The Deken Zoo

Ryan:    Why are you wearing a ponytail, Alyssa?

Alyssa:  Because I’m beautiful!

We’re busy here at the zoo being sick in turns. Last week was Ryan’s turn, and this week it’s Alyssa’s turn. Michelle is convinced that next week it’s her turn. All I want is to be able to sleep for more than four hours without having to clean up the infirmary.

But this post isn’t about being sick. It’s about being adorable.

Two nights ago, I picked up dinner for Michelle after I’d taken the little ones to “the playroom pizza store.” As she was unpacking it onto the table, Ryan gets a shocked look on his face and says “Mommy! You have to put it on a table!”

We were sort of confused, because that’s exactly what she was doing. We figured that he meant she should eat at the kitchen table, so we explained that the coffee table is a table too, and it’s okay to eat there sometimes.

Ryan listens to all of this patiently before breaking out one of his “God, my parents are thick” expressions. “No, mommy. You have to use a table. I’ll get one for you.” And he scampers off into the kitchen.

So, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to try to drag the kitchen table into the living room, so I follow him into the kitchen. I figure, if I can’t talk him out of it, at least I could help him with it.

But it turns out he’s actually in the cabinet by the fridge, where we keep the cookie sheets and TV trays. He’s pulling on one of the big wooden ones with handles. I’d forgotten we even had them because we so rarely use them, but the kids always have the cabinet open because they can bang it against the fridge, so I guess they see it a lot more than we do.

A portable table. Who knew?

The cuteness was short-lived, however, as we barely had time to get the table into the living room before Alyssa threw up on it.