Robbie has been clamoring for a booster seat for the past few weeks, with grandiose visions of what he wants.  First it was a shark booster seat.  Then a Buzz booster.  Today, Robbie told Justin he needed a Lightning McQueen booster seat from Target.  He is noting if not specific.

And what he got was something quite different, mostly because there weren’t a lot of options at Target.  Justin gave Robbie full reign on which two booster seats he would get – one for Justin’s car and one for mine.  That was more than I knew and walked through the door, nearly stumbling upon the ugliest booster seat I have ever seen.  It’s taken me three hours to define the color.  It can only be defined as Barney-esque.

When I got downstairs, Robbie started talking about my booster seat.  “Did you see it, Mom?  I got you a booster seat for your car.  I picked it out.  It’s pink for your car.”

And that’s when it hit me.  Robbie didn’t buy the booster seat he wanted.  He knew it was going in my car and wanted it to be something I would like.  Once again, he thought about someone else before himself.  All of a sudden, that hideous booster seat was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.  It is a beautiful reminder of how much my little boy loves me – more than sharks and Buzz and Lightning McQueen combined.

It’s reassuring, you know?  Every time I turn on the TV or the computer, there is bad news.  Kidnappings, car wrecks, hostage situations, school shootings.  And I can’t help but wonder what their parents think.  Or if they are surprised.  And I can only hope that my child will never be a part of anything terrible.  I pray that he spends his life continuing to think of others and making people smile.  That he will make the world a better place, just like he’s done for me.