Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Three-and-Three-Quarters

Is it because I see my child less these days that I revel in her even more?

She is three-and-three-quarters, but if you asked her she'd say three-and-a-half because she likes the sound of it better. 'Three-and-a-half' is bragged about with pride; 'three-and-three-quarters' dismissed with scorn.

She likes to dance (Let's do a welaxing dance to the bathroom, Mummy). She'll rip off a sock and dance barefoot in fruit puree at the drop of a hat.

Magazines are still mazagines, croissants are crustles: I hold on tight to these anomalies, like I hold on to her when she lets me. I don't correct her because I know that her fierce articulacy won't keep her ignorant of them for much longer.

She has a host of imaginary friends, the most vivid of whom is her Uncle Norgat, who has been there, done that - whatever it is, Uncle Norgat's got there first. I am deeply, irrationally fond of Uncle Norgat.

Occasionally, like tonight, when I'm singing the goodnight songs by her tiny bed, she sticks out a hand, asking for mine, and there we are in the dark, hand-holding, sleep-falling, until her breathing stills to a steady rise and fall, and I make myself let go.

I love three-and-three-quarters.

10 comments:

Mrs Pretzel said...

I agree. Childhood is the BEST.

DJ Kirkby said...

OMG!!!! I LOVE the way you write about your daughter! I need to do my post for today and then I am coming back to read some more. Oh and you are this weeks wordless Wednesday winner, congratulations.

DJ Kirkby said...

Darn, I thought I had left a comment here! I love how you write about your daughter, this was a beautiful post to read. You won this week's wordless Wednesday, thanks for visiting my blog.

Stay at home dad said...

4.5 is not bad either! Very nice and hope all well with you..

Livvy U. said...

How joyous, SAHD, I'm looking forward to it all. Hope you settled in new home.

Elsie Button said...

a lovely post! You say it all. x

Livvy U. said...

Thank you Elsie, lovely to hear from you, and great to get a comment to nudge me into considering another post, long over due. Apologies to all coming back... Living life has overtaken writing about life, for a while... I search constantly for the balance... Livvy x

Stay at home dad said...

I think the balance is about one every 2 months personally and you're falling behind!

Livvy U. said...

Yes, yes, SAHD, I am hopelessly, utterly behind.
Am on the floor exhaustion& trying to get the life/work balance thing going again.
But the big work event stopping me doing anything else has passed, I just need to pick myself off,dust myself off and...
So thanks for the prompt. A couple of days or so?
Livvy x

Debbie Doughty said...

I just wanted to say hi. I miss your posts. Hope all is well in your world and that you have found your balance!