That would be DEAR, by the way, not OEAQ, as you might be tempted to read. And FEEL your tummy, not PEEL. Last two words taken as dictation by kindly preschool staff. Likewise the fancy trim.
Tummy feeling having developed as a luxury on the order of a spa visit, during her little brother’s gestation. [See Figs. A & B.] Now, with the baby long since on the outside, “Mama belly” is the place to return for comfort.
(And here we thought it would revert to the neutral space it was before, all the lovey dovey transferred to the baby. Well, the baby got the lovey dovey, but a bunch still stayed with the belly.)
Life getting you down? Find the Mama belly, scrinch up the shirt, wiggle in a knotted up little fist, then open its flower petal fingers up into a little spray on the surface, soft as calfskin. Swirl around as needed. Does the trick every time.
If only us grown-ups could cultivate something so reliable.
I’m glad it’s “feel” rather than “peel” because…um…”peel” kinda grossed me out. ha ha. It’s so cool when they start writing. Our youngest just started writing. I was sitting at the table doing something and there was a box on the table. She stuck something to it with tape. I said, “Oh honey…don’t put tape on that box. We have to send it.” She said, “I was just writing”. I looked at it and on a little torn piece of paper it said, “Box” but the “B” looked a little bit like a cursive “g”. Needless to say, the box and its tag are still sitting in the dining room. I can’t bear to take the tag off.
My daughter also likes to peel my tummy. And here I thought she was just a nut. But if your babies do it, too….
That’s a hell of a silent e after ‘want’.