enough to go around

lash II, originally uploaded by kelanew.

earlier today, eva was feeling generally a bit put out, about life and the state of things (such as the relative number of peas in each of her two bowls at lunch, or the fact that larry lifted her breakfast bagel from the toaster by placing the tongs on the wide edge rather than the preferred narrow edge of said bagel). sometimes she has a lot of rules -- let's call them "strong preferences". i think that just means she's two; larry taunts me that it means she's just like me, and the truth is likely somewhere in between.

speaking of preferences, for the most part, i try not to interfere with her little projects and such if it's not really hurting anything. a little chaos is fine with me. but it seems that i will express my own... um, preferences... when it comes to large amounts of waste. encountering her in the midst of emptying an entire sheet of 42 cent stamps onto the leg of the kitchen cart, i explained that those stickers were special (along with the rudiments of the concept of postage) and suggested that we not waste them. more often, i present "waste" in environmental terms -- why we can't leave the sink running (even if we're sure we're going to come back later to finish washing our hands), or why we put certain things in the recycling rather than the trash, so it can be made into something new. avoiding these sorts of waste is good for the earth.

but you never know if these concepts are sinking in or not. sometimes they take hold in a way you don't anticipate.

so earlier today, when eva was protesting the state of her peas and the bagel tongs, i found myself taking her face in my hands, overcome with the need to give her lots of kisses. i smooched my way from her temple to her chin and was moving up the other side when she stopped me in cheerful protest.

"mama, that's too many kisses!"
i countered, "no, no, it's not. i need to give you lots and lots of kisses."
"but don't give me so many kisses, you will waste them!"

well played, eva, well played. but you should know, kisses are a renewable resource.