The moment: a full half minute, trying to figure out where her toast disappeared to.
She tried, mind you. She looked over her chair on the right. She looked over her chair on the left. She even looked behind her. And then she looked right into my laughing eyes, her face all quizzical.
Hi everyone, this is Arddun. Just wanted to tell you about my great day with my friend Eli and his mommy.
Eli is a boy I hang out with every Sunday. He’s almost a year older than me and pretty much looks textbook Cherub – long golden curls, beautiful blue eyes, and the cheekiest grin I’ve ever seen. He tells me how it’s done, shows me the ropes, y’know? Also, he’s very enthusiastic whenever he sees me – yells “BAAY-BEEE!” across the room and that’s how I know Eli’s in da house.
We went to his house today – his older sister Lily was at her grandma’s, so me and Eli just hung out. I showed off my new-found crawling skills after Aunty Kate tucked my dress into my leggings so I wouldn’t face-plant (Mommy NEVER thinks to do that), and then Eli showed me his impressive stash of age-appropriate baby toys and the building blocks that once lay part of Lily’s latest architectural masterpiece. Naturally, I went for the blocks and the pink pipe cleaner, and stayed clear of the baby toys.
Mommy tried to make me take a nap in Eli’s cot, which was a futile enterprise because I can roll and stand almost as soon as she leaves me alone, and when she wised up and basically pinned me to the bed, I yelled and kicked so hard and so long that Mommy got a backache and said, “PHAIL!” (she says that a lot.) “Let’s try the pouch.”
Which eventually led to, “Let’s consider this nap a wash out, and start with dinner.”
I got to sit in Eli’s high chair again! It’s EXACTLY the same as mine, except without the stripy cushion. I must have made a mess, because table service was very prompt.
My after-dinner entertainment included Eli showing me his underpants. Yuh. Brand: Cotton On Kids. Very Now.
(Mommy on the phone with Daddy.)
Mommy: Eli just showed Arddun his underwear! Heh heh!
Daddy: Eh? What, he’s running around with no pants on?
Mommy: No, no… he’s just fished one out from somewhere and showed it to Arddun. His pants are still on.
Daddy: Right. So our daughter’s not scarred for life, then.
Mommy: Not today.
Later, Mommy said, “You’ve seen Eli’s underpants now so I guess you’ll have to marry him.” I think she was kidding.
Finding The Happy 