the buggle and the boy

my daughter was home for thanksgiving and one day she came up to visit me while i was working in my office. when she saw a tiny photo of her i've had on my desk for years, she looked at it for a long time and then said,


"I sure look pleased with myself."

and i said, you were. you were very proud of the babushka that you insisted on wearing. i told her that whenever she dressed up like that she would tell me,


"momma, i'm a buggle." 


translation:


"momma, I'm a big girl."


while she was home i needed her to look at some items of hers i was planning to donate to goodwill. even though now she really is a big girl and working in new york city, for a moment she was three again, looking over the crib full of dollies.

it was a bittersweet moment for the both of us. sorting through things that it seemed just yesterday she played with, today, sitting and gathering dust in the basement.  

she wanted me to keep this small toy.

it is hard to let go.

so for the moment, the front hall is piled up with shoes

and the back door entrance is occupied by fencing gear. 

my son is on a trimester system at college so he is home for 6 weeks. with him in the house, i will do more laundry, buy more milk and sleep with one eye open, waiting for him to come home in the wee hours. followed by the smell of 3 a.m. microwave popcorn wafting up the stairwell.


sigh.

normally i manage to keep things fairly clean around the house, but when my kids are home, 


i treasure the mess ;-)