Happy Birthday, Tillie!!

My oldest daughter, the dinner prayer reciter, left the realm of single digit birthdays this year. She was very busy over spring break and we didn’t get around to choosing her dinner until Sunday night (usually she has it well laid out in advance). I think the conversation that decided her dinner is noteworthy, so here it is:

(Texted) Mom: We need to know what Tillie wants for her birthday dinner.

Me: Tillie, you need to tell me what you want for dinner or Grandma is going to choose.

Tillie: I want, Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes and my bread.

Me: Challah bread?

Tillie: Yes!

Me: What do you want for dessert?

Tillie: I’m still thinking

To Mom: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and challah bread.

Tillie: And green beans! Drumsticks too!

To Mom: And green beans

*drumsticks*

Mom: No dessert?

Me: Still going through her options

10 minutes pass…

Me to Tillie: You have to decide on dessert right now or we’ll forget.

Tillie: Apple pie.

Me: Really? Apple Pie?

Tillie: Yeah

Me: The kind with crumbles on the top or crust?

Tillie: The crumble kind.

Me: I didn’t think you liked apple pie?

Tillie: I love apple pie!

Me: Well that’s a very All-American Dinner, cool.

Me to Mom: Dutch Apple Pie ala mode

Mom: Really? I didn’t think she liked apple pie?

Me: That’s what I said. But, she said it sounded good

Mom: She must be older now… like 10 🙂

So now that you are up to speed on the menu and its decision-making process, joining us for the celebration we had a good crowd of 10 adults, three tweens, two 2-year-olds, two one-year-olds and two babies. A good friend of mine and surrogate aunt to Tillie also popped into deliver a birthday gift.

The usual Hello! How are you’s? and How’s it going this week?

Hey, we haven’t seen you in forever! Wow has he gotten big and look at that hair!

My 2-year-old decided to join the big kids at their table and actually ate more than she ever eats, so that seating arrangement will defiantly be tried again!

Bless this house, Lord we pray, keep us safe by night and day. Amen!

The little babies, who are getting rapidly bigger and starting to eyeball the food on the table, especially one who was sitting on her Daddy’s lap this week!

And conversations circle around as they do,

Stop throwing mashed potatoes to the dog!

Uh oh! We had a spill over here!

Where’s the dog?

Don’t worry, he’s busy chewing some bread over here, he’ll get over there. It’s not meat, right? (The dog doesn’t handle meat very well in his old age)

Dog! Eat! Nom Nom!

Hey, get off the table! (my two year old now crawling across the table to me snake style)

Mama Help!

You know you might have gotten away with sitting on the table when you were that age, but not for much longer. Five maybe.

Oh yeah, by six I’m sure I was being swatted by something.

You got swatted?

Yep, elbows on the table, being rude, you name it. By high school, my friends were getting swatted.

Really?

She’s right, her friends used to come over and slouch at the table, or put their knees up on the table. Once one of her friends let a curse word slip.

No cursing at the table either?

No Way! Not anywhere in the house!

(Mom giving her best “Mom” look and shaking her head)

I don’t think Mom really heard me swear until I was in my twenties…. maybe not until I was in labor with her! No, I take that back, there was that time I slammed my finger in the door and about took it off when I was 12 or 13.

That didn’t count, I let those ones slide.

Oh man… oops!

Ready for your birthday pie?

Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday, Dear Tillie! Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

Can I like the candles?

Sure. Can you share with the girls? (the two-year-olds hovering anxiously for pie coated birthday candles)

Don’t bite it!

And more conversations circle around.

Be soft to the doggy!

He’s quite the mover! They’re almost playing together!

Animals use tools, crows are actually very intelligent….

I remember talking about that a while ago…