I wrote about my daughter, Jaycee, who had a 3-year-old boyfriend, Parker. They met for a barbeque rendezvous.
Remember how Parker stole her heart with his light-up cowboy boots?
Well, guess what? The mutual fascination and adoration continues.
I mistakenly assumed their courtship had fizzled, like so many first loves do. I thought one day I would ask Jaycee about Parker and she would vaguely remember how he made her laugh, but not much else. They would inevitably replace one another with other memories.
Goes to show you how little I know.
Not only is their relationship going strong, they apparently got married. I guess they eloped because my husband and I never got an invitation to the ceremony.
When Jaycee declared to me that she married Parker as we walked into preschool one morning, I lovingly said, “Just because you carry a baby doll, you’re not actually a mommy.”
“You are pretending to be a mommy. Just like you are pretending to be married to Parker.”
“NO! WE AARRRE MARRIED!” she yelled.
And that’s precisely when cuteness turned into craziness. I backed away and tried to stifle my laughter.
Later that evening, my husband calmly explained how her daddy is and will remain her only boyfriend until she turns 19. His reasoning was met with the same reaction, “NO DADDY! PARKER IS MY BOYFRIEND!”
I closed my eyes, fast forwarded 12 years, and envisioned Jaycee with pink hair, a pierced lip, and a pulsating attitude: “I DON’T CARE IF HE SLEEPS IN A CEMETERY AND LOVES SETTING THINGS ON FIRE! I LOOOVE HIM! HE UNDERSTANDS MY ANGST!”
(Of course, it isn’t sweet little Parker in this future scenario.)
I ran into my future son-in-law earlier this week while picking Jaycee up from preschool. When his dad and I passed in the hallway, I casually said, “You know… it appears they’ve taken their adoration of one another to the next level. I heard they stole a kiss on the playground when the teacher wasn’t looking. I told Jaycee that wasn’t acceptable.”
Parker’s dad looked down at him and said to me, “I asked Parker if they’ve ever kissed and he said, ‘No, we just hide in the tube (on the playground).’”
Parker grinned and buried his face in his dad’s legs.
I swear these kids keep me young. They make me laugh. They remind me of everything young and innocent and joyful in life.
They better not ever elope. Because I want to tell the story of how they met in front of all our family and friends.
The cute couple.
