When our children were very young, we used to play this game of placing our hand, with fingers outspread, over their face and saying "alien your fa-ace..." similar to the way the baby alien in Alien would jump out and attach itself to someone's face. In full disclosure, we never thought about any traumatic effect this might have, it was more to teach them to be careful of their eyes, but not fear something close to their faces. It was years before they finally saw the movie and realized their parents are a little off the normal chart.... Well, about a month ago Lou received a package from daughter #2. She had ordered him an alien plush toy, complete with pose-able front appendages. It was the perfect gift.
This year he received multiple cards from them, not an unusual thing. What is memorable is that they both made reference to strawberries. Daughter #1, Lillian, has always allowed her father to cut up her strawberries as she enjoys the princess treatment. Daughter #2, Sarah, once trying to establish her own capabilities, informed us she could cut her own strawberries.
So, it's not surprising that both sent cards with personal notes about #1-letting him continue to cut her strawberries and #2-even though she could do it herself, he was welcome to cut them anytime.
It's all about giving them the opportunities to become the best people they can become, but it always pleases me when they do something that shows we "did good", as my cousin would say.
And to see their father's face, hear his laughter, as he reads their cards- as Mastercard says, "It's priceless".
