We had a little turtle.

His name was Timmy.

A friend in our gymnastics class found him by their neighbors' pool and gave him to us. He was a red-eared slider and very tiny--about an inch and a half in diameter. I agreed to take him because of Hudson's love of Things Turtle, and also because she offered a free tank in which to put him. The kids were in absolute raptures. We stopped at Petco on the way home to pick up a few things, and the first red (eared slider) flag was when the Petco employee, when she heard of our acquisition, said, "Oh, little red-eared sliders are REALLY high-maintenance! Are you SURE you want him?" I will admit this made me nervous.

We got Timmy home and for five days, it was great. I spent lots of time on google trying to figure out why he didn't want to eat. I also spent lots of time cleaning out his tank and making sure he got adequate sunlight. The kids spent lots of time letting him toddle and burrow around the back yard and just generally proclaiming how absolutely CUTE he was. In my google research I learned red-eared sliders have a life expectancy upwards of 25 years, so the kids were planning on introducing Timmy to their children and grandchildren. I will admit, I liked him.

Then he died.

Hudson and I were sad and weepy for a couple of days. The girls expressed some initial sorrow (but no tears, even during our Burial Service) but seemed to move on pretty quickly. Hudson seemed to feel the weight of it a little more. And I cry when anyone else is crying. Have I mentioned this before? It is my not very useful spiritual gift. I mourn with those who mourn. So I would hear him sniffling, and I would scoop him up and we would sit in the rocking chair and cry together for a few minutes and talk about how cute and sprightly and charming Timmy was.

So, it was practice grief for my kids, who have yet to experience the loss of anyone they know well. We had some interesting theological discussions. They are all of the firm position that they will be reunited with Timmy some day. May it be so.

Hudson at Seven (and a quarter): The Birthday Interview

We finally did the birthday interview today! Three months late! We did most of the usual questions, plus Hudson generated a few of his own. (denoted by a *)

1. Hudson, at what age does a person become a grown up? 18 Why do you think so? "They can get married. OR they can get a job."

2. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? "I would eat candy and play video games. Big chocolate balls and gummies. And popcorn."

3. What is something that makes our family special? "That most of us like guns?" (I don't really like guns, I remind him) "Well. We ALL like animals. All the boys like cars. All the girls like...flowers? Actually, I also like flowers."

4. Are you a good friend? "Yes. I think people like me because they like the same things I do. Like Legos. Or Ninjago."

5. How would the world be different if animals could talk? "Animals might get mad at you and hurt you. Except for harmless animals like turtles and butterflies and nonpoisonous frogs and beetles. Maybe they would tell us what they had inside of them. Like what SECRETS they have inside of them!"

6. What is the best thing about being a kid? "You get to eat ice cream and you don't have to go to work and you can play whenever you want to."  The worst thing? One of the WORST things is that you can't watch t.v. whenever you want to.

7.Where is your favorite place in the world? "Japan! Japan is GOING to be my favorite place to go, but I really like Florida. Here? To the pool?"

8. If you could give one gift to every child in the world, what would it be? "Candy! And lots of Legos."

9. What are five words that describe you? "Funny, weird-looking hair.  I need a haircut. I am small but I am also strong. I only weigh 45 pounds!"

10. If you could invent something, what would it be? "A huge robotic planet, and a huge robotic snake to guard it where robots do everything for you. Except cook. The robots are very high tech. They also have ray guns that shoot out of their eyes!"

11. If you could make one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be? "No smoking cigarettes!"

12. What is your favorite...
Color? green
Smell? Mexican food
Food? Mexican food
Book? Calvin and Hobbes Treasury
Activity? Legos
Sound? Drums
Animal? Turtles and beetles
Bird? Scarlet tanager and orange bishop

13. What does Daddy like to do? "He likes to shoot guns with his friends and me. He likes to play baseball with me. He likes to go fast in his Subaru. His favorite car is a Subaru."

14. What does Mommy like to do? "You like to read? ("What else DO you like to do?" Me: I like to paint and be outside and spend time with you and Daddy and Harper and Helena.) And you like to play the piano!"

15. What is your favorite thing to do? "Umm, my favorite thing is...playing Legos, playing video games, drumming, and Matchbox cars. No, Hotwheels maybe."

16. What do you MOST want to do? "Go to Japan!"

17. What would you like to write a book about? "About a little robot who has many adventures."

18. What's your favorite thing to wear? "My stretchy t-shirts and my stretchy shorts". (also likes to tuck his stretchy t-shirt tightly into his stretchy shorts and pull the shorts up until they are at his natural waist.) Also, my G.I. Joe costume."

19.Describe what you look like. I have sort of long curly and brown hair. I have a lost tooth.

20. What are you looking forward to this year? "Going to Florida, or Japan if we can."

*21. What is your favorite car? "I like Mustangs and Vipers and Lamborghinis and all kinds of sports cars AND muscle cars. Also Subarus."

*22. What is your favorite weapon? "Harpoons and all kinds of ray guns and machine guns. And pistols! Also rifles."

*23. What is your favorite movie or t.v. show? "Ninjago, Star Wars, and The Lego Movie."

*24. What is your favorite warrior? "Spy, army man, police, Ninja...guys like that."

I tried to remember some of topics he chose for his presentations each week for our co-op. The kids can chose anything they are interested in, and they talk about it in front of their class for three minutes. These are a few topics he chose:

 

 Scarlet tanagers, orange bishops, a short history of the Ford Mustang, Cobras (he did the snake one week, he also did the Cobra Mustang another week), Ninjas, Special Forces soldiers, sea turtles, Galapagos tortoises, the world's top ten fastest motorcycles, muscle cars (Grandfather Pate was visiting that week and really enjoyed hearing that one), the world's fastest car, and the Lego Ideas Book. He also brought his drum pad to play the first week, and he brought the djembe for the last week. His classmates thought that was nifty.

He started saying "DUDE!"a couple of months ago. I think he picked it up from the big boys at co-op. They all played "football" in the afternoons, and little as he is, he is pretty scrappy. He only weighs 43 pounds (but I looked back and that is seven pounds more than last year!) but he is quick and nimble.

He makes friends easily. He is obedient most of the time, although getting him to stop playing and get schoolwork done usually results in some scowling and complaining and arm folding and some talk of how everything is either too easy or way too hard or else maybe it all needs to be thrown in the TRASH.

He sits and reads independently without prompting throughout the day. He finished the Billy and Blaze series recently. He also likes Star Wars readers and the Calvin and Hobbes compilations we found at my parents' house that were mine many years ago. He still spends lots of time with picture books as well, which pleases me.

The drumming is really astonishing. I need to post some video. Little dude has been gotten by the rhythm, I tell you.

Today after the interview, everyone dressed up as spies. Hudson made spy cigarettes for himself and Harper with duct tape and paper. I don't know why spies don't have to follow his One Rule. Helena is wondering as well.

That is all for now. My dear little boy.