on Barbie's earrings...

Eva and I spent some time today scouring a part of our backyard looking for a missing Barbie earring. I would like to recommend to the Barbie people that if there is one thing they could make not-removable it would be Barbie's earrings. And maybe the necklaces. And the shoes... Eva said she was sorry that she had ever found out the earrings could be taken out. I didn't probe her about why she had taken the earrings out in the first place, outside no less, by the kiddie pool. It was part of the story. Earlier Eva had shown me another part of the story- about one Barbie trying to be like the other Barbie and finally realizing that she could change the way she dressed or did her hair but she could not change who she was- she would always be herself. Such a proud Momma moment. Eva smiled and said, "I knew you would like that story." I did.

I wondered several times as I stalked along how they expected me to find one of those earrings in the grass in our backyard. Eva told me I needed to crawl along the ground like she was. Then she said she was going to tell those Barbie people that she needed another earring now that this one was gone and did I think we would ever find it? I said it might turn up when I mowed the lawn. I am ever optimistic about these sorts of things and I swear things do turn up. I do wonder if they have a replacement policy though. Lego has a replacement policy. The first one is free and after that they charge you but it is very reasonable and frequently so worth it- like when that red Bionicle mask fell down into the sewer and even chewing gum on a stick, stuck down over and over again could not bring it back up. I blessed the Lego lady that day you can be sure.

As we were walking back up to the house, Eva stopped and picked a few hyacinth-like flowers and said, "I know it is no time to be picking flowers, but here are some flowers Momma." I held out my hand and smelled them and was about ready to say...

And then, so cute, Eva turned her head and said to me, "And it is definitely not the time to be saying 'gorgeous' about those flowers, " and she walked away sighing loudly and shaking her head. I was thinking gorgeous...or lovely...or beautiful...or some such flower-y word. She is onto me that is for sure.