TMD13

Today the Boogie is thankful for our presidents. (I asked and she clarified that she meant all of our previous presidents as well as the current one. Then she asked, "Who is our president now?" So yeah ... current events haven't exactly been covered in school lately.)

Peabody. Oh, Peabody. Peabody is thankful that she gets to wear this (minus the hat) to bed.

I think this requires a little explanation.

When I was a little girl, my mom made this dress for me. I think it was for Easter or something. It was long and satiny and I felt like a princess in it. A few years ago when we were in WA Mom pulled out a box of dresses that she and Mamaw had made for me and my sister, and I chose several to bring home with me. Most of them ended up in the dress-up bin, including this one. Now, it's been in there ever since, and somehow has escaped Peabody's full attention. But this afternoon she found it and put it on over her clothes and wore it for the rest of the day. After wearing it for a bit she asked if she could sleep in it tonight, "like a nightgown!" she said.
"I don't know," I said, "it's not very warm. It will probably feel cold on your skin. I don't think it's a very good idea."
A little while again she asked again. "Did you decide?" she asked. "Did you say you would think about it?"
"Boy, Pheebs, I don't know," I said again, "I'm afraid you'll be too cold."
"I won't be cold," she insisted, "maybe you can think about it some more."

I didn't understand why she was being so persistent ... until Eric came home and she immediately showed him her dress.
"See my dress, Daddy? It's so long!" she exclaimed, "And silky ..."

And that cartoon lightbulb went on over my head right before she continued, "... it feels like a lally."

Of course. The dress is satiny. It feels like her lallies, her loveys, her blankies. Her beloved blankies that are silky on one side and around all of the edges, the blankies that are supposed to stay on her bed during the day so that she is not tempted to suck her thumb while snuggling with them. No wonder she wanted to wear the dress all day and then sleep in it.

So, in the end, a compromise was struck. She could wear it, as long as she put on pajamas underneath. When I was tucking her in I teased, "I guess you don't need your lally now. Maybe I'll sleep with it."
"No!" she said, alarmed, "I still need it. See, I have two hands!" and she demonstrated how she could stroke the dress fabric with one hand while snuggling her blankie with the other.

Oh, that girl. She is too funny. I love her.

So, today I'm thankful for:
-the way my kids make me laugh.
-Mr. A's hugs around my neck and sloppy wet open-mouth kisses.
-the unexpected dinner that Eric brought home -- does that man know me or what? Forget flowers and candy: not having to make dinner is the best day-before-Valentine's gift EVER.

And that's all I've got for today. I'm two thankfulnesses short but I think my brain has shut down for the night. So, what are you thankful for?