A Dinner With Marie

Dinner at our house usually resembles an entertaining circus ring. We make a concerted effort to sit down together every night, but usually we’re up and down about fifty times during the meal, grabbing this or that, telling the kids to get back in their chairs (again), and starting conversations that never get finished. Probably what most families with young kids experience on any given night. Not exactly relaxing, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world, especially since the kids are starting to pick up on the fact that we like to talk about our day when we sit down and (attempt) to eat a meal together. Tonight was decidedly Marie’s turn to share. After a tough few weeks for us all, she brought a much-needed diversion to the table….literally!

She wanted to wear her new sun hat at dinner ('new' because she just rediscovered it in one of her drawers) and began the conversation with how much she loved her new sun hat.

“I’m going to wear my new sunhat to the fireworks next time too, so it won’t be so windy!” she said. 

If you're wondering, the kids loved it when we went to see the 4th of July Fireworks over the St. Lawrence River. She then proceeded to talk about which color fireworks were her favorite, and asserted that she would walk to the fireworks this time instead of riding in the stroller (since we had to park a good distance away).

“I will walk and hold daddy’s hand. And he will push the stroller,” said Marie. Yes, we replied, that would probably happen because Erik and Ethan would have to ride in the stroller next time we went to see the fireworks.

“But Ethan’s not born yet!” she said indignantly.

“Well we're not going till next summer.”

“No,” she said matter-of-factly. “Ethan won’t ride in the stroller because Mommy’s too big to fit in the stroller!”

Nothing like a little brutal honesty to make your day.

But Marie was still stuck on the fireworks: “We will talk about Maddie’s party at the fireworks. And we will talk about my party at the fireworks!” she said.

We agreed that this was a good idea because her birthday would happen soon after the fireworks next year, and so would her friend Maddie’s.

“How old will you be at your next party, Marie?” Peter asked. She studied her fingers for a moment (since she usually holds up three fingers when stating that she’s three years old), then held up four fingers and said “I will be four on my next birthday! And then,” she said, switching to five fingers, “I will be five on the next birthday after that!” She then stopped and looked at both hands for a moment in contemplation before holding up all ten fingers and exclaiming, “and then on the next birthday I’ll be FORTY!” 

Once we'd stopped laughing enough to talk, Peter asked, “Marie, who else is forty?”

Her response (naturally): “Mommy!”

So I suppose that’s my lesson for today: even if you’re a forty-year-old who’s too big to ride in the stroller, you’re never too old or big to enjoy some delightful dinner conversation!