Tonight I was coloring with Stink. We had just finished baking. Pip had gone to bed because she was more cranky than I am when I run out of Yuban. (Well, almost. No one is as cranky as I get without my morning coffee. Or afternoon coffee. Or evening coffee. I'm a bit of an addict, but it works for me, so please don't have a virtual intervention for me. I'd send you all my spam. That's a lot of penis enlargement ads. Just sayin'.)

As I helped him read which colors matched with what number, "Red =1", "Blue = 2" I seized a life lesson. I remarked, "Colors, like ingredients in the cookies we just made, can be kind of bland by themselves. But when you put them all together, it's amazing what kind of picture - and final food dish - you can create. Teamwork! It's great, isn't it?"

Stink looked at me all wide-eyed and confused. He didn't say much but kept working away at the green xmas bulbs on his paper tree.

For a moment, I wished I was five. I wanted my mom right there with me, chatting me up about things I would only remember after I broke my heart ten times. I didn't want a life lesson. I didn't want to think about how everything together makes everything beautiful, because sometimes everything all mixed up becomes one giant mess and headache. I wanted to be like Stink, happy with his one crayon, living in the present, not caring if everything blended into one uniform work of art.

But then, now that I think about it, everything about my few moments with him tonight was perfect. Not even my overthinking noggin could mess that up.

* Photo taken today of Stink with his new Scooby "thinking cap." What started as a whim - the skull caps - have now become his favorite thing. I swear he's more focused at school with them, too. Something about heat not leaving his sweet little brain. Anybody hear of this theory besides Daria?

 


Comments

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:49:08

Yeah, I've overthunk a few moments with my kiddos, too. But it doesn't take away the charm. Isn't coloring fun? I remember my grum sending me coloring books and new crayons when I was in college, fretting over/studying for finals.

 

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:33:49

I love those teachable moments.

I don't remember them with my mom...who is still very much alive...I try to have teachable moments with her now, however.

Mom...see, this is what happens when you vote for dems...

and great moments like that.

 

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:26:30

I bet he thought it was just perfect, too.

 

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:55:17

I love love love this story.

and I love that the skull caps are working! how fun is that?

 



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