Happy Spring! y’all. Not only is it Spring! (my favorite season — not an original comment) but it is also a big day in history: 1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published. 1916 – Albert Einstein publishes his theory of relativity. 1928 – Mr. Rogers is born 1969 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono get married. 2003 – In the early hours of the morning, the United States and three other countries begin military operations in Iraq. And last but not least. In fact, most important of all, if you ask me (and isn’t that why you’re…
Today it was Zoe. Tape in her hair. A big long piece of tape seemingly inextricably woven into the side of her head. Bob escorted her over suggesting that “Mama will fix it.” Sigh. I looked at it. The fine strands of her red hair like cross-hatching on the white tape (I’m a graphic designer — our masking tape is white). I could feel it in my own hair. I flash back to gum, glue, countless necklaces (ugh, add-a-beads). I have no idea how to get the tape out other than to cut it, which will, of course, leave a…
When Bob and I were first learning how to be “Bob & Laurie,” we had to work hard to learn how to argue. I come from a family that argued whenever the need arose — not excessively, really, just, um, Jewishly. Bob, on the other hand, comes from a good New England Catholic family that did. not. argue. period. So you can imagine our conflicts were a little, let’s say, clumsy in the early years. Bob wanted nothing more than to be “Oh Lord Please. Anywhere but here,” and would go to great lengths to avoid arguing. I wanted nothing…
We’re driving in the car, headed to the park since it’s EIGHTY DEGREES here today. They Might Be Giants is on the radio but Zoe starts singing the nursery rhyme Old King Cole out loud, ignoring the music that’s already playing. When she finishes Lucy says “Wow Zoe. How do you know that song?” (It isn’t one of the songs we sing together.) “I know it because I’m a big girl,” Zoe responds confidently. “I make poops on the potty and I can sing Old King Cole. And I don’t need any help for neither. Do you wanna hear me…
#1 Lucy is sitting at the dinner table. She has brought with her to the table a wooden articulated Crocodile toy that she calls Crocka (and Zoe calls Alli, because really, who knows the freakin difference?). Rather than eat, Lucy is petting her crocodile and cooing to it. “Oh Crocka. Oh Crocka.” Then she picks it up and cradles it against her face. “Oh Crocka. You’re so crocky!” . . . . . . . . . . #2 Lucy comes running up to us at the park. She’s holding a palm-sized, brown, muddy rock out for me to see….
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hallelujah! Ten months after Zoe and Lucy officially potty trained themselves, the Upside Up is officially Done. With. Diapers. (Attn: With that announcement made, I want to offer any of you non-parents or you very normal people-who-don’t-like-talking-about-poop the chance to stop reading and go do something more productive right now.) All went smoothly back last March/April when the girls spontaneously renounced diapers one week. Few accidents, lots of exploring of the assorted Bathrooms of Durham (and the assorted Trees of the Parks of Durham) and they were very proud of themselves. They loved peeing so much…
(Pre-note: Zoe and Lucy are 3 years old. As such, there are many words in their lexicon that aren’t found in your standard dictionay. One of them, “Mopa,” is a food they might prepare for you in their kitchen. Sometimes they make you Chocolate Soup, sometimes they make you Mopa. You take what you can get.) —————– Scene: Lucy and Zoe have turned the bathtub (no water — not bathtime) into a popsicle and lollipop store. Bob, as he is wont to do, keeps going in and asking for things that wouldn’t be sold at a popsicle and lollipop store….
We’re on our way to Jen & Pete’s house for dinner, bringing two Green Tango salads as side dishes. Lucy is holding one and Zoe is holding the other and they’re talking about them. Suddenly it dawns on Lucy that she can talk about her favorite letter: “Yuh – Yuh – Yettuce. Mama! Yettuce starts with L !!”