Prescript:
Yes, I’ve been gone. For a long time. A long, long time. I make no arguments. Jason Avant over at DadCentric – a group of dad-bloggers whom I constantly steal ideas from am inspired by – recently posted that there’s no such thing as writer’s block – only ennui. And, well, I’ve had ennui in spades for about two months now. My WordPress dashboard is full of stupid notes, half-finished posts, and the random detritus of an overly-fettered mind. Now I just need to figure out what ennui is and how to get rid of it. Damned French. It’s like they have a different word for EVERYTHING.
Church with a four-year old is an exercise in controlled multitasking. You simultaneously try and socially engage with people who don’t wear diapers or pony underwear, listen to the service, sing, keep the small one from knocking over the advent wreath and fetch him from the rock pit at the front of the sanctuary, provide snacks, stave off preschool ennui (there’s that word again!), and commune with God. And that’s just before children’s time.
Thank you, God, for sending your Son to be born, we ask on this third week of Advent. And for Crayola.
My daughter’s getting pretty good at the whole drawing thing by now, sketching pictures on her knees using the chair as a drawing table. She’s recently been joined by her three-year old cousin, a confirmed Mad Sribbler, and this Sunday they knelt side-by-side in front of their chairs, in abject worship of waxy color sticks and construction paper. Amen.
This mostly went unnoticed by me this past Sunday as I continued to retrieve Levi from the rock pit. After all, if they’re content, I can divert that segment of my brain to more important duties. Like removing Levi from the rock pit. Again.
Nothing really prepares you for that moment when your preschooler presents you with one of Those Pictures, though.
“Papa!” she shouted, over top of the scripture reading. ”Look at this picture I made you!”
Shhh, child! Inside voice! “It’s wonderful, honey.” Followed by the eternal question with regards to preschool art: ” …Aaaaaand what is it?”
“It’s YOU,” she stage-whispered, quietly enough for only three rows around us to hear, “on the POTTY!”
Awesome.
“I… see. And what’s this thing beside me?”
“A rocket ship!”
Okay, awesome! Nothing says “potty” like a picture of a launching space craft. Based on the giggles from the rows surrounding us, there were other congregants who thought this was as funny as I.
I’m posting her handiwork. It’s quite good. I’m concerned with the size of my belly button, and with the fact that she so effortlessly captured the essence of me on the crapper. But who can argue with a rocket ship?! I’m keeping this one.
Potty time is AWESOME! (click for full size)
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
the rocket ship could have other meanings… I mean how much noise do you REALLY make when you defecate?
Well, I did say that she perfectly captured the essence of me on the potty.
TMI.
Of course, were it YOU she would’ve included a picture of a clock with spinning hands.
Perhaps the rocket recalls the noise made by flushing one of the few well-functioning AND low-water usage toilets in service today. Truly realism and surrealism have never been blended so adeptly.
It may also be worthy to note that the artist has you smiling profusely. I can relate. It’s OK, I too enjoy the rare moments of near solitude whilst in ‘the voting booth’.