Coloring time starts off sweet and yummy...
Claire walks to the easel and says, “chi-choo”, her
delicious word for crayons. She hands the purple to me and says, “Lo”
(translation: “Mommy, will you please draw Lloyd, our cat, for me?”)
I’m so in
love with her right now. I’m so happy to oblige.
But, after I’ve drawn Lloyd the cat a hundred times in a row, I’ve
had way too many cookies. Just like Oreos, it’s possible to have too much.
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| Mother/Daughter Collaboration |
George, on the other hand, is on a diet, a strict regime. He’ll text me near the end of a long rehearsal: “I’m hurrying home. Is she asleep yet?” He’s dying for his sugar fix of Claire. When I reply, “Great. Hurry back”, I’m happy father and daughter will be reunited once again, happier still that I will soon hand Claire off to her devoted daddy.
Then, he can draw Lloyd the cat for her. I’m just jealous
that she’ll be off to bed, before he’s had his fill.
Unlike me, he rarely seems to fill up on Claire -- something
else to compound my ever-present terror about measuring up as a mom. But George’s perspective comes with
downsides too. The number of firsts he misses frequently frustrates him. He’s
also surrendered himself to the fact that mama is number one right now.
When jealously gets the best of him, I’m quick to point out
that there’s still plenty of time for Claire to hate her mother.
