Chipwish
June 15, 2009 by Jeff Stimpson
Filed under Health
Alex would soon smile at the songs (flagship: theme from the cartoon “Arthur”) on the MP3 player from me, and would explore the picnic basket from Jill, and give surprisingly passing notice to the huge Elmo card from both of us (Ned had handmade Alex a card earlier in the day). But, the closing of Alex’s birthday weekend reminded me yet again that my inspirations for decoration, like most of my ideas that last, come from nowhere.
Birthday chocolate chip cookies. Image: Jill Cornfield
Yesterday, Jill and I too tired to head out at 6 p.m. and buck the crowds leaving a Fifth Avenue parade, decided to do birthday brownies for Alex. Then Jill got the lightning bolt to serve, instead of brownies, birthday chocolate chip cookies! Some ideas are just right the instant you hear them. My bolt came on the presentation. Jill had a pile of cookies in mind, but I took the 11 cookies and arranged them on a plate, a candle in each.
When the lights went down, Alex looked over at me as I vanished into the kitchen. Jill went out to start the song. Alex ran to the couch and pulled a blanket over his head. When I emerged with the cookies and candles and the song started, he giggled and giggled and stayed for a moment in one corner of the room. It’s hard to remember sometimes that Alex can be shy.
Least he didn’t cry at “Happy Birthday,” like on his, I think, fourth birthday. We also spent the day reviving some of Alex’s classic sayings from what had suddenly become a large number of years past. “Pingles” for Pringles, “Boogles” for Bugles snacks, “Lo-Lo” for granola bars, “Palmmutty” for Pirate Booty. Alex smiled when we mentioned them. A little surprising to me was that he didn’t then pester us to give him Pringles, Bugles, or granola bars.
One candle drooped, probably not for the last time on Alex’s birthdays now that he needs a dozen or more. So number 11 faded behind, like something on the shore when you’re drifting down the river. “Know what’s funny about these cookies?” Ned said through a mouthful of crumbs. “They don’t taste like candles!”
