Friday, May 16, 2008

A few more things we've learned...

We're off tomorrow, the spud and I and my Mum, who is currently somewhere over the Atlantic trying to cram her 6 foot long legs under the seat in front of her... they ought to make her check those babies in as extra baggage or at least buy them their own aisle. I pick her up in a few hours and tomorrow we drive down to Devon to a little cottage on a farm somewhere near the edge of Dartmoor, leaving the Frog and Sammy to luxuriate in a Spud-free week. No little bear to wreck the stereo or pat an old boy a little too hard on his fuzzy head... or torment the cat at that... I reckon that by the time we get back they'll have changed the locks and be ensconced in front of the telly with a pile of seafood pizzas, happily shedding into the sofa together.

Sammy has recently had some sort of a rejuvenation it seems... just as he was beginning to worry us by sleeping too much and being a little vague he has perked up, packed on another pound and started begging for food, food, more food and the chance to lie on our chests blocking any chance we have of reading a book in bed.

The spud meantime continues as usual however with a few embellishments. One of his favourite things to eat is peas. Take a few out of the freezer, thaw them and put them into a snack pot and he will happily wander around munching them down like sweeties. I have been fondly holding on to the notion that I have a little health nut on my hands however recent events have indicated that peas must swifly come off the menu. Yesterday while pottering about in the kitchen as the spud sat happily forking up fish fingers and fingering up peas, I heard him sneeze. Several times. The Mums among you may have worked this one out already. After a few more hearty sneezes I turned around to see him with a finger up his nose and before I had any time at all to formulate thoughts about what he was doing he sneezed again. And a pea flew out of his nose. And then another one.

I went trundling over to him just as he was shoving another one up there at top speed. I bent his head back gently and there, lurking up his nostril was pea number three, stuck beyond finger reach. A swift go around his face with a damp cloth a gentle administration of mouth-to-mouth and I was rewarded by a snotty pea hitting me in the cheek. Just what I always wanted.

Peas, the snuff of the legume kingdom. Who knew?

Clementines are also good spud-quieters and today he thrilled me to bits by peeling one while standing in front of the open bin throwing away the peel. He also picked up a cloth and started wiping down the table and is obsessing over the broom so this is my second lesson for the week; that while he may not be speaking or particularly solid on his feet, my little darling has all the makings of a certifiable neat-freak.

*******

Later: Mum is here and everyone is asleep so I am heading to bed. Tomorrow the two elder statesmen of the house will breathe joint sighs of relief as I, my Mum, and the Spud, who is a match for both of us put together, head off to the West Country where my brother and I grew up.

Ted Hughes once said (or something like it) 'when you cross the Avon, you're leaving England' and while we may not be taking passports, I believe I may have to leave my sanity at the border.

11 comments:

Ivanna said...

Hee, hee. Peas are good. My kids like corn. I suppose you can see THAT coming, too. But don't worry: it also comes out easily. Take hand, block unaffected nostril. Instruct little one to blow nose hard. Corn nuggest shoots out, to.. ahem.. everyone's delight. :)
Hope all is well.

Michelle said...

You've got a pea snorter on your hands :) So fun to read, as usual!

Sparx said...

Ivanna - oh no, corn too!! Unfortunately he's too little to instruct so for now I have to do the snorting for him... ewwww!!!

Michelle - pea snorters! I'd forgotten about those! Lordy... something else for him to thrill us with later!

Elsie Button said...

You grew up in the west country? I love that part of the country - we are off to dorset soon.

Have a fab time! x

Anonymous said...

Ha, if I'd known that pea stuff, you know I'd have been growing it myself myself ages ago!!!

Sounds like a lovely little break you're off to!

Jen said...

When I was little I thought things would go in one nostril and out the other, so I wedged a kleenex so far up one nostril that my parents had to take me to the hospital to get it removed. Glad you got off easy, err, easier than them. Enjoy the trip!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I've heard of kids shoving peas up their noses, but I never met someone who it actually happened to! I'm glad it was peas instead of uncooked beans, like I've heard some kids stick up their noses, because at least peas are nice and mushy!

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Wow. Jonathan has yet to do this. I've heard of kids doing it, but he hasn't yet done it. Enjoy your trip. I hope the Frog and Sammy enjoy their alone time.

Anonymous said...

He... the image of seeing someone forcibly expel two peas for sneezing is a great one. thanks for the laugh...

cactus petunia said...

It's funny how they learn new tricks at every turn, isn't it? I guess I lucked out...neither of mine were pea sneezers, but my oldest was always trying to peel gum off the sidewalk at two years old.
Love your blog!

Hoto said...

Good one Sis. Snicker. M bozk. Peas.