Saving Siri

“Mumble-mumble-mumble wock,” mimicked Thomas, copycatting Amelia yet again. He thinks it’s funny to repeat what he thinks he hears. Younger by almost a year, she speaks very well but he’s made a game of echoing her baby talk and she picks up the phrase and they repeat it over and over laughing all the while. …

Exclamation Mark!

https://videopress.com/v/JJCADgtT?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true “Poppy, I’m coming!” Thomas hollered in what he calls his Poppy yell. When his family spends the night over, it’s what motivates him to transition from bath time to bedtime without a fuss. Once he’s said goodnight to his mom and dad and baby brother, Timothy, he starts across the house to Poppy’s room. …

Casting Cares

I asked Thomas to help me get the mail from the mailbox. Our box is exactly his height at present because of an incident the week we moved into our home. The postal carrier back over our box, taking the entire post down. My dad and my husband repaired it but as a result, the …

Separation Anxiety

Though she’s not two until summer, my granddaughter, Amelia, already knows how to tug on my heartstrings. When we meet up for a meal or family gathering and it’s nearing time to go, she reaches for me or climbs up in my lap, saying, “Ride in Lolly’s car,” or “Go to Lolly’s house.” Before the …

Focusing On Fear

My grandson woke suddenly after midnight screaming, “I need you, Mommy, I need you!” I keep the monitor for her to get a good night’s sleep when I can, and sometimes I can console him. Sometimes he just needs his mommy to calm down. I’ve wakened from dreams with my heart literally racing. I’ve wakened …

Wait For It

Contemplative. If one word could define a person, this is me. My mom recalls my first grade teacher (also her first grade teacher) informing her that I routinely stared out the window of her classroom. She thought I was daydreaming, but when she asked a direct question of me, I promptly gave the correct response. …

Answering the Enemy

What are your last wakeful thoughts before you fall asleep each evening, the thoughts that follow you into sleep, whether consciously or subconsciously, informing your dreams? Mine tend to be instant replays, like a slide show of conversations or events from the day. Sometimes I’m deliberate about transferring them into longer term storage because they’re …