When we pulled up to the house last night, Lucy informed me she'd like bacon and eggs for dinner...and toast with honey
I agreed as I had no other ideas and frankly, bacon and eggs sounded too good to pass up
As I was getting Lucy out of the car, she heaved a big sigh and asked
Mama?
Yes Lucy?
Can I go see Kristen? I wanna ask her if she wants to come over for dinner....I don't want her to be lonely by herself..........
I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat and said
Of course Luce Goose, that is really nice of you
You head over to Kristen's and I'm going to take our things in the house then I'll be right over
Ok Mama - thanks!
So I sent Lucy across the circle to Kristen's house and followed about 5 minutes later
When I arrived at Kristen's, I walked through the front door and found Lucy and Kristen perched on the couch
Lucy looked up as I walked in and greeted me in a tone that was slightly sinister like and mixed with a tad of resentment.....much like the one Jerry Seinfeld used whenever Newman walked into the room...
Well, Hello Mother
Maria the Mum
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Circle of Life
Jet, as I’m sure you may remember is Kristen’s dog
Lucy was not quite a year old but her love affair with dogs had already started
Kristen and Jet worked themselves into our lives, two additions I have been ever so grateful for – two additions you just think will be there forever
She would remind the neighborhood kids they needed to be gentle with Jet as he had boo-boos
We opened cards, the present Lucy made me at school and the charm Sean got me for my bracelet
We talked about what we’d tell her
Yes honey…..
And he no wake up?
Poor Jetty Mama......
He is a beautiful, neurotic, gentle, brindled colored greyhound Lucy adores – she loves him with her whole heart and being
We met Kristen and Jet the first spring we lived in the houseLucy was not quite a year old but her love affair with dogs had already started
Kristen was outside our window talking to someone and Lucy spied Jet from the kitchen table and started gesturing and yelling for the dog
We stepped out onto the back deck and admired Jet from afarKristen’s conversation ended and she invited us over to meet Jet; we haven’t left her alone since
By our second spring in the house, we were closer with them both and it had become our routine to come home and go straight to Kristen and Jet’s houseWe would accompany Jet and Kristen on their walk and eventually, it became Lucy’s job to feed Jet when we got home (1 scoop of food, 2 if he was really hungry), make sure he had fresh water (with plenty of ice cubes just like he likes it) and then reward Jet with his treats (3 to be exact) and a bone Jet would sometimes ignore but usually carried over to his bed to save for later
As time has passed, and we’ve taken more and more walks, we’ve become closer with Jet and Kristen Lucy and Jet are companions, Kristen’s became a great friend; a confidant for me, a second wife for Sean………..another person to love for all three of usWhen Kristen is out of town or will d be home late from work, we take care of Jet
Sometimes, we took Jet out on our own just because Lucy wanted to see him and we didn’t want to wait for KristenLucy took her responsibility of Jet’s care very seriously; so seriously that everyone at Day Care would know when Kristen was out of town as Lucy would announce that she was taking care of Jet and therefore had to go straight home that day when Mummy picked her up
Lucy took to telling people Jet was her dog, and I think for a spell, people were not sure if Jet belonged to Kristen or Lucy….but everyone knew Lucy and Kristen belonged to Jet Every morning, we saw Kristen walking Jet as they’d pass by our window just about the time we were sitting down for breakfast
And every morning, Lucy would announce There’s Jetty Jet (sometimes she acknowledged Kristen but mostly, it was Jet she looked for…sorry Kristen) Sometimes we catch Kristen’s eye and wave; mostly it was just ritualistic for us to look for them
Our afternoon walks turned into visits that lasted an hour (longer if it was a Friday night) Kristen and I would sit and chat while Lucy twirled around the room singing taking breaks to snuggle with Jet on his bed or wherever he happened to be standing
In recent months, it’s not been uncommon for Lucy to announce to me that she’d like to go to Kristen’s I allow her to cross the circle on her own and she disappears into Kristen’s house
Minutes later, I’d see the three of them walk by, Lucy holding Jet’s leash and Kristen deep in conversation with LucySometimes they’d wave at me but mostly, they’d be so caught up in themselves they’d just go on their way
Or, Kristen show ups at our door and announces she needs Lucy’s help with a project and Lucy shoots out the door, the two of them walking/running across the circle giggling, chatting in their own little worldKristen and Jet worked themselves into our lives, two additions I have been ever so grateful for – two additions you just think will be there forever
A month ago, Jet was hit by a car – more accurately, Jet hit a car
He got loose on his morning walk and dashed out into the street slamming into a SUV that was driving by Sean and I knew something was going on when we saw Kristen walking then running without Jet
Sean dashed out the door just as our neighbor Pat ran to the house telling us Jet had been hit We both ran to the street – Jet was howling, Kristen was in a state of shock and disbelief
Within 20 minutes, we located a vet, wrapped Jet up, loaded him into the car and Kristen took him to the VetWe did not immediately tell Lucy what happened as we had no idea what the outcome would be
Throughout the day, Kristen and I spoke – of Jet’s progress and her emotional stateShe called me late in the afternoon and told me the doctor decided surgery was necessary; Jet had multiple skull fractures and they needed to get in there and close the biggest one up
She was distraught and leaving work – I’ll meet you at home I saidI dropped what I was doing and left to pick up Lucy and get home so we could be with Kristen
We waited until we knew Jet was okay before telling Lucy what had happenedLucy, true to form, took it in stride and kept telling everyone (including Sean, Kristen and I) we needed to be gentle with Jet and to be careful of the straw in his head
For the week after his accident, Lucy was even more attentive to Jet’s needs and his every moveShe would remind the neighborhood kids they needed to be gentle with Jet as he had boo-boos
She would make sure that when we went on walks we all walked slowly so Jet could keep up
When Kristen’s sister Karen came over to remove the straw from Jet’s head, Lucy was right there hugging Jet, stroking his back as Karen worked the stitches out If we go a day without seeing Jet or Kristen, it was one day too many for Lucy….for all of us really
Kristen comes from a big family and every year on Mother’s Day, she hosts a brunch at her house for her Mum, her sisters and her sister in lawAll the siblings (4 + spouses), her parents (2) and all 14 (or is it 16) nieces and nephews descend on Kristen’s house for the celebration
We were also invited (we’ve now spent 3 holidays with Kristen and her family, I think we’re in!)The week leading up to Mother’s Day, I was really looking forward to the brunch (Kristen’s lot is great fun) and then spending the afternoon in the hammock with a book, a bag of M&M’s and hopefully a nap
By Saturday afternoon, I was miserably sick with a coldIt had started Thursday but was just in my head, by Saturday, it was sitting in my chest as well
At one point, I blew my nose and mucus came out of my eyes, that’s how sick I was Kristen had spent the week getting ready for the brunch which included making arrangements for Jet to go to the kennel – with that many people at her house and Jet being the Woody Allen of dogs, it was just easier to have him stay at the kennel for the day
Friday night, Lucy and I wandered over to Kristen’s to hang out with she and Jet as we explained to Lucy that he was headed to the Spa on Saturday but would be home Sunday Jet stood across the room and barked at us which made Lucy laugh like crazy
When it was time to go, Lucy hugged Jet, yelled Ciao Bella at Kristen and they shared a fist pumpI’m trying to remember if we saw Jet on Saturday before he left for the Spa, but I can’t remember
I had told Kristen that if I was still this sick on Sunday, I would stay away – her Dad is undergoing cancer treatment and two of her nephews are younger than Lucy, I did not want to get anyone sick Sunday morning, I was miserable
It was 9:30 before I even considered getting out of bedWhen I descended the stairs, Lucy yelled Happy Father’s Day Mama!
Her Dad corrected her and she yelled Happy Fath-Mother’s Day Mama! We opened cards, the present Lucy made me at school and the charm Sean got me for my bracelet
Within minutes, I was in the chair under the blanket and Sean and Lucy were upstairs getting cleaned up for Brunch
I sent them over to Kristen’s while I sort of napped and in general felt sorry for me (Mother’s Day, despite the efforts of my husband and daughter and certainly through no fault of theirs, has been a bust since my first one)I finally got the energy up to shower and ventured across the Circle to say hello to Kristen’s family (keeping my distance)
Lucy was having the best time with Brendan (2 year old nephew) and Kristen and her family had, in true O’Melia fashion, welcomed us into their fold as if we belonged there all along As the celebration came to an end, the three of us said our good-byes and headed home
Lucy and I snuggled down in the chair and I sent Sean to the grocery store to get a few necessitiesAs Lucy and I were sitting in the chair reading, we saw Kristen drive by
Mama! Where Kristen goin’?You know what honey, she’s probably going to get Jet
Oh good Mama – I miss my Jetty Jet….We continued reading and then we both fell asleep….Lucy first then me
I vaguely remember Sean coming homeWhat I do remember is the phone ringing
Sean was in the bathroom and Lucy was sound asleep on me I did not want to disturb her so I let the machine get it
I heard Kristen’s voice, she sounded funny…..Sean, if you are there I need your help! Something is wrong with Jet..he…fell..I can’t get him up
She hung up and I called for Sean He came out of the bathroom and I said
You need to go to Kristen’s something is wrong with Jet…He did not even wait for me to finish nor did he stop to put his shoes on…he shot out the door and ran across the circle to Kristen’s house
I knewI knew before I heard Kristen crying
I knew I got up out of the chair seconds after Sean walked out and laid Lucy down on the couch and ran out the door after him
I met he and Kristen halfway between our housesShe had her face in her hands and was crying, muttering, wailing as she leaned against Sean
I looked at Sean and he shook his head, tears welled in his eyesWe took her in the house and just hugged her
Jet had…....He was gone
And all Kristen could say was My poor Jet…my poor Jet!! And then she looked at us and cried harder asking Lucy....what will we tell Lucy?!? My poor Lucy.....All we could do was hug Kristen
The next couple hours are a slow moving blur: we called in reinforcements (Kristen's sister Karen who I totally want to be my big sister and her brother Bobby…which if you’re going to have a punk ass younger brother, you’d want this guy), Bobby and Sean took Jet away, Karen cleaned up the house, I hugged Kristen and entertained Lucy and the boys We did not tell Lucy anything Sunday
We couldn’tWe talked about what we’d tell her
At first I thought well, I’ll tell her that Jet went to live with Baby Jesus
At Christmas, when she wrote to Santa, she informed me that Baby Jesus wanted a dog and a lion for his birthday…..and she struggled with which to ask Santa to get him but settled on the lion as she was asking for a tigerSo my original plan was to tell her that Jet had gone to live with Baby Jesus
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that would not be a good idea….it would not be a good idea because Lucy, my clever little Birdie would look for Jet when we went to Church because she knows Church is Baby Jesus’ house (he still lives with his Dad)..…and as it is, when we go to Church or drive by a Church, she has called out for/looked for Baby Jesus – so probably not a good idea as I did not want her to think we’d see Jet thereWhat to tell her…….
At one point, I felt silly for getting so worried about this – I suppose because one of Lucy’s friends just lost his Mum back in January and his Dad had to explain death to his children not because a family fish had died but because their Mum had passedJohn is an amazing man and I marveled at him through his wife’s illness
He was stoic, strong, and positive and continued to be a rock for his son and daughter A couple times, I’d ask after his wife and his mouth would turn down and he’d shake his head and say not such a good day…and I’d just grip his arm and tell him I was still praying for Sharon
The second one of his kids looked towards him, he’d pull his face into a bright smile and encourage them at whatever they were doing, and he never wavered in front of his childrenThat is still true to this day
But the more I thought about it, as much as I can because death is one of those things that rocks me to my very core, I realized that regardless of who or what has passed, loss is loss is loss…..and it hurts and it’s hard to explain and it’s hard to understand…..and it scares me more than anything else does and I now have to make death okay for my 3 year old….and I started to panic because I can’t even make death make sense me….this is an impossible feat……..Unless you have Disney on your side
No, we’re not taking Lucy to Disney WorldBut Lucy loves the Lion King, she understands the Lion King, she gets the whole Circle of Life thing….she knows exactly what happened to Mufasa……
Sean and I agreed I would tell her Monday afternoon because we knew she’d want to go straight to Kristen’s to walk JetOn the way home, we had to stop at Target
As we were walking through the store, we passed the pet section and Lucy pointed at something asking if she could get it for JetNo honey…..I sort of trailed off as I did not want to start the conversation in the middle of Target
I knew in my heart of hearts her reaction would not be to fall apart – I mean the likelihood of her comprehending what I was about to tell her, the likelihood of her putting it into context right away was slim to noneI had decided in my head what would most likely happen is she’ll go quiet and be sad…and then 10 minutes later forget what I told her…and ask if she can watch something or do stickers…and 10 minutes after that, she’ll ask if we can go see Jet…..
I knew before we even told her anything that she probably would still ask for Jet, and we would have to explain to her again what happened to Jet…and eventually she would comprehend what we were saying…eventually, it would make sense…but it would probably take a few passesFor now, I just needed to get it in a framework she could relate to…..a framework she could understand
As we made our way through the check out and to the car, she asked Mama, we go see Jetty Jet when we get home? I wanna take him for walk
Lucy honey, Mummy needs to talk to you about Jet I climbed into the back seat with Lucy and as she munched in her fruit snacks, I threw up a quick prayer, took a deep breath and just started talking
Lucy, you know in the Lion King….how Mufasa got hurt…and Yeah Mama, she interrupts, Scar tricked Simba and he went down into the rocks and the wildebeests started running ‘cause the hyenas scared them…Scar told them too…..I no like Scar…and Simba was scared but his Daddy jumped down and saved him…………
He sure did Lucy…. Yeah Mama! Mufasa jumped down and saved Simba….Lucy was getting more animated as she summarized the plot for me
Do you remember what happened to Mufasa honey?Yeah Mama…..her voice dropped a little and her mouth turned downward….the wildebeests stepped all over him and when they stopped, he was hurt and couldn’t get up......she trailed off
And then, she continued, Simba came down and licked his Daddy’s face and then he cried ‘cause Mufasa no open his eyes..he couldn’t open his eyes Mama and Simba was sad….
And Lucy, do you remember where Mufasa went?She sort of cocked her head to the side and thought about it…so I asked her another question
So after Mufasa got hurt, Simba was very sad wasn’t he…Lucy nodded her head…and remember when Simba missed his Daddy and he was looking at the stars with Timone and Pumbaa and told them that the great kings lived in the starsYeah Mama! And then he saw his Daddy!
That’s right honey. After Mufasa got hurt, he went to live in the stars and whenever Simba missed his Daddy, all he had to do was look at the stars and Mufasa was there for him…..Mama, what if there no stars, where Simba see Mufasa?
Well, if there are no stars, Simba just has to close his eyes and think about Mufasa and he’ll be there…Yeah Mama, Simba sad ‘cause Mufasa went away
Yes, he was Lucy – but even though he was sad…He looked at stars and Mufasa was there!
That’s right…..I took a deep breath, this was it……….Lucy, honey, the other day, Jet closed his eyes, just like Mufasa did……and when Kristen tried to get Jetty to open his eyes, he didn’tLucy sort of looked at me and thought a minute before asking
He awake now Mama?No honey, like Mufasa, Jetty didn’t wake up….instead, Jetty went to the stars to be with Mufasa
Mama? Jetty a king now?Uhhh.....Sort of…..he’s up in the starts now with Mufasa and the other kings
He just close his eyes Mama?Yes honey…..
And he no wake up?
No honey, he lay down just like Mufasa and closed his eyes…..
Lucy’s eyes got really big and she asked in a worried toneMama! Did the wildebeests step on Jetty too???
I could not help but let a chuckle looseNo honey, the wildebeests did not step on Jetty…..I almost said Jet was just tired so he went to sleep but I did not want to traumatize her into thinking if she went to sleep she would not open her eyes….so I sort of stumbled a bit….and before I could answer she said
Mama is Kristen sad like Simba?She is honey, she is very sad….and she misses Jet very much….but when we want to see Jet, what do we need to do?
We look in the stars Mama! Or we close our eyes and Jetty will be there!That’s right Lucy! I felt a small victory and thought we were all good..and not wanting to prolong anything I asked her if she was okay…
Yeah Mama, we go home now?You bectha Luce
Mama, when we get home, we go see Jetty and Kristen…?Honey, Jet’s not at Kristen’s house anymore, he went to live in the stars with Mufasa….
When will Jet come back?He won’t honey
Oh…She sort of went all quiet so I moved to the front seat and started driving home
I glanced in the rearview mirror a few times and saw Lucy just gazing out the windowYou okay Luce Goose?
No answerHoney?
I left her alone for the rest of the drive though I did reach back and patted her little leg…in response, she squeezed my fingerWhen we got home, Kristen’s car was there and her front door was open
Mama?Yes honey?
Jet not at Kristen’s?No honey
He in the stars Mama?Yes honey…..I love you
I love you too MamaAs I went to take Lucy out of the car, she informed me she would miss Jet
I know, I told her, so will Mummy and Daddy…I hugged her as I pulled her out of her seatAs we walked towards Kristen’s house, I reminded her that Kristen was sad and we needed to be gentle with her
And honey?Hmm Mama?
I stopped and crouched down so we were face to face Honey, I’m sorry about Jet
Yeah, me too Mama she said as she looked at the ground and kicked at the side walk with her toePoor Jetty Mama......
I know baby......but remember, when you miss Jet or you want to see him…
I look at the stars! she declared with great fanfare When we walked in the house, she gave Kristen a hug and in a sweet and soft voice whispered
Kristen? I sorry about Jet.........But Kristen, he in the stars now with Mufasa! And I can see him when I miss him!I gave Kristen a quick explanation of what she meant
You know what Lucy, Kristen said, that is a great place for Jet to be! I’ll look for him there too!We visited with Kristen for a bit and I think Lucy may have asked where Jet was a couple times – and I just reminded her that Jet did not live here with us anymore but if we wanted to see him, we just had to close our eyes
We bid Kristen a good night and headed home We said prayers that night, something we have not done in a long time
We asked God to bless Mummy and Daddy and Lucy and our aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and all our friends. We thanked God for our day and I fed Lucy the lines for the Now I lay me down to sleep prayer After our prayers, I read a story and turned out the light and gave Lucy an extra kiss
Mama?Yes Lucy
Jet’s in the stars..I’m not sure if it was a question or a statement
Yes honey Mama?
Yes Lucy?I love Jet…….
I know honey Mama?
Yes Luce Goose….?Mama, can we still take Kristen for walks…..?
Maria the Mum
Young Simba: Dad?
Mufasa: Hmm?
Young Simba: We're pals, right?
Mufasa: Right.
Young Simba: And we'll always be together, right?
Mufasa: Simba, let me tell you something my father told me. Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars.
Young Simba: Really?
Mufasa: Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.
Mufasa: Hmm?
Young Simba: We're pals, right?
Mufasa: Right.
Young Simba: And we'll always be together, right?
Mufasa: Simba, let me tell you something my father told me. Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars.
Young Simba: Really?
Mufasa: Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Foiled (and fooled) Again
Rudyard Kipling wrote a tale called the Elephant’s Child, part of the
Just So Stories
Look Mama! She was pointing at a picture of a woolly mammoth
Mama! Manny from Ice Age with Scrat!
Did the woolly mammoth come before the elephant?
He sure did Lucy…..he lived a long long time ago…..
Then how he have a trunk Mama?
It’s a wonderful story that tells how the elephant got his trunk
Lucy got it from the library a few weeks ago and we read it every night
for 3 weeks – and I loved reading it each and every time
And every time we got to the page where the elephant now had his new
trunk, Lucy would point and say
So last week, I forget what night, Lucy and I were sitting at the
kitchen table having a snack and going through the mail while we were waiting
for dinner to finish cooking
I came across a flier from the Museum of Science and slid it across the
table to Lucy telling her she got mail (Lucy loves getting mail)
Lucy snatched up the flier and studied each and every picture on it…
Mama! It’s Manny!!!
What?
Look Mama! She was pointing at a picture of a woolly mammoth
Who?
Mama! Manny from Ice Age with Scrat!
Oh right, look at that, it’s Manny from Ice Age!
Yeah Mama, he’s a wooly….
A what?
He’s a wooly…. Mama what he again?
A woolly mammoth
Yeah, he a woolly manmooth
Mam-moth I correct
Manmooth
Mam-moth
Yeah Mama! That what I said, manmooth!
Yep, he is Lucy
She went quiet again and I just figured she was looking at the rest of the
card
Mama?
Hmm?
Mama is a manmooth an elephant?
Now, I was not 100% sure how to answer this for a number of reasons;
the biggest reason being that some people believe the woolly mammoth and the elephant
are related but some say no they are not – remember the DNA testing a few years
ago that showed they shared DNA – so does that make him an elephant? And if I
say he’s not an elephant, how do I explain he looks like an elephant but is not
an elephant….so I take the easy way out
He is honey; a woolly mammoth is a lot like an elephant
Yeah Mama…he big like an elephant, he have ears like an elephant, and
he have big tusk teeth like an elephant……and a trunk Mama…..he have a trunk…..
She sort of trailed off and was staring intently at the picture and
tracing the body, the ears, the tusks and the trunk on the mammoth with her little finger....then, she set her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand while staring down at the picture
That’s right Luce; he has all those things just like an elephant
Mama?
Yes Lucy?
Did the woolly mammoth come before the elephant?
He sure did Lucy…..he lived a long long time ago…..
Mama?
Yes Lucy?
He lived BEFORE the elephant’s child?
He did
And the woolly manmooth is an elephant?
He is honey
Then how he have a trunk Mama?
Uhh…..
Maria the Mum
For Cousin De
My cousin De always posts the best pictures, many of which
she takes herself, on her Facebook page
Maria the Mum
I often times show Lucy the pictures as they are usually of
puppies and kitties and gorgeous nature shots
Last night, I showed her the one De posted of a butterfly
Lucy’s response?
Mama, do you think he remembers when he used to be a
caterpillar?Maria the Mum
Little bit of this, little bit of that
It’s going to be a b-e-a-utiful
day!
One of Lucy’s favorite things at school is being a “helper”
Oh my word girls!
We live in a townhouse, which is in turn part of an Association
Within minutes, we had our moon sand mixed up and for the next 45 minutes, we made moon sand castles, pizzas, pies and cup cakes
and he’ll say
(she unclenched her hands dropping whatever moon sand was left in her hands, positions her hand on her hips, bends ever so slightly at the waist and then tilts her head and torso back as she looks around the room)
…………………………………and declared…….....
Cat got your tongue?
Lucy was never a biter
A couple weeks ago, when I picked her up, Miss Stacey informed me she had an incident report for me to sign
Miss Stacey, in her ever gentle and fair way, explained to me that Lucy had bitten another child less than an hour ago during clean up time
My first question was is the other child okay, was the skin broken? And my second question was Lucy bit someone?
Then she explained the circumstances surrounding the incident (Lucy and her friend had reached for the same toy during pick up, neither would relinquish toy, Lucy bit said child in an effort to get her to drop the toy in question)
Oh? I waited for her to continue curious to see if the story matched what I had been told
Oh Luce Goose….I know sometimes it’s hard to find your words…..sometimes Mummy can’t find her words either..…sometimes, Mummy gets so frustrated I don’t even know what to say and
(editor’s note: I’m not all freaked out or worried about this….to us this is one of those things we need to let Lucy set the pace on so we are not at all worried or panicked or concerned that there is something wrong….we just keep encouraging her to use the potty)
On the way home one night last week, Lucy declares
Oh….well when do you think that will be?
So I feel her muscles and declare
To which she responds….
One of Lucy’s favorite things at school is being a “helper”
There’s a Line Leader, a Teacher’s Helper, a Weather Helper, and one
other that escapes me but I think is the Snack Helper
On the days she is a helper, this is the first thing she tells me when
I arrive to pick her up….and she declares it with such happiness and pride in
her voice
Much like her mother, Lucy is a bit of a teacher’s pet
She especially loves being a Weather Helper – you get to look out the window
and then post the forecast for the day on the weather board
One day, I picked her up and she ran into my arms screaming with delight
Mama! Today I was the weather helper! The weather helper Mama! Today, I
WAS THE WEATHER HELPER!!!!!
You were?! Oh honey, I’m so proud of you! Well, how did it go? How was the
weather today?
Lucy stepped back, twisted her lips as if she was thinking and
answered, ever so thoughtfully and clearly
It was good…. (with a knowing squint of her eyes and pursing of her
lips)
Not great, but good
Oh my word girls!
We live in a townhouse, which is in turn part of an Association
Sean is on the Board of Trust for the Association (he will tell you I
bullied him into it because I felt there needed to be a voice of reason on the board…and
he’s right…I did….there is no way I could be on it –I’d set democracy back 200
years…so I guess that makes him my Manchurian Candidate)
A few Sundays ago, the Board conducted their annual Spring Walk Through
of the property – so Lucy and I were left to our demise
We came up with the brilliant idea to make moon
sand….now the real stuff is pretty cool bit in a jam, one can make a pretty
good batch of moon sand with flour (4 cups) and Baby Oil (as much as you need
to get desired texture, we used close to a cup)
At first, I thought we should use 8 cups of flour, Lucy said 100…….glad I followed my instinct
to start small as 4 cups of flour is more than one might realize
Within minutes, we had our moon sand mixed up and for the next 45 minutes, we made moon sand castles, pizzas, pies and cup cakes
We ran our fingers through it, buried our hands in it and made a big ant
hill (we used raisins for the ants)
Then, we grabbed some of Lucy’s (plastic) animals and made a jungle for
them
We pulled out measuring cups and measuring spoons to assist us in our
creations
And in the process, we managed to track moon sand from one end of the
first floor to the other and everywhere in between…….and of course we were
covered from head to toe……
At one point, we stood back and assessed the fun we were having (read
damage we had done) and Lucy says
Mama! We better clean this up before Daddy gets home….
We should?
Yeah Mama…when Daddy get home, he will look at all this mess
(now as she said this, she of
course waved her arms around to illustrate her point and the moon sand she had
clenched in her little hands went flying) and he’ll say
(she unclenched her hands dropping whatever moon sand was left in her hands, positions her hand on her hips, bends ever so slightly at the waist and then tilts her head and torso back as she looks around the room)
Oh my word girls!
(throws her arms up in the air over her head and brings one hand to her
mouth has if to cover up her shock and says)
Look at this mess you made! Oh girls……
Lucy collapses in a fit of laughter as do I because she pretty much nailed
her Dad
So I got out the vacuum, Lucy picked up the animals and 15 minutes
later, with most of the mess cleaned up……….
…………. Sean walked in….....
………………………..Took a look around…......…………………………………and declared…….....
Oh my word girls……!
Cat got your tongue?
Lucy was never a biter
She went through a phase when she was a pusher but she was never a
biter
A couple weeks ago, when I picked her up, Miss Stacey informed me she had an incident report for me to sign
An incident sounds far worse than an accident report (which I have to
sign a lot with my kid) and it is
Miss Stacey, in her ever gentle and fair way, explained to me that Lucy had bitten another child less than an hour ago during clean up time
My first question was is the other child okay, was the skin broken? And my second question was Lucy bit someone?
Stacey assured me the other child was fine
Then she explained the circumstances surrounding the incident (Lucy and her friend had reached for the same toy during pick up, neither would relinquish toy, Lucy bit said child in an effort to get her to drop the toy in question)
Stacey also assured me Lucy had been spoken to and understood what she
had done, why it was not the right thing to do and to try and use her words
When there is an issue at school, if the teachers have addressed it, I
do not feel the need to re-visit it with Lucy - she’s already been spoken to
I do feel the need to reinforce the
behaviors they encourage (listening ears, using words not hands) but I am not
going to reprimand her for something that has already occurred, something I was
not there for and something the teachers have already spoken to her about (that
would be like yelling at a dog two hours after he peed on the floor)
So on the drive home, I asked Lucy how her day was
It was good Mama….except for when I bit ______
Oh? I waited for her to continue curious to see if the story matched what I had been told
Yeah Mama. We were putting the toys away and I wanted to put (whatever the
toy was she said) away and ______ came over and we both had it and I was
getting frusterated (not a spelling error, Lucy’s spoken word) and I told her I was puttin’ it away and she
said no so I bit her!
Right here Mama (she held up her arm and showed me on her hand where she
bit the victim)….and then ______ cried and I cried
Why did you cry honey?
Because ________was (crying) and I felt sad…and Miss Stacey was sad I bit _____
and I no like it when Miss Stacey is sad……and she was sad ‘cause I no have any
words to use………
Trying to be empathetic without losing the lesson I said
So now you know right honey? Instead of using your hands or your teeth,
you have to try really hard to find your words….just take a deep breath and wait for your words come......
I know Mama…..she sort of shook her head and put her chin down on her
chest
She paused for a moment before she spoke again
Sometimes Mama, I can’t find my words….I don’t know where they go….do
you know where they are?
Oh Luce Goose….I know sometimes it’s hard to find your words…..sometimes Mummy can’t find her words either..…sometimes, Mummy gets so frustrated I don’t even know what to say and
(Lucy interrupts me)
So you say Shit Mama?
Tuesday
We’re still working on potty training(editor’s note: I’m not all freaked out or worried about this….to us this is one of those things we need to let Lucy set the pace on so we are not at all worried or panicked or concerned that there is something wrong….we just keep encouraging her to use the potty)
On the way home one night last week, Lucy declares
Mama, my friends wear underwear….I think I want to wear underwear too
Well that’s great Lucy
Yeah Mama! I have owl underwear at home I can wear
Yep, you sure do….when we get home would you like to put on your
underwear to practice?
No thank you Mama, I wanna wait till I get bigger
Oh….well when do you think that will be?
Tuesday
Muscles like Popeye
In March, we were lucky enough to spend a few days with my brother and
his family while they were in Maine for vacation
John and Christina have three boys: Jack (7, 8 in July) Gregory (6) and
Alexander (3.5)
These boys are boys in every sense of the word: they are fearless, love
Star Wars, wrestle, fight, karate chop the air, and love to flex their muscles
When they would finish eating, they’d raise their arms and beg anyone
who was standing there to feel their muscles
Lucy has subsequently picked up this habit
When she finishes eating, she’ll say
Mama! Feel my muscles….!
So I feel her muscles and declare
Holy cow! Feel those muscles!
To which she responds….
Welcome to the Gun Show!!!!!
Maria the Mum
Friday, May 4, 2012
Perfection
Mama Kat’s Pretty Much
World Famous Writer’s Workshop
1.) List of lies you consistently tell.
2.) Tell about a time an adult caught you doing something wrong.
3.) An invention you’d like to see created.
4.) What have you been too busy to pay attention to?
5.) The perfect Mother’s Day consists of…
Lies I tell……I have no desire to
share what I lie about as then my cover would be blown
A time an adult caught me doing something wrong….all that comes to mind
is the time my mother found a pack of cigarettes in my bag my Senior Year in
High School….I’m sure there were other things but I was one of seven kids…someone was always
doing something wrong and getting caught and frankly, I can never remember who
did what.
An invention…I’m not creative enough to even come up with an
invention…I’d say something stupid like Oh, I wish someone would invent a vacuum
cleaner that just goes all by itself…and Sean will say honey, there already is
one…and I’d say What, when? How come I don’t have one? And then he’d say like 5
years ago and because you hate technology….and you’re cheap…and I’d be all like
no I’m not….so what if I am….
What have I been too busy to pay attention to? Oh I could be all self
indulgent and say me…or I could list the laundry, the filing at home, the
upstairs closet, going through and getting rid of Lucy’s baby clothes/toys, the
attic, the closet in the basement…..but really, what fun is it pointing out to
myself all the stuff I have yet to get done….
That leaves me with the perfect Mother’s Day….
The perfect Mother’s Day consists of…………………..
Breakfast in bed….messy....that would be so messy…..which would result
in laundry, which I’ll have to do tomorrow
Breakfast at my favorite diner in Cambridge….yes, Republicans go to
Cambridge…but only for the food and we try not to look anyone directly in the
eye
A massage….I’m not really good at people touching me…plus it means I’d
have to shave….
A mani and pedi….once upon a time, this is a true story, I used to get
manis and pedis every week…I have not had one in 5 years (wedding) and it had
been 5 years prior to that (brother’s wedding) since my last one
Having my hair colored….I started going gray in my late 20s….I started
coloring my hair in my 30s…I stopped when I got pregnant (for no other reason
than my hair was growing so fast it became a waste of money)….and just never
did it again…so I could have my hair colored…or just continue wearing it up and
letting Sean Photoshop all pictures taken of me
A makeover…probably not, I don’t wear make up
Sleeping in….and by that I mean an uninterrupted sleep in…not the one
when you are woken up at 5:00am and then are told at 7, you go back to sleep, I
got her….I mean let me fall asleep when I go to bed and let me wake up when my
eyes open of their own free will
A bag of plain M&Ms, Kettle Korn,
a stack of movies and the TV to myself….a little slice of heaven on
earth…this is a possibility
Hang the hammock in the tree, give me that bag of M&Ms, Kettle Korn,
TV on the deck for the Sox game and my iPad….and then leave me alone for the day…I
could be on to something
All those are possibilities….Sean would, in a heartbeat, do any one of
those things for me if I really wanted him to (really, I just want the M&Ms
and the Kettle Korn)
But you know what I would really like for Mother’s Day?
What I really really really think would make it a perfect Mother’s Day?
If someone would come clean my car…..and I just sit on the front stoop
with my coffee watching and relaxing (read supervising and pointing out the
spots that were missed)
I would like someone to wipe the cup holders clean of the coffee stains
and melted fruit snacks residue.
I would like the inside and outside of the windows washed clean of
Lucy’s handprints and saliva as she occasionally licks the window (no, now
would not be a good time to ask why or explain why).
And if the seats and floors could be washed/shampooed, that would just
be a little added bonus
And after my car is clean, you know what would top off my day?
What would make it a perfect Mother’s Day?
If someone would then go into the house and wipe clean all the
baseboards (and by that I mean move all the furniture to the center of the room
and then wipe down all the baseboards in all the rooms in the whole house)
And then if they could run the duster along the perimeter of all the
rooms in the whole house, that would be great too.
And if they could clean the ceiling fans, well, I’d be ever so grateful….
And if they wiped down all the walls, well, I’d probably die right
there on the spot
And that would be a perfect Mother’s Day
Or…………….
Lucy can just wake me up at 5:00 asking if she has to go to school or
if she can watch something
Sean can roll over and snore just a bit louder than he was two hours
ago
Then, I’ll finally get out of bed at 6:15 to minimize Lucy’s TV time
and make us a big breakfast as I typically do on Sundays
After we eat and the kitchen is clean, I’ll herd us upstairs to get
cleaned up while making a list in my head of what we need at Target and the
grocery store
We’ll be in the car an hour later and when we finally get home 3 hours
later, we’ll get everything put away and Sean and Lucy will go outside to play
I’ll strip the beds and collect all the dirty towels and laundry in the
house and start the first of at least 5 loads
Then, I’ll make lunches and dinners for the week, get Lucy’s things
together for school, go through the mail that’s been sitting on the table for a
week and make dinner
After dinner, I’ll pack lunches, fold laundry, read to Lucy while Sean remakes
the bed and then whine about tomorrow being Monday while I put the laundry away
(that’s me whining not Sean)
Then, Sean and I will settle on the couch for a hour of TV…..until Lucy
wakes up crying out and I go snuggle with her as she falls asleep kicking me
repeatedly in the gut…..
That would be a pretty good day too…maybe not perfect but close enough…
But, its perfect enough because I get to be a Mum…..
Seriously though, if someone wants to give the ole Corolla a spit shine,
inside and out, the keys are in the basket on the bookcase
Maria the Mum
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