Who’s Your Favorite?

Posted on by

4Kids

The road we’re driving on is twisty and quiet. It’s early Saturday morning and we pass a few energetic cyclists bravely making their way up. The still-winter but feels-like-summer sun glints off the faint dust on the windscreen, obscuring my vision every now and then. I pay close attention to the road and my distance from the cyclists, almost completely oblivious to the conversation behind me. When I realize Maroon 5 is playing on the radio, I quickly change it. He’s still cute, but Adam Levine’s whiny singing voice is not welcome at this tranquil hour. Or any hour.

“You’re the favorite,” I hear on the periphery of a sharp hairpin bend. I don’t know who says it. And I don’t know whom they’re saying it to. The details aren’t important to me. It’s an ongoing conversation in our house that I don’t engage in: who’s the favorite. My favorite, they mean. They share their thoughts on this delicate subject openly with each other, all with pretty accurate reasons why they must be right. According to them, my favorite is never the one leading the discussion.

The Urban Dictionary definition of favorite is “most wanted or desired.”

Yes. You’re right. You are my favorite. And, in order of oldest to youngest because that’s the order each of you claimed my whole heart four times over, here’s why:

Daniel, you are my favorite because you got my heart first. Because you are easy-going and independent and responsible. Because you love steak but hate chocolate, and ask every Friday night if the challah is homemade. Because you take school seriously, and have a dry, witty sense of humor, and you don’t mind when your little brother plays with your ears. Because your denim blue eyes are usually calm and steady, but this one time when Dad and I yelled at each other from opposite sides of a cold, hard London street they burned bright with tears and confusion. They looked straight into mine and your broken teenage voice poked holes of relief in my anger. “When you guys walk off in different directions, away from us, we don’t know who to follow.” You spoke for all four of you.

Zak, you’re my favorite. You are the most like me: passionate, sensitive, social and too-easily frustrated. You stomp your feet hard enough for both of us when we don’t get our own way. And you’re you: the heart of our family. One time, you tumbled into the car with difficult bits of the school day stuck to your backpack and your cheeks. With angry sadness swimming in your liquid brown eyes, the first question you asked was how my day was. You are compassion and honesty and fun and courage every time you butt-board down the street, do your Math with a pencil that is difficult to grasp, or use your parkour moves to navigate the wet grass wearing only socks.

Sage, you’re my favorite because I got to name you Sage, a name I have loved forever. And you are wise and fresh and calm and helpful, with your sage-colored eyes and glittering of freckles that twinkle when you laugh. You are my favorite because you love to read and write and make up stories, just like I do, and you also run wild with your brothers. One time, a girl you thought was your friend called you a “demon” and your green eyes deepened to gray as you tried to understand why. You’re my favorite because even though I don’t believe in Valentine’s Day, you do and you helped your little brother do this:

SageValentine

Jed, you were the last to hold my whole heart and you will always be my favorite because you will always be my baby. Even when you’re a dad! Because you are strong and fearless and love to hug me, and you drink tea every day. This one time, we went for a hike and you grabbed a stick and led the way. “For freedom,” you yelled as we all followed in a line behind you, your little body barely visible in its white T-shirt as you charged forward along the trail. You are my favorite because you spray deodorant all over your five-year-old self every morning, and then ask me to tie your shoes.

The drive is over and I pull into a spot. I kill the engine and half turn in my seat to look at them. Echoes of “favorite” bounce in the space between us, like a buoyant balloon expected to pop any second.

“You’re all my favorite,” I say. Jed smiles, happy to hear the answer.

“Sure Mom, you always say that,” says Zak.

“Yeah, Mom, that’s the right thing to say,” noticeable, good-natured sarcasm in Daniel’s voice.

I look at Sage. She nods solemnly.

Yep. I do always say that. It is the right thing to say. Because it’s true.

This is a Finish the Sentence Friday Post, inspired by the prompt, “This one time…” Hosted by Kristi from Finding Ninee and co-hosted by Jennifer from Dancing in the Rain.

24 thoughts on “Who’s Your Favorite?”

  1. I wonder if our kids ever understand how they could each be our favorite When they become parents, they will. I don’t know your kids, but I loved getting a peek through your descriptions of each of them!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  4. One of my FAVOURITE posts ever Nicki. You captured every mother’s heart. How can you ever not respond to their wonderful uniqueness by loving their quirks and differences equally but differently? You said it perfectly.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  5. They’re all my favourite too… just like you, Tania, Doron & Stella are all my favourite :)! There’s never a way to choose! :->>. Beautifully “emoted” … as always Nix. Love you to the moon and back xxx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  6. This was very sweet. I just have one child and I call him my favorite son. I do have a sibling and I feel the love equally and differently. I know how my mom loves my brother because that’s he baby boy and I have a baby boy. But she and I are best friends so it doesn’t ever bother me to wonder who’s the favorite. 😉 Loved how you have a bit of their personalities included and the mom and dad Valentines candy – too cute.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you Kenya! I love how you call your son your favorite son :). The Valentine’s candy was SUCH a surprise. I so appreciate what you say: that it never occurs to you to wonder who’s your mom’s favorite. Now that I’m thinking about it, my daughter is the only one that doesn’t ask me.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  7. Nicki – you blow me away. Always. Such amazing writing and glimpses into each of your children. Growing up, I was convinced that each of my brothers were my parent’s favorite (one for each). It wasn’t until I became an adult that I truly understood that my brothers thought I was. Now that we’re each parents, we probably get it a little better – we’re all the favorite. I love this so much. You. xxoo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Don’t tell but I’m still (sorta) convinced my brother is my parents’ favorite: youngest, only boy etc. But what you say is true: as parents ourselves we do understand and appreciate what “favorite” really means.
      You. Favorite. ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  10. I love how you found things about each of your kids to be your favorite. I love my kids and even my most difficult kid, I LOVE her because of her passion. She is by far the one who sends me on an emotional roller coaster, but she gives me the highest highs!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

Leave a comment