My son says he doesn't love me

My 3 year old has decided that he no longer loves me. He still loves his sister and Daddy with all his being, but he has placed my heart somewhere in his toy box, I think. Yes, I can feel it being rubbed up against his old Handy Manny tool set.

I thought he was kidding yesterday when he looked at me while we sat in the waiting room of his dermatologist's office and said, "Mom, I don't wuv you." I laughed and said it's OK. I joked with him about it as we drove home later. I told him it didn't change how much I love him. That didn't matter to him. He was adamant.

It didn't actually bother me until today when once again, my little blue eyed cutie looked up at me and declared his lack of love for me. I tried joking again, but this time I put some real effort into it. I tickled. I made funny faces. I pretended I was sad.

Nothing.

It bothered me all morning and afternoon until I put him up for a nap. For the record, he didn't actually take a nap. He sat up there quietly by himself for about 45 minutes before coming back downstairs. When he saw me, he walked over and stopped directly. He looked up and said, "Mom, I DO wuv you."

It made me so happy to hear those words. I scooped him up and kissed his face off.
But then it got me thinking... Was he up there in his room contemplating his love for me for 45 whole minutes?! Sheesh! What a day.