Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…

The Beans may never see the value in a good rock ballad. They may never truly appreciate a movie marathon of Grease, Pretty in Pink and Dirty Dancing. And they may never find ways to justify gluttonous behavior at a dessert table. But, the thing about kids is that, for a short while at least, they are a captive audience.

For a short while, I can impart my wisdom. I can show them what I’ve learned from this good world. I can paint their blank canvas with a few of my favorite things. And with these tools, they will form their preferences. Their likes and dislikes. What makes them smile.

I did some of that this weekend.

Daddy Bean and I, against stern warnings of friends who have trekked the path before us, took the Beans to see Bee Movie this weekend. Movies were one thing J and I had in common from the beginning, even though his idea of a good movie was Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and mine was The Godfather (can you believe he never saw it until he met me?!?!). Before the Beans, it would not be uncommon for J and I to see movies three weekends out of any given month. At one point, we saw two in one weekend. We love movies. So, it was with joyful anticipation that we carried our little legumes into the darkened theater, found The Perfect Spot* and settled in for an hour and a half of animated entertainment.

The Pie was sold on the concept almost instantly. She nestled into her chair, bag of popcorn in hand, and gazed lovingly at the big T.V. She sat undisturbed for most of the movie, only climbing into J’s lap half way through before being placed into mine while J took Peanut out for a little break. Peanut, on the other hand, started off on the wrong foot with the theater. First, the seats were too much for twenty pounds to handle and she spent much of the waiting for the movie folded into a little V, but not interested in sitting in a booster chair or our laps. And, thank goodness for matinees and forgiving parents, because Audie doesn’t know what movie voice is. She only knows what Audie voice is. And she used it. And she hopped and skipped between us, asking questions and singing songs, every once in awhile stopping to watch a few minutes of the movie. After her trip to the lobby with J, she finally nestled in to watch the end of the film. Afterward, the girls were bubbling with happiness that they went to The Movies!

Another thing I introduced to the girls was hot cocoa. Yesterday, when I couldn’t handle any more of the Lions’ disappointing game, I wandered into the kitchen to find something to comfort me. Immediately, I spotted the tin of Ghirardelli hot cocoa left over from last winter. Aha! The first sip was like seeing an old friend. Perfection! Until I turned around and spotted Maggie at my feet. “Up, Momma!” She said. At first, I begrudged her for interrupting this happy reunion and then I thought, “Why not?” I pulled a teaspoon from the drawer and blew the frothy concoction to a lukewarm before I let her try it. Bingo! Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “More, Momma!” she urged. I complied and then called her little sister over to taste a bit of heaven. No sooner did I put the spoon to Audrey’s lips did she smile with glee. She loved it too!! I cannot tell you what joy this gives me! We spent the next few minutes sitting on the floor of the kitchen, sharing a steaming cup of hot cocoa, one Bean perched on each side of my lap. It can’t get any better than that. It took all I could to wipe their cocoa mustaches off their faces.

Finally, yesterday morning, we took the girls to the nursery around the corner. I had read in a flyer a few weeks ago that the store would be decorated for Christmas time by the first of the month. I had never been there before but there really is nothing I relish more than Christmas time, and all that it entails, so I put the nursery on my list of things to do with the girls during the season. I’ve held back on introducing them to Christmas carols just yet. A local radio station had the audacity to begin 24 hour Christmas music on November 1st, to get us in the spirit. To me, that’s a sin and I don’t allow a bit of the stuff until after the turkey has been eaten and the Lions have been beaten. But Christmas lights are a different story. I’ll allow a little taste of it before Thanksgiving. I just can’t help myself!

The minute we walked into the nursery, we were overwhelmed with light and sparkle. We oohed and ahhed over every gloriously decorated tree. We crouched to peek at nativity scenes and glimpsed our reflections in shiny bulbs. It was literally a winter wonderland and my Beans couldn’t get enough of it. Or maybe I couldn’t get enough of it and I only thought they were enjoying it as much as I did. Whatever the case, it was a delight to be able to share it with them.

I think that what I like the most about showing the Beans some of my favorite things in life is not just that I can expose them to what the world has to offer or so I can capture the curious looks on their faces just before they take their first taste of something amazing and then the surprise in their smiling faces as they figure out just what I was talking about, but that I can share with someone that I love so much these little things in life that make living so grand.

*The Perfect Spot for us usually is in the front row of the stadium seats, on the end.