But wait! Our dear old Activities Director had suddenly made a reappearance, and Mrs. Mallard was forgotten! Usually, I have to really stay on top of Serena to make sure she gets some clothes out of her drawer ("You can feed your ducklings after you're dressed."), uses the potty ("Even if you don't have to..."), puts her clothes on ("Don't forget to take your nighty off before you put your clothes on, Sweetie!"), puts her nighty in the hamper ("You can gather up Olie and her things after YOU are all ready to go!"), brushes her hair ("No, Bret, you may not wear Serena's headband into town. This is not something to cry about."), etc. But this morning was different. I sensed a greater focus in Serena and an eagerness to get ready to go. I wrote it off to her being excited that Daddy was home or something. Although she kept talking about how she and Bret were going to go get some animals, and she was pushing for Bret to get ready quickly too. I figured she meant that they were going to go down in the basement and pretend to go get animals on their little riding toys (which we just brought home from IA). All the cooperation and focus was nice, and I liked not feeling like an octopus herding cats as I got everyone ready to go. I stopped for a moment and enjoyed a sweet hug from Serena when she told me they were going to go get animals so I wouldn't have to be lonely and get sad when she grew up and left home. Awwwe! And she wanted to get some animals for her Auntie Anna too, so she wouldn't cry when Mia went outside. (Does she do that?) ;)
Finally, Serena and Bret were ready to go, right down to their shoes and coats. I reminded Serena that Daddy & I weren't going to be ready to go for a little while yet as I still needed to feed Cody. She looked at me as though that piece of information was completely irrelevant.
About that time, Jordan came up the stairs (he'd been in the basement gathering some paperwork), just in time to get in on Serena's next stunt. She started saying goodbye to us in a very matter-of-fact way, complete with hugs and kisses.
"Where are you going, Serena?"
"We're going to go get some animals."
"Where are you going to get some animals at?"
"Oh, we're going to go look around at some zoos."
"How are you going to get there?"
"We'll have to take the truck, because I don't want to have to make a lot of trips."
"How are you going to drive the truck? You don't have any keys!"
At this point, Jordan went into the other room to get some papers off the printer. Serena followed him; I think she thought he was going to get her the keys to the truck. "I'll be careful! I'll look for cars!"
I decided to leave this one to Jordan and headed off to wake Cody up from his nap and nurse him so we could get going. A while later, I heard Jordan once again talking to Serena, this time as he snuggled her in the armchair. Apparently she was much more in earnest than we had realized! She really had thought she and Bret were going to get the keys, go out to the truck, hop in, and take off...to go visit some zoos and look at animals to bring home for Mommy & Daddy. They were going to find nice lions and tigers and giraffes and pigs and who-knows-what-else that kid had up her sleeve, and bring them home for Jordan and I so we would not be so lonely when she grew up and got married. How soon was she going to leave and get married? Pretty soon. But who was she going to marry? Whoever she could find. Where were we going to keep the animals? In the barn. We don't have a barn!! Oh, she would go outside and look. She might be able to find one, she thought. Jordan tried to deter her by saying she wouldn't be able to drive, but she was absolutely convinced that she could indeed drive. So, he went from another angle and explained that there are laws against children driving. She was unflappable. Then he told her that zoo animals were just for looking at, and that she wouldn't be able to buy any to take home. She supposed she'd have to find another place to get animals, then. Finally, Jordan came right out and told her that her Grand Scheme was not going to happen, that it Could Not happen. And that he wanted her to be his little girl longer. And then she started crying. Not the whiny or angry cry of an unhappy child who is not getting her way, but the truly sad weeping of a broken heart.
It took quite a bit of "lovin' up," but we finally managed to get a once-again-cheerful-Mrs.-Mallard buckled into her carseat and headed into town to run some errands with Daddy & Mommy. And we'll worry about getting animals and getting married and all that other stuff another day.
1 comment:
HAHA! I read this the other morning when I was getting ready for work and had my moments of laugher:) She is so funny!
Post a Comment