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Article published Jun 15, 2008 What a lot of funny things go by ...
As a mommy all those years ago, I read a lot of Dr. Seuss books to my kids. One of the lines I still pull out of the old memory box occasionally is from "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish:" "Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my, what a lot of funny things go by." Funny things do go by, and quite often if we take the time to watch for them.
Amusing moments just seem to come with the territory when you have an 8-month-old baby around. Granddaughter Ellie came to visit me recently. At one point, while her mommy and I were talking, I noticed Ellie, on mommy's lap, doing a pretty good imitation of a kid going "blah, blah, blah" -- her mouth opening and closing as I talked. Naturally, she didn't realize what she was doing -- at least, that's what I'm telling myself.
I've been introducing Ellie to the dogs, too. On her last visit, we sat in a chair in the kitchen and I tried to get Sophie, the German shepherd mix, to come close enough so I could put Ellie's little hand on her head. Sophie would have none of this strange, small creature that made noise. She hid under the table. Lucky, the Pekinese, jealous of anyone who takes Mom's attention, fixed a steady eye on Ellie just like he was saying, "OK, sister, one false move and I'll gum you to death." Ziggy, the Shih Tzu, danced around and then peed on the refrigerator.
We gave up. Ellie was ready to go back to mommy, anyway.
Speaking of that, Ellie will not let herself out of mommy's arms for very long at a time, and woe to the person who abruptly plucks her out and tries to play or cuddle. She has to be eased into the transition, and eventually, she will lavish her attention on the interloper -- if you're lucky. The second try is usually the magic moment with me, but last time, Ellie still cried for her mommy. I started imitating her crying and that brought her attention back to me, with the most puzzled look on her face she could muster. I guess she decided Mamaw was either OK or completely nuts because she began to laugh and play then.
If you can't get a chuckle from the antics of a baby or a pet, the great outdoors is a good place to find something funny. I took some fresh water outside recently for the dogs and discovered some visitors in their water dish -- two blue-tailed lizards, chilling out, their bottom halves in the water and top halves resting on the side of the bowl. I fully expected them to frantically run away, but they just looked up at me for all the world as if to say, with a smile and an Australian accent, "Thanks, mate. This spa is just what the doctor ordered on a hot day. Say, do you have any nice snacks to offer?"
Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my. What a lot of funny things go by ...
Linda Albert is Women's Times editor and a staff writer for The Daily Times. Her column runs every Sunday in the Women's Times section. You may contact her at 981-1168 or e-mail linda.albert@thedailytimes.com.