elphine turns ten

Elphine turns 10 today and has been up since 4:30. She is the one child that sleeps till at least 8am, sometimes 9. It breaks my heart to find her banging around singing and smashing up the general peace and its not even 7 yet.

Matt looked reproachfully at me just now as I screamed for the seventh time, “stop kicking me in the head! If you can’t be still go back to bed!”
and whispered, “when I was a child and woke up at four on my birthday my mother got up with me and gave me whatever I wanted.”
“Well she’s not here is she!” I gurgled in despair.

Now, at least, I’ve had that vital first cup of oolong and can begin to emerge from the shattered recesses of sleep. After I post this I have to begin to shove us in the car to go up to a small lake for the day. I’ve made what looks to be awfully like Hot Pockets but they taste a lot nicer. “Call them Satchels” said Matt, ever helpful. Ham, Cheese and Potato, Pepperoni and Cheese, Ham and Tomato. And then a lot of little tiny fruit pie bites–blueberry and nectarine.

“We need to make brownies,” said Elphine surveying the vast array of bread and pie after we had put everything away.
“!! What!?” I said.

She’s being given a bike and some dishes and a black skirt and shawl (! I know, I have no idea!). Yet again she goes without An Old Fashioned Doll because none of us can figure out what she means and sort out a way to acquire such an object.

And now, if I don’t arise, there will be no hope for my child and I will loose my mind. Pip Pip.