Domesticity

Yesterday evening, Caroline was curled up on one end of the couch reading, keeping an eye on the meal cooking in the kitchen. I was curled up on the the other end, working on a creative project. Something classical was playing in the background. Emma was pottering around playing, coming in periodically for a snuggle or a book. It was really nice.

Then, like a puppy, Emma suddenly went and found her sandals and delivered them to me. I said, "We're not going out, but you can wear them if you want to" and put them on for her. Then she went and got her hat (she's been well-trained - it was actually overcast outside), and then her jacket. It was all very matter-of-fact, with no whining or crying or even "pliz". So, genius that I am, I intuited that she was asking to go out, so I agreed we'd go for a walk, leaving Caroline to finish dinner. I had to find my own jacket and shoes, during which Emma was almost literally scratching at the front door. I said, "I know you're impatient. You just want to go outside and here I am, messing around looking for my fleece." And she said, "Yeah!"

So eventually we left and the minute we were outside, Emma gave me a huge grin and put her hand in mine.

We went for an "Emma walk" - a popular choice when we're not actually needing to get anywhere in particular. On an Emma walk, we go whereever Emma wants to go. She chooses the direction, when to turn a corner, when to cross a road and what she looks at on the way. If she wants to walk all around the neighbourhood, that's fine. If she wants to stop and play with a single leaf for 15 minutes, that's fine, too. As long as she holds our hand crossing roads, she's in control. She's usually very calm after an Emma walk.

So yesterday, even though we live within a few blocks of four parks, we walked just down the road and spent a long time picking up rocks and moving them to the other side of the footpath. And then we watched in fascination as some teenagers played on their skateboards. Perhaps we made them self-conscious, staring at them for so long - at least, I think that might be why they kept falling off :)

It started to get cold and windy - it was one of those blustery, brooding fall evenings (that I, personally, love as long as I'm tucked inside a good fleece). We headed home, Emma happily trotting along the street. When we walked through the door, we were greeted with warmth and the amazing smell of a roast chicken and veggies. Caroline came to greet us and gave us both a big hug. Not a bad way to come home at all.

And we sat down to an amazing meal while the wind picked up outside. We turned off the lights and ate by candle light. Emma was mesmerized by the flickering flame and kept proclaiming "Pretty!!" - another word we didn't know she knew.

It was a very domestic, cosy kind of evening, and we put Emma to bed very content.