Shhhhhh
“So Thomas, when you see Mummy in the morning remember to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to her.”
“NO, Daddy. It’s a secret.”

Two will be half the work of one, right?
“So Thomas, when you see Mummy in the morning remember to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to her.”
“NO, Daddy. It’s a secret.”
Just as Tony was leaving Thomas’s room for the night with a final ‘Good Night,’ Thomas announces, “You can’t pet sea horses.”
—-
At the coffee shop this morning Thomas asks a woman focused on her typing, “Do you want some of my Daddy’s cheese?” She looked bewildered.
—–
“Mummy, why are you driving the car?” Thomas asks me, the only adult present.
—–
Sometimes I’m one jump ahead, guessing that his sudden desire to open a top cupboard is because he saw the chewing gum. Or placing an incoherent description: a minor event from over a year ago, seemingly randomly remembered. Or translating “pepper papers” as Listerine BreathStrips. (He dug them out of an old bag.)
But sometimes he loses me.
And sometimes it’s endearing, like Thomas’s recent wish to go to bed wearing his mittens. “So I’m not cold, Daddy. Daddy, can we move to Hawai’i?”
But I realize that by the end of the day I feel off-balance, as if I’m inhabiting a very slightly parallel universe.
Thomas climbs into bed with me, dragging away my covers, yanking my pillow away and announcing in a whisper that he’s hungry. I vaguely mutter that it’s too early. A little hand starts gently touching my face.
“Mummy, U’m just checkin’ if you have a temp’ra’tra,” whispers Dr. T.
“And, now, Mummy, U’m goin’ to gently poke your eyes.”
————————
Theo sweetly says “Nie’ Nie’” and leans in to wrinkle his slightly snotty nose and give a little blow on your cheek. Theo has just starting giving kisses.
————————
Happy Valentine’s Day.

We had a joint party with his great friend, Sofia, who is one day younger.
The white stuff is gak (Elmer’s White School Glue and Borax). A hit.

A big hit.

A really big mess hit.

And there was cake.

Thomas’s verdict: ”It was really fun.”
“Which part was your favourite? The gak.”
“I just really liked playing with my friends.”
——-
Theo sported authentic 70s wear, inherited from Tony.


Thomas was 4 yesterday. He saw in the wee hours of the morning, getting up every hour until 1 am. Agh.

Likes:
Sticks
Star Wars toys
Bobo (his rabbit toy)
Seaweed
Sharks
Theo (sometimes)
His sleep sack
His warm, fuzzy pyjamas
Curious George
Thomas the Tank engine and co
His friends (the co-op), his ‘new friends’ from school, our neighbours
Spiders and snails
Spiderman
Cereal without milk
Puddles
Play doh
White glue
Drinking my herbal tea once it has cooled
California roll sushi with tobiko
Coconut milk
“The sofa game”
His rock tumbler

Dislikes:
Getting dressed
Any food warmer than room temperature
Theo eating out of his bowl, his cup etc.
The winter (”Let’s move to Hawai’i, Daddy.)