What that? Where Uncle Gareth?

Fire Hydrant
One of my favorite things about Lucy is how inquisitive she is - Why, What and Who are frequent questions in our house. And when she learns something new, be it a concept, a word, or meets a new friend, she embraces said new learned item/idea or person with great enthusiasm and love

So when, driving down the street one day she pointed out the window and asked
What that Daddy?
A fire hydrant Sean replied
Oh, fire hydrant, Lucy repeated with a giggle
We had no idea that would be the beginning of her love...of fire hydrants

Now, when we get in the car or take a walk, Lucy points out EVERY fire hydrant we pass. And if we're walking, we stop and say hello to EVERY fire hydrant...we even name them....I'm not even kidding you

There is a fire hydrant in from of our house, his name is Albert. Every morning she runs out the door and yells
Good Morning fire hydrant!

She may run over and give him a couple pats or she may just stand across the way from him and wave
Then, when its time to get in the car and head to school, she waves and yells with great love,
Buh Bye fire hydrant! Have a good day! See you this afternoon!

When we arrive home, before we've even pulled up to the house, she'll tell me she wants to see the fire hydrant. We hop out of the car and she runs right over to say hello
Hi yo fire hydrant! Lucy home!
And then she just stands next to him and giggles

She forgets his name so she'll ask
What his name Mummy?
Albert I say
Oh....Albert...Hi Yo Albert! Hi Yo fire hydrant.....!!!

I miss the days when something like a fire hydrant fascinated and made me so happy......and I'm glad Lucy has those days....

Where Uncle Gareth?
Sean keeps asking me if I'll blog about Gareth's visit....
Probably not, I replied. It was like our England trip; there was so much we did and saw that I can't seem to focus enough to get it down...but I'll share stories here and there about it...and maybe someday, I'll be able to blog completely about both (the England trip and Gareth's visit) but for now, anecdotes here and there will do

While Gareth was here, Lucy became quite attached to him - the poor guy could not be out of the room for more than 3 minutes without Lucy looking around and asking
Where Uncle Gareth? Where Uncle Gareth?
And if we were not watching, she'd scoot up over the stairs and go looking for him! But to Gareth's credit, he was quite patient with her and I dare say may have relished the attention.

Lucy would stand outside his door every night before her bath and call in here sing songy voice
Uncle Gareth!!!! Uncle Gareth!!
And he would say Hi Lucy, come on in
And she sometimes would go in and bug him for a few minutes but mostly, she just wanted him to look over at her so she could giggle and run away

By the third or fourth night, our bed time routine consisted of me getting her ready for her bath, Daddy and Uncle Gareth bathing her, me dressing her for bed, then Lucy, Uncle Gareth and Daddy piling onto Uncle Gareth's bed to watch an episode of Scooby Doo. I would hear the three of them laughing....then I would hear Sean or Gareth do a Scooby or Shaggy impression...then I would hear Lucy do a Scooby or Shaggy impression!

Gareth left on a Sunday, he headed to the airport at 4:30ish. When I took Lucy up for her bath, her first question was
Where Uncle Gareth? and she then ran to his door to find an empty room.
Honey Uncle Gareth had to go home...
Why? He was home....at Lucy's house
No honey, he had to go home to his house...he went home to see his Mummy...his Mummy missed him just like I miss you when you are at school
Oh, Uncle Gareth went to see his Mummy?
Yes honey
Oh.....Lucy still watch Scooby Doo?
Yes baby! Uncle Gareth left Scooby Doo for you!
OK Mummy...

This went on for like four or five nights - she'd look for him as soon as we got home and then again at bath time. The first couple nights it made me sad, she just missed him! By the fourth night, I figured she'd get tired of looking for him - until the breakdown

On this particular night, she ran up over the stairs ahead of me calling for Uncle Gareth

Lucy, Uncle Gareth isn't here honey, he went home to see his Mummy...
Why Mama?
Well, he missed his Mummy and his Mummy missed him......by now, we're in Uncle Gareth's room and Lucy is leaning against the bed
But Mama...I want Uncle Gareth! I miss Uncle Gareth!

And with that, she put her head in her arms and started crying......there are times as a parent that your child's tears will reduce you to tears, this was one of those times

Lucy cried and cried and cried....and she would pick her little head up and through tears and snot plead for Uncle Gareth - and all I could do was sit on the floor next to her and rub her back. This went on for almost ten minutes

Her crying was reduced to sniffling and she climbed in my lap and buried hear head in my chest. We sat quietly for five minutes or so....a couple heaves and sighs escaped her little body and she asked
Mama, Uncle Gareth come see Lucy again?
Yes honey, he'll come back and see Lucy again, or maybe we can go visit...
Oh, OK Mama.....Mama?
Yes Lucy
Uncle Gareth with his Mummy?
Yes baby, he's with his Mummy
Oh.....Mama...I miss Uncle Gareth
I know honey, Mummy does too

Lucy started to cry again and called out his name a couple times. I hugged her tighter and soothed her as best I could...she calmed down and took a couple deep breaths....

Mama?
Yes Lucy
We still watch Scooby Doo?
Of course we can honey, we'll take a bath and watch Scooby Doo just like you did with Uncle Gareth...
Lucy hopped up and proclaimed, in her best Scooby voice....
SCOOBY DOOBY DOOOOOO!!!!

Maria, the Mum