Conversations with Zuzu

These conversations mostly took place in the car, and they reflect Zuzu's recent obsessions: how people are related to each other and her upcoming birthday (in June).


Scene: Dropping Coco off at school. Coco is sitting with her friends, getting ready to have breakfast. Zuzu kisses her good-bye.

Zuzu: You are so beautiful, Coco.

***

On the way to school this morning, driving in the car.

Zuzu: (apropos of nothing, sounding frustrated) But Mommy, we've had a LOT of sleeps!

Me: Okay...?

Zuzu: So it should be my birthday!

***

Scene: Same conversation, just a bit later.

Zuzu: How old will I be after I'm four?

Me: Five.

Zuzu: And then I'll be a grown up?

Me: No, then you'll be a bigger girl.

Zuzu: And I'll get to go places by myself?

Me: Where do you want to go by yourself?

Zuzu: *silence*

***

Scene: A couple of weeks ago, in the car after picking up Zuzu from school. She's very cheerful and chatty.

Me: You must have had a good day at school today!

Zuzu: (suspiciously) Did [my teacher] tell you that?

Me: Uh... No. You just seem happy. (pause) Would [your teacher] tell me that if I asked her?

Zuzu: (pause) Maybe.

***

Scene: Once again, driving in the car after picking Zuzu up from school, talking about our plans for the weekend.

Me: And then I'll meet up with my friends Erin and Megan to do some work.

Zuzu: I have a teacher named Megan!

Me: Isn't that interesting? You have a teacher named Megan, and I have a friend named Megan, and Daddy has a sister named Megan.

Zuzu: No, he doesn't!

Me: Yes, he does.

Zuzu: No, you're daddy's sister!

***

Scene: In the car. On our way home from school.

Me: Remember, Bops and Grammy are coming to see us today.

Zuzu: Bops and Grammy are your parents?

Me: That's right.

Zuzu: And they're my grandparents. (pause) And Bops will be my bride!

***

Scene: In the dining room after dinner. Zuzu is recalling a story my mom told her about riding her bike with me in a baby seat when I was a baby. I didn't have on a helmet (because it was the early '80s), and she wrecked and the bike fell over. I believe the purpose of her telling this story was to encourage Zuzu to wear her helmet.

Zuzu: When you were a baby, and you rode a bike with Grammy, and you fell and hit your head. And did you cry?

Me: Uh, yeah, probably.

Zuzu: Did it hurt a LOT?

Me: Well, I really don't remember.

Zuzu: You should ask Grammy.

***

From deep in the archives:

Unrelated, but somewhat reassuring evidence of how some things never change, here's a list of 25 things about me that I made in 2009 that are pretty much all still true.

From 2011--a post that is evidence of how much things can change in five years.

And yet, in 2013, there were still ALL THE MIXED FEELINGS that I carry forward today.

And last year at this time? We were in the process of reactivating Faces of Loss, thanks to the leadership of my friend Brandy.