This particular moment at Epcot was just a glimmer of a sweet moment in a string of difficult days with Stevie during our recent (and first ever) trip to Walt Disney World.  But we take what we can get, you know?

We had just disembarked from the old and stuffy monorail, riding around Orlando in the hopes of cooling down.  But taking that break and sitting down too long just seemed to make us more tired for some reason.  The entire day suddenly caught up with us and we dragged our bodies through the entrance of Epcot on our way back to the hotel, shirts soaked through with sweat, cheeks red and hot.  Paul slipped Stevie some fruit snacks because if his mouth is full, well then he has to stop complaining for at least a minute.  He ate them up quickly and of course started asking for more.

And as an opportunist parent — no shame — that’s when I seized my moment.

Oh hey!  Yeah!  You can totally have more fruit snacks, Stevie… if you give mommy a kiss!

I honestly didn’t even know if I had more fruit snacks to offer.  But without hesitation, he grabbed my face in the sweetest way, with his chubby little baby-man hands, and planted one on me with a loud MUUAAAH!  Right there in front of the pinnacle landmark of Epcot, Spaceship Earth.

And the glimmer.  That little glimmer.  Made me feel like I was doing something right on this trip.  And even in life a little bit.  Who cares if it was just for a fleeting moment?  Who cares if it was all facilitated through bribery?

Kid got his fruit snacks, don’t worry.  And mommy got her smoochies any way she could.  Brought to you by what soon became my favorite theme park of the bunch.