Friday, September 08, 2006

My Little Stingray

[Insert the beautiful song of the angels of heaven] Allison is a joker, a prankster and always on the lookout for games. She is always thinking ahead to what she can do next to amuse herself. She has such a spark of life in her that her smile or devilish grin can light a room and warm your heart. I love this very much about her. In junior high and high school, I wished to have three boys just like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbs. Allison is exactly the child I dreamed of in female form. She's imaginative and adventurous. I know that as she grows taller that her gigantic Pooh bear from E and Grandma and Grandpa B will become her Hobbes. [Exit angels]

[Enter shrill, sinister laughter, two sets of pounding feat on hardwood floors, the smell of sweat, and whatever sounds a mother makes as she attempts to pull her hair out while holding a fresh diaper and a new day's outfit in her hands] Allison has made getting dressed and undressed her favorite game and past time. The moment she sees me walking down the hall with her diaper and clothes/jammies, she's off like greased lightning. Because I am in a constant reactive state and am too tired to be proactive, the chase is on. With lots of laughter and much squirming and wiggling, she's finally dressed and I'm ready for a nap. My conscious attempt to space out my shower, blow drying, and breakfast so as to not be perspiring when I put my make up on is a daily futility. By the time I chase that little girl down and wrestle with her to get changed and dressed, I'm damp. As I wipe the sweat off of my face, I'm sure that I'm wiping off all the cosmetics I just put on so carefully. I have to turn the air conditioner on full blast in the car when we leave for the day just to cool down.

After the events of Monday morning, I've taken to calling Ally "My Little Stingray." I'm sure that she will one day be the death of me. This knickname is given to her in love. Despite all the sweat, pounding blood and tears, I am still glad that Ally is turning out to be my little Calvinette. "My Little Stingray" is a term of endearment. I also mean no disrespect to Steve Irwin or his family. I have been heartbroken about his death. Still, he was a man of humor and a huge magnification of Ally's blooming adventurous spirit. I pray that he is not offended by her new knickname. Steve died doing exactly what he loved most in life outside of his family. If Ally's antics do one day do me in, I will die loving her and the rest of my family that much more dearly. My one request is that I get at least one chance to make Ally chase me around the old folks home in just my used pair of Depends. [Reenter angels playing the opening notes to "Where the Streets Have No Name" on their golden harps - the sound I hope to hear as my spirit rises to the pearly gates]

1 comment:

Trista said...

Ally is your little stinker, for sure. I'm sure Steve Irwin is laughing right now about "your little stingray" - she seems so innocent, but it's all a facade!