I walked into the house, I can’t remember the last time I rang their doorbell, and shouted “Hello!”

No sooner had the words left my lips than I heard him coming at me. Two, nearly five year-old feet tearing through the house from his new Big Kid bedroom to the front door. The boy those feet belonged to was shouting “Someone’s at the door, mom! I THINK SHE’S HERE!” as he galloped across the hardwood. When he made it to the front door, he stood there, half dripping from a bath in his dinosaur jammies.

“SHE’S HERE SHE’S HERE! MOM, SHE’S HERE!” he shouted as he stood there looking at me. “M’sepha do you see my new shoooes? SHE’S HERE SHE’S HERE!” He pointed to his brand new rain boots. Cow printed rain boots that he had on the wrong feet, but cuter than anything. “You have to come see what we’re doing for Halloween!” he cried as he hugged me around the knees, and ran off again into the house.

This boy is my favorite child ever. I’ve been caring for him fairly regularly since he was born and we’re always profoundly happy to see one another.

I took a seat with his parents and waited while he brought me toy after toy to look at and share with him. He brought his new dog, Charlie, at one point and was so happy that he liked me that he announced to his parents that it was clear I should stay the night. “Charlie would be sad if she left!” he reasoned, as he showed me his Halloween card.

“The windows all open!” he told me as he pet my hair. “M’sepha, your hair is pretty. And long. Mom, look how long her hair is!”

He then took me on the grand tour of the new house which mostly included helping him choose wallpaper for his new, Big Kid bedroom and then showing me all the best hiding places. These are the important things for a four year-old, apparently.

He’s going to be our FreshPlans kid, too.

I’m excited!