The boys, several days ago, in the midst of several artistic and otherwise ventures. Leo wrote 'Tomi' with the blocks, and Tomi said, "Thank you, Leo! That's so cool! I like the way you did that!"It's been a rough week. First my computer went down, thanks to a download that went awry. Then I got the stomach flu. Then Leo got the stomach flu. And my flu persists, despite yesterday's optimism about the subject. And I think Tomi's coming down with it, too. But he seemed alright this morning. So he's at school; Leo's in bed (after having watched Jungle Emperor and Over the Hedge); I'm huddled over my work with cramps and worry; and Jean-Philippe's peddling my theatre ticket off to friends and hoping for the best. Ugh.
There have been some bright spots on this greyish day, though.
First, there was sleepy little Leo's wake-up twittering.
"Mom! Wake up! Then we can be the first ones up, after Daddy! I'm the first one up! I'm never the first one up!"
Then there was our sweet little Tomi's chirruping, as he got ready to go to school. He was extra chirrupy today. And chirrupy on a school day is rare enough; but when one of them knows that the OTHER is going to stay home from school?! Never. Until this morning, that is.
And then, as Leo sat out a bout of you-know-what on the toilet, I suggested I read him a book.
Leo "No, I have lots of stories. I will tell you a story!"
Mom (settling down on the bathroom floor) "Great! I love your stories!"
Leo "Hm. Let's see. There are so many! Which one would you like?"
Mom "How about if you choose?"
Leo "Okay, I will tell you the story about the snowball who went to the sea."
Mom "Great!"
Leo "Uhm... Okay, but there are some 'bad words' in the story."
Mom (raising her eyebrows a bit, and not a little intrigued) "Well... If they're a part of the story, you can tell the story anyway, and we'll talk about the bad word parts afterwards."
Leo "... No, I will tell you another story. There are lots of stories without bad words. How about... The Mouth Who Couldn't Find Its Body?"
Mom "Sounds like a great one!"
Leo "Okay, but how about if you tell it?"
Mom "Alright. But you can help me, okay?"
Leo "Okay."
And so we began. And a pretty good story we came up with, too!
