Out of the mouths of babes

Well yes, hello again - after a long break. If you are still checking back for posts I really must say a big thank you for your loyalty.

Here is my peace offering.

Two stories about Eric. His innocence and way of summing up a situation just makes that saying so true: out of the mouths of babes...

A few weeks ago, he was spending the weekend with us. Early one morning he came running through to announce, "I saw a bird".
Being the only one he can converse with so early in the morning (everyone else is still sound asleep), I murmured: "Really? Where did you see this bird?"

An indignant sigh, and the placing of hands on hips said more about his disdain for this question, than any words could have conveyed, "Through my WINDOW!"  Unsaid words hung in the air: do you really mean to tell me you can't figure out where I saw that bird?

Trying to regroup, I made another attempt:
"Oh, so what colour was this bird?".
Another sigh (you really are daft so early in the morning, Aunty Yvonne): "he didn't HAVE a colour, he just had lots of speckles."
His little hands fluttered in the air around his neck, making poking gestures to indicate "spots" - without colour.
"He was looking for water", Eric added helpfully.
"Uh huh! What did you tell him?" I finally got out past the huge giggle in my throat.
"Well, there isn't water outside my window. I told him...go THAT way".
The THAT was punctuated by a hand gesture, where Eric threw his thumb over his shoulder in a gesture you make to flag down a passing car for a lift. That gesture and moment were so fleeting and then gone, much like the bird itself, there for a moment and then just living in your memory. We laughed until the tears ran down our cheeks. He hadn't merely pointed a finger in the direction of water, but with real attitude, thrown a thumb over his shoulder, to indicate the direction the bird should go. Some of the same disdain remained, a silly bird, and a silly Aunty Yvonne: these people and birds need HELP.

My second story happened during the Easter weekend. Werner and I happened to be in Cum Books - Christian book store. We had Eric and Carissa with us. The store was hung full of banners showing a cross and a crown of thorns.

Eric stood for a long time looking at that crown of thorns. Finally, he turned to Werner and said: "If you put THAT on your head, you will have one heck of a headache".