Me: One night, an evil man named Jafar–
Briar: Who’s that guy?
Me: Jafar. One night, an evil man named Jafar and his wicked parrot-
Briar: Who’s that guy?
Me: That’s Jafar, remember?
Briar: Dat guy who is Jafar?
Me: That’s right. Jafar and his wicked parrot, Iago, were waiting in a faraway-
B: Where’s Jasmine?
Me: She’s not here yet, if I can keep reading we’ll find her.
B: We will? Ok, that’s great, mom.
Me: Snicker …in a faraway desert.
B: Where’s Aladdin?
Me: Honey, he’s coming. Let’s get to the next page.
B: Is he with Jasmine?
Me: Not sure, I don’t know this story very well.
B: Dis one? Dis is a story about Jasmine and Aladdin. Do you know them?
Me: I have heard of them. Should I read some more?
B: Sure. You can read to me some more after I get a tissue.
Me: Ok.
B: Could I have some juice?
Me: You bet, hang on.
I return with juice.
B: Ooh, could I have milk?
Me: Milk?
B: Uh-huh.
Me: Like milk in a cup or are you being silly about milk from mom?
Scornful look, which in a few years will come complete with a, “Duh mom!”
B: In a cup!
I return with a cup.
B: Thanks.
Me: Sure. Soon a thief named Gazeem rode up to-
B: Ga?
Me: Gazeem.
B: What’s Ga-beem?
Me: An evil sidekick.
B: What’s a sidekick?
I look longingly at my coffee, now cold, and remind myself that one day she won’t want to sit with me or hear from me.
Me: It’s like a buddy.
B: You’re my buddy.
Me: And you are mne.
B: Can we cuddle?
Me: Sure.
B: Ya gotta lie down for this cuddle.
Me: OK.
We recline together, her head deliciously warm and heavy on my chest, her little hands reaching around me and squeezing, the baby inside me moving. Contended sigh.
B:Mom?
Me: Yes, baby?
B: I just love your cute outfit.
I look down at the old flannel shirt I have on with its mother of pearl snaps, the criss cross lines stretching ever so slightly around my belly.
B: The jewels are amazing.
Me: Briar, you are amazing.
B: So are you, mom.
We sight together.
Me: My cup runneth over.
Oh, oh, oh! I love this!
That might well be my favorite line, "My cup runneth over." So great a heart's devotion expressed in so few words. It makes my own heart ache to know how lucky your girls are to have you. š
Those moments are so great. I get SO annoyed with PunditGirl sometimes when we can't get through a sentence for all the questions and comments. And then they do something like that!
This must happen all the time. They are so precious
These are the simple moments that drift away with time.
So glad you will always have this to read back on.
And what a treasure it will be for your kids!
It does runneth over, and you so deserve every drop of it.
It's funny how those moments can turn, just like that, if you let them.
Good on you for letting it happen.
The though of them all grown up not wanting to cuddle anymore, is too much for me at time. It makes me really appreciate each hug, each kiss, and wish someone could please just invent a way to stop time…just for a moment!
Oh, how I love storytime too!
And about Central — I wasn't a very "present" student either and spent waaaaaay too much time at The Tav with my friends and pints of beer. I think I burned out my first 2 years of college and then gave my half-hearted "best" the last 3 . . .
And it's my married name, and quite common especially in Eastern Wa, where there are a lot of famers with the name. But we are from the west side of the mountains. Just north of Seattle — Lake Stevens! What a small world though!
sniff. Can I have a tissue now?
I love where their little minds can go.
Damn, that was cute and sweet.
I can't get through a story either. I have to remind myself thatit's the process and time together and not just finishing the story. I'm so goal oriented but really what I want is the warm and heavy "nuggles".
Very nice
this is so cute it brought tears to my eyes…what an amazing little girl! š
"i like your cute outfit"?!!!
your kid cracks me up. seriously, i would LOVE to hang out with her, both now and in a few years, when she actually realizes and harnesses that hilarity.
too cute, amanda…
and by the by, i LOVE the new blog. thank you thank you thank you. the pages now load in less than five minutes (which is how long it took before)
oh–perfect!