March Round-Up

• In the last 6 months or so, we have been trimmed.  Sadly, I don't mean that we have successfully eliminated any body fat, only our identities.  "Mommy and Daddy" are more often simply "Mom and Dad"...except when a tantrum ensues.  Evidently, ear-piercing decibals  of "DAAAADDDDYYY" feels more effective than a mere 3-lettered "Dad".  But just as soon as I commented to Michael that "Mom and Dad" seemed to be the new norm, "Michael and Elizabeth" crept in.  I'm folding laundry and Andrew bolts into the room inquiring, "Where's Michael?" as matter of factly as he has said anything in his entire life. 

• To neighbors Lily and Gracie (in their driveway) from Andrew's window, my recent 4-yr-old announces: "Elizabeth wishes she could be here (at the window to talk to you), but she’s changing Margaret’s diaper right now.”  Classic.

• Walking out the door to school one day, seemingly out of the blue, "Are there toys in Heaven?"  Heaven has been a topic too many times in the last few months.  With Daisy passing December 23 and his buddy Luke's Mom passing January 11 as well as another neighbor January 28, there's been more talk of Heaven than I would have wished to do at this tender age.  "In a way, Andrew. I think Heaven is sort of like one big playground on THE most beautiful day.  I think you are as happy there as you could possibly be with all of the toys in the whole world."

• "Do you get tired in Heaven?"  Fairly intuitive for his age, I would think.  I wonder if he's referring to being tired from playing so hard, or if he's really wondering if there's just never bedtime in Heaven:)  "Why do I only have one grandfather?"    "Daddy's Dad, David, is petting Daisy in Heaven.  I wish he could be here to play with you, but isn't he lucky to be in Heaven with Daisy?" 

• Much happier comments make my heart smile:  "Margaret you’re the best Margaret I’ve ever seen!"

• "Look, Mom!  She looks like a pink Santa Clause!"...to Margaret, after strawberry yogurt ALL over her head:)  A brilliant comment in March.  Clearly Santa sunk in this year.

Andrew FINALLY tried shrimp the other night off of our plates.  His reaction, "Mmmm!  I LOVE shrimp!"  Mommy had to sip some wine to tame the tongue from blurting, "I told you so!  I knew you would!  Why have you waited all this time to try it?"  This is after several of months of him saying he wanted to try shrimp the next time we had it.  Naturally, every time we had shrimp, he would casually say, "No, thank you (quite politely). I think I'll try it the next time.". 

So I served it up last night again in hopes of getting us on a roll.  A hungry silence occupied him for several minutes.  Then Andrew looked up and declared, “Miss Elizabeth, your shrimp is delicious”…. Seriously?!?

Then the explanation follwed…

“Mommy, I’m going to copy what Lily said when she tasted your quiche. Ok? ‘Miss Elizabeth, your shrimp is delicious.”    And indeed, that's precisely what Lily (6) had commented several months ago when having quiche at our house (Andrew's quiche, which he had specifically asked for and then denied on the spot.).  Mommy LOVES it when Lily comes to dinner:)

• Petting sheep at Maymont's farm in Richmond during a quick visit to Dody & Grandaddy's.

                                              

Dody also drove us past THE Eagle's Nest, surely the most famous bird's nest in VA.  Can you see it in the distance, way up high in the tree?  We have been watching this nest all spring, via VCU's brilliant webcam.  We watched as the eggs were laid, hatched, and as the babies are now fed fish daily from the river that flows behind this property.  It's simply been fascinating. 

 

And finally, “Daisy the pig” visited Explorations Play Studio in town.  She was supposed to inspire the kids to read.  I guess the Farmer’s cute stories were entertaining for a while, but I didn’t quite get the whole thing. Perhaps it would have made more sense if we’d stayed the whole time, but Margaret was having none of that.  Oh well.  Check the box for doing something “stay-at-home-momish” today.