Happiness assumed

Was reading to the little guy (well, not so little anymore) the other night, and came across the phrase "Mama Bear lost her temper!" (Mama bear was tired of picking up after Brother and Sister bear.)

Me: Do you know what it means to lose your temper?

Him: Yah, it means she lost her happiness.

I love that! Lost her happiness. Implying that at all other times of Mama Bear's life she is full of robust, unqualified happiness. Every other time she was stepping on airplanes and sticking her foot in glue and putting away puzzle pieces she did so happily. Permasmile stuck on.

I don't deny that our life has changed a bit over the last six month, and that with all the backing and forthing and upping early and staying late, our happiness has at times been more than overflowing and at other times swirling around mediocrity. 5:00 wake up to catch a ferry just doesn't have much appeal.

I wonder if our Little Bear thinks we are permahappy parents. (Really, the large majority of the time happiness can be assumed.) I wonder how many of us Mama and Papa Bears could could do with a little finding of happiness.