When You Need A Little Reminder....

The other day my husband and I were sitting on our deck watching the kids frolic in the pool, splashing about, having a really great time. As I watched them haul themselves out of the pool and launch themselves back it a million times, I was struck by how much time has passed. They are really much closer to teens than toddlers or small children. It is so wonderful to see just the two kids getting along so well - no one else there to interfere. Miss Thing is starting to fill out and is graceful and beautiful and .....WTF...... OMG........ She is out of the pool grabbing at her crotch - obviously having to go to the bathroom, yet not wanting to miss the fun.

I YELL over..."Hey! Stop DOING that!"

She looks at me with the deer in the headlights look, absolutely NO idea what I am talking about. AND, she's STILL holding her cooch. "What?"

(Exasperated sigh) "Stop it! Why are you doing that - do you need to go to the bathroom??"

(Deer/headlights look continues) "Whaaaaaat?"

I realize all the splashing and pool fun are making it impossible to hear me.

(I have had a REALLY long day with work, hellish graduate classes and I am really short on fuse at this point in the day.) I BELLOW to get out of the pool and come CLOSER so I may speak to her.

She comes out, dripping wet, goggles at top her perfect little head and I begin to chastise her for grabbing at herself, citing her age and appropriateness of it and MY GOD girl, go to the bat....

Before I can finish, a large Monarch butterfly lands atop that perfect head and begins to flap it's wings. The sight was the funniest thing I have ever seen, especially considering the fact that this is my kid who is terrified of all insects.

I begin to giggle. She has no idea what the fuck is going on as one minute I was yelling at her and the next I am well on my way to seizures on the deck, crumpled in laughter. She blankly looks at my husband, who is watching me and now beginning to laugh.

I am choking on my own laughter, tears rolling down my face, and the look of confusion on HER face was all that much funnier. I doubled over, unable to speak, let alone continue the tirade I had. AND STILL, the monarch was perched atop her head, slowly flapping its big orange and black wings, which sent me over the edge to barely able to breathe.

DH looked at Miss Thing and said, "Go to the bathroom. Your mother is crazy."

Which only made me laugh HARDER.

She walked past us and the butterfly flew away and I cackled more.

After she had past, DH said, "I am TOTALLY laughing AT YOU, ya know."

And I did know. And I didn't care. Thank you, God for reminding me to laugh. I had nearly forgotten.

I wish that I had taken a picture of the butterfly on her head for you all to see...