E. wants to go home (as usual, can't deal with thought of sleepover) but Sophie is fast asleep with the flashlight on and an x-men comic about Kitty Pride upside down over her chest. So cute!
I took her and Moomin for ice cream. They take it SO for granted! met Squid, Iz, Mali... went to the "vintage" and comic book collector toy store. No, we cannot buy anything, spoiled children who just had ice cream and candy!!
Off to my house for a peaceful hour of me cleaning and them playing. Sophie and I made a magic potion in an Orangina bottle: ketchup, soy sauce, coffee, juice, salt, pepper, and whatever else. Oh, and a cork which I wrapped with tape to fit the bottle.
Once Eliz. got here all hell broke instantly loose, in a good way, as there was a Giant Plan to dress in hero outfits to go on a quest. three kids all with requests at once, three or four changes of dresses, demands for all my fanciest shoes and platform boots, swords, jewelry, more potions, light-up tiaras, new batteries... Holy Crap. Since I'm a sucker and like to feel like Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, I complied.
The quest itself never quite happened. Instead we had sword battles! It was great entertainment! Nukie from next door came over, and Peanut. Moomin sat out the battles as announcer and judge: still a bit uncertain of heavy physical activity. I had one swordfight, in which a hurricane was thrown at me, by Eliz the magic-user, carefully off-center so that I wouldn't get a breathing space when the eye passed over me. Sophie let us know she was evil, evil, evil. Evil since birth. Naturally evil. Wielder of darkness and doom. A hideous miasma of pain and fear shadowing her every step. She fought with aggressive confidence forwards, backwards, and leaping... in my high heeled platform boots, size 8. Peanut is extremely eager to play with the big kids. They all... even Sophie... were kind to the baby!
Nukie will be a brilliant baseball player. He has amazing natural talent. He's huge, he stands like a pro - a lefty - and slugs the ball with a slight narrowing of eyes and grimness of mien. Could I find him a little league? OMG... I'm not joking, he's really good.
Finally, pizza. It was still 100 degrees out. I couldn't handle even the simplest chicken-nugget-cookery. Mostly wanted to sit in the shade and stick my feet in the plastic wading pool.
Much fuss over the need to have SODA NOW. It sounded good to me too. My plan was to make them clean up the yard and house first... hahahaha..... I ended up herding 4 kids into the Hole Foods for pomegranate sodas. By this time it was a little stressful to have them all at once, talking, going in different directions. Yes, I walked into the Hole in the sleazy thin bedroom dress (which, that's what it's for of course) and gold "whore's day off" shoes. Hello, world.
We got free cookies!
At home, there were more crazy demands: TV! More junk food! Gigantic plans! Oh, for pete's sake.... NO. 'I am not infinitely a sucker," I announced. "I am now switching from fun friend mode to "grownup mom" mode. You will clean up. You will get into your pajamas. You will brush your teeth. I will now WORK to make beds for you and clean up all the dresses. Harumph. Friend-Badger will return when these things are accomplished." After they were quiet in different rooms the administration of heavy doses of comic books quieted the savagery...
Sophie has large painful itchy bug bites, hive-like, on her thighs and chest. She now sleeps the sleep of the Benadrylled. It was kind of a scare for me because she was like, "I have a problem... I need... it's... itchy... and... it hurts a lot... " (said while doing sort of a horrible dance and grabbing her crotch) And me saying to myself silently, "please, god, let me not have to look at anyone else's child's privates. Especially after last week." Imagine my relief when it was bug bites on her legs... whew. Underwear, and sanity, were preserved.
It was good to spend the afternoon this way because it completely distracted me from my own racing thoughts. There was no time to think a single thing. Peculiarly relaxing on some level, like any demanding physical activity.
Thank you. I feel so much better. I miss them! They're such a pain in the ass!
Posted by: Jo | July 21, 2006 at 06:31 AM
i think you are probably the best badgerfriend ever. the pics were great, too! i played some photoshopping on them--they are just lovely, especially like the one of s standing on the platform at the sink, from behind, "mama? i'm a pretty girl, mama!" (from "Gypsy.")
i wonder what the quest would have been like, in all that chanel and stuff?
Posted by: other e | July 21, 2006 at 07:42 PM