Three Strikes You're Out

Baby C goes about her day, clutching the object of the hour (a pinecone, a stuffed cow, a sock she found) until she grows weary of holding it. Then she thrusts it into my hand, and says "Share!" Um, not quite. We're working on it.

Although Baby C knows how to say "All done!" and to sign "all done!", she's taken to letting us know she's all done by more direct means. She starts throwing whatever's left on her tray. For a 19-month-old, she's got a decent arm.

Yesterday, as the remnants of breakfast went flying, I sternly said, "No throwing food", and bent over to wipe up the now-very-scrambled eggs before they hardened into a cement-like glob. I felt something bounce off my back. It landed with a spray of crumbs next to me: a piece of toast. My own flesh and blood threw food at me?

"No. We do NOT throw food. We do NOT throw food at Mommy."

Baby C looked abashed, then she twinkled. "Share?" She asked hopefully.

Any suggestions?

Then and Now

Date: Mother's Day, the late 1970's.
Place: Suburban Chicago.
Time: Early Morning.

While other mothers were festooned with corsages and wooed with brunch, Mother's Day found my mom crawling through the house, following a trail of yarn that led to our paltry gifts. My sister and I had unfurled skeins and skeins of yarn, over and under and through furniture legs and lamps. We thought it was such fun. All the poor woman must have wanted was her coffee, or to be back in bed. But she was a good sport. She always was, with us.


Date: Today
Place: Suburban DC
Time: Early Enough

I'm pleased to report that Greg and Baby C had the good sense not to follow my childhood example. Instead, I awoke to classical music playing, and Greg bringing me my first-ever breakfast in bed! It was lovely and relaxing for a minute, until Baby C wanted to share. Conveniently, she used the sheets as both bib and napkin. Ah, well, it was still sweet.

As I yawned and expressed my gratitude, Greg said, "Sorry for waking you up, but I thought I heard you walking around. Guess it was just the cat using the litter box."

Happy Mother's Day.