Claytonopolis This Week

Last Friday, I went to a JBF consignment sale. I bought a toddler leash for Alex. I said that I would never use a leash on my child, but I had a very terrifying moment in Sears in which he started running around and could not be contained. I could not see him or hear him. It was terrifying thinking that anyone could kidnap him and he would be gone forever. So I bought the leash to keep him close when in stores.

Saturday, we did what every other Wacoan does on a late Saturday afternoon. We went to Wal-mart. Alexander was in the cart behaving very well. About thirty minutes into our shopping trip Alex said, “I want to get out.” I told him that he couldn’t and he insisted. So I said,

“All right, but you have to wear the Elmo leash and stay close to Mommy. Okay?”

He was okay with this and excited that it had Elmo on it. I put it on him and looked at him. He did not look happy. I stepped a few feet away and said, “Come on, let’s go over there.” He did not move, he did not say anything, but he had the look of utter humiliation. His little brow was furled, his head hung low and the corners of his mouth were starting to turn down. I asked him what was wrong, and he said,

“Mom, I want to take it off.”

I answered, “No, you can’t because you will run away from mommy. But, if I take it off will you stay close to mommy?” He agreed that he would, and he did.

What a strange triumph. I did not know a 2 ¾ years old child could feel humiliated in such a way. I did not think that he could comprehend that this was something by which to be humiliated. He learned a valuable lesson—to stay close to mommy. I am going to keep the leash in my bag for the next time he feels like running away in a store. My feelings about baby leashes have not changed, but as a parent I can never say never. Baby leashes have their place.

On Sunday, Andrew and I made omelettes for dinner. I have attempted making omelettes before, but they have never turned out quite right. With the help of Julia Child, we both made very good omelettes. They were not perfect, but much better the previous attempts.

On Monday, I made basted herb chicken Provence style with a perfect garlic, wine, hollandaise sauce. It was the first time that my hollandaise has been perfect in every way imaginable. I did something very un-French to achieve this. I melted the butter in the microwave instead of the stove. Then I added the cooled wine reduction to the egg yolks, then I slowly added the butter to the yolks as I whisked. The result was the perfect –aise part of the sauce.

Alex did the dishes.

Tuesday, Alexander became a super hero. In the morning, I left the room and when I came back he had turned over the coffee table, then he roared. I asked him to get dressed. He speedily got naked and ran out the back door in to the open parking area. He had a huge smile of glee. He got to the car looked down at his naked body and his eyes got very big. It was the look of, “Holy crap I am naked and outside where everyone can see.” Then he ran back inside. I thought this was funny, because I ran around naked outside until I was five. Mom would have me get dressed and ten minutes after going outside, I was naked. What can I say? I was comfortable with myself.

Say a prayer for Aunt Amy and her family as she enters the breast cancer ranks.