Don’t flay the sheep.

She really loves her mama

Among the more amazing things about children: their incredible ability sometimes to do something that is intensely loving and also completely crazy making at the same time. You know, like when Abram starts kissing Erik’s hand the other day, and then bites it.

Zora took it to a whole new level yesterday, though.

Today is my birthday. We weren’t planning anything huge as far as I knew. I feel like the past three days have been gift enough. My parents flew in from Chicago. I ran a 10k (making incredibly good time, for me!) with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Then my parents took the kids back home, and left Erik and I in the city for a 24 hour date: time to wander the streets; dinner with an old college friend (one of the great joys of being married to your college sweetheart: you have these wonderful mutual friends from college!); a comfy bed in a decent hotel; leisurely breakfast of croissants and coffee; Erik sending me off for a teeny tiny shopping spree before we took the train back; returning home to happy kids and a house cleaned by one’s amazing parents. What more could I want?

Turns out Zora thought a bit of celebration was in order.

Just as supper was coming together around here last night, the four adults in the house (Erik and my parents and me) started to catch wind of something Zora was planning without our knowledge (because it was a surprise). While out playing with her neighborhood herd, she had invited about 4 families (that would be a total of 16 people) to come to our house at 9 am and sig happy birthday to me. Then she went back to each family and asked them to bring cookies. And then she went back and told them it was going to be a party and they should bring presents.

Erik spent a good 30 minutes getting this information out of an irate Zora (this was supposed to be a surprise, after all). Then he spent another 30 tracking down everyone’s contact information (remember: we’re new to the neighborhood) and sending a few texts and emails to make sure we didn’t have a small crowd on our doorstep at nine. (I intend NOT to spend the morning in my pajamas just in case we missed anyone.) Then he had a chat with her about inviting people over for events without consulting with a parent.

Oh, this girl, though! The self directed assertive little thing that she is (which will be so amazing when she is, oh, say, 25). But, she sure does love her mama.

What a birthday present!

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