Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Primates.

Last night me and all three boys were piled on the guest bed downstairs, where my two are sleeping until we get their room done, me reading a true story about a family of gorillas. The youngest two rolled around making animal sounds as part of their game, "Puppies," periodically stopping to check in on the story with its pictures of noble animals and the Rangers who protect them.

(And also pictures of their guns, which they carry to fend off poachers and predators; it wouldn't be honest to make it sound too idyllic. Earlier the kids, shirtless as always, were playing some combination of GI Joe, Star Wars, "Spies," and just bashing into things).

The ladies came back from a trip to buy coffee and diapers. The toddler tumbled on top of us cushioned by her puffy pink coat with a container of fruit repeating, I've got blueberries, I've got blueberries! They were gone in seconds. Kids don't hesitate. We're both still technically married to other people, but our boys called out Goodbye, Stepbrother! leaving for school this morning.

2 comments:

Elizabeth said...

isn't it wild the way the kids have accepted this new life fearlessly? they don't worry about all the little technicalities that we do. for them, there are no lawyers, no budgets, no schedule conflicts. they are ready to dive in, with complete certainty that everything will turn out wonderfully, with a story book happily ever after ending.

E.C. Hayward said...

It is - it's surprising to us because we're adults - but isn't this how kids are? Except when in comes to foods they don't like.

As for the ending, I don't think they even get that far.

It's so "perfect," I wonder how it's possible without some other shoe dropping in there, and then I remember to just look at it more like they do. They don't what-if and have few expectations that can be disappointed.