Fun Times

The other night at dinner, we were discussing one of the more unpleasant events Brett experienced as a small boy.  We had gone to have dinner at the "Black-Eyed Pea" on 1960 in Houston (one of my favorite places to eat - I miss it!).  Brett and Evan always ordered the chicken fingers.  This particular night, Brett was not wanting to eat.  Eventually, I told him he had five minutes to finish his food. 

I turned back to continue my conversation with Dale.  After a few minutes, I checked Brett's plate, and it was empty.  I praised Brett for eating all of his food.  He smiled.  As we were getting ready to leave, I reached down beside me to grab my purse.  There were chicken fingers right there on the floor, between Brett's chair and mine. 

I asked Brett, "Did you eat your chicken?"  "Yes," Brett answered.  I said, "Well, I believe these are your chicken fingers right here on the floor."  He was no longer smiling.  I picked them up, put them on his plate, and told him to eat them.  He said, "But they're dirty!"  I said, "Well, maybe you won't throw your food on the floor and lie to me the next time."  He ate them.  I have suffered twinges of guilt for this over the years, but they don't last very long.  To my knowledge, he never, again, threw his food on the floor.

Bethany loves this story, naturally.  But, today, when Evan and I were sitting out on the deck, chatting away, I remembered another story.  This one is about sweet, precious little four-year-old Bethany. 

The kids and I had gone to Galveston with my friend, Chris, and her kids.  We spent a few hours at the beach.  Then, we decided to grab some tacos at a Mexican restaurant somewhere in Galveston; I don't remember which one it was. 

We were nearly done eating, when I looked at Bethany to see how she was doing.  She had already finished her food but was chewing away at something.  I asked her what was in her mouth.  "Gum," she said.  I said, "OK."  Chris and I resumed our conversation, but something kept bothering me.  I realized, finally, that I hadn't given Bethany any gum, nor did I have any gum with me.  I said, "Bethany, where did you get your gum?"  She squatted down, looked under their table, and pointed.  I looked - a zillion pieces of gum had been stuck under the table.  And Bethany was now chewing one of them. 

I honestly tried not to scream.  I made Bethany spit out the gum.  I wanted to go scrub out her mouth.   In fact, I may have.  Chris tried to console me.  For the next several weeks, I kept watching Bethany for signs of illness or disease.  Still makes me grimace, just thinking about it.  (Click photos for larger view)

Comments

[mom and dad]

How about Bert eating off the floor and Beth chewing spent gum she peeled off the bottom of a Galveston table. Both were big time yucks.

Another yuck was the time, Lori, when you were a little girl (we lived on Renner Road) and you got into a bottle of vitamins and ate I don't know know how many of them. It scared us to death. I think all
those vitamins at once resulted in a very noticable blemish on your skin.

[tim]

These stories should appear in Modern Parenting. I am just not sure if it is in the do or don't section. Great stories that took my appetite out.

[robin bird]

i had to laugh out loud at tim's comment on modern parenting :) i think they could be cross referenced in both sections tim :) the good the bad the horrible! the photos are completely adorable. i love the painterly feel lori!