Andrew is just wonderful. The two of us played “bears” for a half hour tonight. And nearly every word that came out of him made me wish that I was taping him…he’s just so beautifully cute.
Our game stated as he got out of the tub. He pulled his green froggy robe around himself, looked up at me, and said, “Mommy, let’s go snuggle and do toaster on the bed and talk about the ways I love you.” Toaster is when we warm him up by hugging him in our winter coats or under the covers.
While we “did toaster,” we shared observations about how much we love each other. For a literary comparison, it’s kind of like Quick as a Cricket meets Guess How Much I Love You. For example, Andrew said,
“I love you as many stripes as a zebra has. I love you as high as a giraffe can reach. I love you as hot as Africa. I love you big as a hippo can open his mouth. I love you as many wildebeests that there are on the savanna. I love you as much as a lion’s mane.”
I replied in kind, and we shared our “I love yous” until we’d exhausted (at least temporarily) our creativity.
Later Andrew requested that we play bears. I’d be the mommy bear and he’d be the little baby bear. I’d still need to protect him from predators, but he could hunt for himself. First he went hunting for a moose. He had to be very careful of the sharp antlers and hooves. He was so delighted that he was able to take down a great big moose all by himself. We devoured it together, spitting out antlers, bones, and fur. For the next half hour, Andrew-bear successfully hunted a manatee, a lion, an octopus (we liked slurping down the tentacles but had to spit out the ink), a (!) blue whale (we called all the other bears to join in), a daddy humpback whale, and an antelope. We also found lots of delicious berries, but we had to watch out for skunks on our berry-forays.
After each meal, we’d crawl back to our den where winter would be coming on and we’d hibernate under the covers together until the smell of berries or the flutter of butterfly wings would wake us up. Baby bear would giggle and kiss Mommy bear’s nose to rouse her from her slumber. Then we’d groom each other, pulling the burs out of our thick fur. Andrew-bear decided that he was almost grown, but he wanted to stay with his mommy bear for protection and warmth in the winter. We were very cozy bears during those short winter hibernations.
I feel so lucky to have this sweet boy in my life.
wow. When my toddler and I play together we play school: she’ll say “I’m the teacher and you do anything I say or you’ll need to take a break.” She often makes a point of telling me that she does NOT love me and that she doesn’t like the color of my shirt. No request or suggestion that she do something goes un-tested. I try to imagine playing the how much I love you game with her and start laughing. I’m pleased for you, Althea. If you ever want feisty kid practice, you know how to find us!
Eating moose together is the LAST thing my kids would suggest! Last night we all watched Babette’s Feast (one of my top 5 movies) and when it got to the dinner preparations, and the images of quail being plucked, cow head being stewed, sea turtle being turned into soup, they both covered their eyes and shrieked: “Mom!!” in anguish that I could make them watch such carnivorous doings.
what a love that boy of yours is. he has gold inside of him.
Hilarious! Just the kind of game a little Althea would create – the images and details about nature! Reminds me of conversations from college; “my kids will like nature in a science way….etc.”
Hey Pam,
Our “I love you” game actually started after reading “Always” by Anne Stott. The description on the book says,
After having a tough time together, Andrew often says, “I love you even when you are cross with me.” and I’ll say, “I love you even when I am cross with you.” Kind of a check-in that our spat hadn’t changed anything.
Hi Tia: I loved reading about your interactions with your lovable children. It’s so nice you can do this with them. They are so darling and I’m looking forward to seeing them (and you and Bryan, too) when I come back there in June. Life is short and goes by quickly so enjoy the little things (as you seem to do) and you have a wonderful family. Love, Topsy