Taking a snack break
In his new sandbox
(I'm having a hard time coming up with interesting titles for these posts.)
Linus has become an amazing helper in the yard this year. He helps me with both the fun stuff, like planting, and the less fun stuff, like weeding and raking. He astonished me one recent afternoon. He was playing in the sandbox he and Matthew built together and I was pruning yet another overgrown climbing plant on the fence nearby. I had the back gate open because I was also pruning on the alley side of our fence. He suddenly comes over and tells me he's going to pull the weeds in the alley and that he'll be careful of cars. I walk out there with him and he has tackled the weeding of a mound of dirt along our back fence. I had mentioned it as something we'd tackle some day and he had the initiative to start it on his own. Astonishing! We think we want to level out the ground and plant something there. I think that is a sign that we both are addicted to planting and are running out of places to grow things.
Yesterday Linus and I had this conversation:
L: I don't want Matthew to go to work.
Me: I know, honey, but it is a work day.
L: What day is it?
Me: Tuesday.
L: I don't want it to be Tuesday.
Me: What day do you want it to be?
L: Valentine's Day. Or Christmas or Mother's Day. Then I can give you presents.
At lunch time yesterday I suggested we make scrambled eggs for lunch. When I told him I'd teach him how to make them he said with such joy, "Thank you! I never knew that before!" We ended up making an omelette with peas and cheese, which were his choices. It tasted great.
We were playing with his tree house/doll house today and he told me, "I love Matthew. When he does things I don't like, I don't love him. When he does things I like, I love him." He said the same thing about me too. I told him, "I love you even when you do things I don't like."
4 comments:
Have you ever seen the book I Love You All Day Long, by Francesca Rusackas and Priscilla Burris? That exchange between you and Linus made me think of it. It's a mother talking to her little boy when he's going to start school, and explaining that she loves him no matter what he does. "I love you when you spill your juice," "I love you when you make a mess," etc, etc. The goods and the bads. It's really sweet.
I'm looking forward to showing Linus my yard in a few weeks and getting his thoughts on it. I love that he's taking initiative for the big projects. Perhaps he will build me a rain barrel while he's here.
I know your posts are just very brief snapshots of your life there, but it really seems that you and Linus have such an idyllic life. I left out poor Matthew because he has to go to work instead of staying home with you both.
Yes, I know it's not reality, but it is great that these little, ordinary-to-other-people-but-extraordinary-to-you, sweet moments in life are captured and shared.
Thanks
We could use Linus out here, too. Our yard needs major work!
He sure is a cutie. I love the photo of him eating watermelon!
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