Anne Peyton's best friend Jackie came over today, on this beautiful, perfect spring day. After lunch I took the kids down to the lake. Sadly, there appear to be no frogs or turtles inhabiting this area any longer. The old-timers who have been here for years tell me this was not always the case, but something has happened. Regardless, Anne Peyton manages to find a limp little lizard in the sand. I am thinking he's dead, but it turns out he's a rubber lizard used as bait. She becomes quite enamored of this little creature, and aptly names her "Lizzie". Lizzie comes home with us, is put in a place of honor on a special blanket in a special basket, and is lovingly looked after.
Right after Jackie and some other impromptu (the best kind, I still think!) guests leave (at about 7pm!!) AP begins to cry, inconsolably. Finally she manages to explain that she has lost Lizzie. She holds up 2 cm of rubber lizard tail and blubbers "and all I have left is her tail". More intense crying. The entire family joins in the search but she is nowhere to be found. Honestly, I'm not sure if I have ever seen AP this upset. We convince her to wash up and eat some dinner and we would resume the search afterwards. While I'm preparing dinner, John manages to distract her with some "what was your favorite part of the day?" conversation and all is going well until she opens her clenched fist, looks down, and sees the lonely lizard tail. Hell breaks loose again. She is impossible during dinner.
My frustration with her is obvious, and at one point (after I have praised Tommy for finishing his rice, I think), she wimpers "Mommy, it makes me sad when you aren't proud of me". WOW. John and I both said later we have never heard her utter such a statement. Of course I told her all the things I was proud of, etc, etc. But very interesting to have this insight into her psyche (thanks mostly to a very active day and an empty tummy).
After quietly checking with John, I offer that if our next search is unsuccessful, maybe daddy can take her to the store to find a new Lizzie. And that if we manage to find the old Lizzie even after that, then she will have TWO Lizzies.
Her expression changes instantly: mouth opens wide; eyes open wide. A look of sheer excitement. She joyfully states, "Mommy! I want to buy TWO Lizzies at the store!!".
Later she does lament that the original Lizzie might get into some kind of "trouble" out there, but I assure her that Lizzie's camoflage and lack of movement will do her a world of good. But when AP returns from the sportsmens store with a WHOLE BAG (9, to be exact) of new Lizzies, she is exuberant. As is Tommy. So as I type this, AP has 4 Lizzies sleeping on her bedside table, and Tommy has one, sitting on the shelf looking down at him.
It's awfully tempting to get this little girl a hermit crab or a turtle or a hamster or something, but gosh, why bother?
3 comments:
Goodness, what a sweet girl. And, Lisa, your writing is beautiful. I absolutely love to find a new post on your blog.
I have to admit, for a moment I was worried that your "rubber" lizard had actually been a real chameleon that had played dead and then dropped its tail to escape...where?? Glad to hear your house is now stocked with Lizzies.
Lis, what a lovely recounting!! You really do write beautifully.
AP sure is her mama's daughter, and if she's content w/ rubber lizards, definitely a wise idea to save the gerbils (& their traumas) until she's a older! :) Maybe Lizzie the chameleon/lizard (whose tail always grows back) could show up in your Thumbkin stories to the kids? Imagine he'd find her a good and versatile pal!
Hi Lis! I was happy to see new posts on your blog. Both Lizzie gets Lost and the mockingbird stories were great. I felt like I was there with you! And now I know what a mockingbird sounds like, too. :)
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