For Posterity's Sake: Week in Review 105

Or Something's Missing

I lost a bit of my afternoon yesterday to a headache that wanted to cling to me, and my evening to a little boy who had the same idea. So this post and the projects I had in mind for yesterday were pushed a little farther down the "to do" list while I took care of matters that had made themselves more pressing. Reclaiming that time now, looking over my recorded moments from last week, I've discovered a theme of things missing around here lately (at least from the perspective of a certain four-year-old):

Last Sunday, Jason requested chicken pot pie sans the pie for dinner. (I make the pie filling and serve it on a bed of rice). After a few bites, Jason told me it was good.

"I think it's missing something," I said.

"It is. The crust," said Audrey.


Tuesday, on our drive home from school, she complained, "My bottom hates me. It wants to join a new family."

"Why?"

"It doesn't like sitting in my car seat."


After she reconciled herself to sitting in her car seat, she began talking about her wedding and everything she envisioned for the big day, which she informed me was happening later that evening. (Most notably, that I needed to go home and bake a cake). I explained that while I'm sure her wedding would have great cake, it was not going to be that night, since little girls aren't allowed to get married.

"But I'm already four. They don't let us do it at four? That's not fair."


Wednesday, en route to the library, she told me, "The man with the yellow hat just has a monkey, not a kid. Why does he not have a kid?"

"I don't know."

"It would be better if God just gave him a kid. That's silly that his name is called the man in the yellow hat."


Thursday evening, she was working diligently on something at the kitchen table, scribbling lines across a piece of paper. "I'm writing a letter to Santa," she said, "asking him to bring me some cups next Christmas since he didn't bring me any this time."


Nathan, on the other hand, has had a week of additions. Most notably, the phrase "uh-oh" (very handy in our household). He has also learned a few, ahem, lyrics, such as "ba ba ba bum" (Beethoven's Fifth) and "da-da, da-dah, da-da, da-dah" (The NFL Theme Song). Yes, we're diverse in our musical tastes.

As for me, I'm happy to report that the headache of yesterday finally loosened its grip so I could spend the last couple hours of my day being productive, working on a project for a little while, but more importantly, holding one restless little guy determined to share an extra hour nestled up against me. As I curled him around my growing belly, I wondered how much longer he would fit like this, snug and warm and small - and content to be as close to mama as possible. I found gratitude for being swept off course, for not missing a thing.