We took Tony and Enzo to have Breakfast with Santa on Sunday morning at Merion Caterers here in town. It was the third time the boys got to sit on Santa’s lap and talk with the big guy.

The line to see Santa was not long at all, especially since there were two in the building, but the boys still had to wait a couple minutes before they could express their wishes for Christmas morning.

There were elves on hand to interact with the children, which Tony absolutely loved. He made sure he got his picture taken with a couple of them before he left. 

After the boys sat on Santa’s lap, which has yet to lead to a meltdown from Enzo, we made our way down the staircase to the first level for breakfast. The line was out the ballroom, down the hall and out the front door for a table. 

We decided to take some pictures in front of the Merion’s gorgeous Christmas tree and then head somewhere else for breakfast. The boys got to see Santa again and that’s really all that mattered Sunday morning.

You might be wondering where I am going with this story. Well, it all boils down to what Tony said next to the Christmas tree at the Merion’s indoor fountain.

Tony asked if he could throw a coin into the fountain and make a wish. We all obliged, with Ally handing him a coin from her purse. 

Tony emphatically threw the coin in the fountain and turned around with a big smile on his face. Now, he doesn’t know you aren’t supposed to share what you wish for, offering it up to us immediately.

With mommy’s and Nonna’s arms wrapped around him, Tony said, “I wished that I will always stay with my family forever.”

He said it with a smile on his face and such warmth in his voice.

Wow. How do you react to something like that? Well, it took everything in me not to break down in front of hundreds of people waiting to eat breakfast. 

I gave Tony a big hug and kiss and told him his wish already had and always will come true.

Here is where the point of our story comes into play, which is about the unconditional love of children.

From the minute a child is born, he or she knows the voice of their parents, especially their mother. This is a bond that is second to none between parents and children because of this.

How else could a parent meet their child the day they are born and immediately say they love them? It is unconditional. It is also understood. 

The same can be said for the child to the parent. The child doesn’t know anyone else. They only know their parents’ voices. Whether they can say it or not, the child loves that parent unconditionally.

That unconditional love continues well into childhood. 

When it comes to Enzo, who says words here and there, he has never said the word love to anyone, but you can see it in his eyes when he looks at you or in his reactions when you walk through the door.

When a 17-month-old runs up to you with arms spread wide and a grin on his face, it pretty much says love. He doesn’t care if you had a bad day at work, don’t feel good or come home with nothing for him. All he cares about is seeing who he loves walk through the door.

The same happens when you go into his room in the morning, or after a nap, to get him out of his crib. His arms are always spread wide and the smile on his face is enormous.

Even though Enzo isn’t one to sit and snuggle, he loves to give big hugs and kisses every chance he gets.

Let’s move back to Tony now. Tony is old enough to have an entire conversation with you about almost any topic he can think of. He also knows what it means to love someone and say it, but how much of it does he understand?

I truly don’t know the answer to this question, which is why his love is still unconditional.

Tony makes it a point to tell me or mommy he will miss us when we leave the house. In fact, I went to pickup dinner the other night and Tony ran to me, gave me a big hug and kiss and told me he will miss me.

I told him I loved him too and I will miss him too, but that I was just going to pick up dinner and would be right back. That’s the thing, there is no guarantee in life that we will always return.

My mother always taught me to say goodbye to loved ones each time you leave them because you never know whether you will see them again.

I love that Tony does this, even without being told to do so. It’s like he knows it is important to do and just does it on his own.

This type of love can turn the worst day into a good one in a matter of seconds.

There are multiple times throughout the day where Tony will simply send an “I love you Daddy” or “I love you Mommy” our way while playing. 

He never passes up the opportunity to show how much he loves us and everyone else in his life. He talks about how he misses Grandmom and Poppi and Nonna, even when he just saw them the day before. 

He talks about how he loves and misses Molly and Sandy.

The beauty of being a child is that you don’t have to understand the pain life can bring. You can only see the good it brings. It also helps to have such loving children in the house, who respond to an “I love you” with an “I love you too,” because it helps us keep things in perspective.

The unconditional love of children is one of life’s greatest gifts and should never be taken for granted. 

I have made it a point to tell both of my sons I love them multiple times per day since they were born. It can be difficult to grow up with family who do not express their love for each other.

My wife and I were lucky enough, and still lucky enough, to not know what that feels like. We have always been surrounded by loving, caring family and it truly shows in the interactions with the boys.