With A Pull Of The Strings
On January 27th, 2006, a puppeteer was born. I'm sure she's not the only little girl born knowing exactly how to pull her father's strings, but now that's she's five years old, Alexis has it down to a science. With the upturn of the corners of her mouth and a batting of her eyelashes, she can get Mr. Husband to agree to pretty much anything.
Except that she can't seem to get him to set up her little above-ground pool this year.
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When we first moved to this house two years ago, we easily had the worst lawn in the neighborhood. Between the lack of landscaping and the weed farm we had going, it seemed as if we would never catch up with the lawns that hadn't been neglected for three years due to foreclosure and such.
But here we are, two years later, and I dare say our grass looks better than almost everyone's. It's a fact which has even been mentioned at block parties and neighborhood functions. We have a purdy lawn, yo. And it's all because Mr. Husband has figured out the exact right scheme to make the weeds give way to bright green grass.
He's so obsessed with the whole thing that I fully expect to one day pull into our driveway and find him hugging a happy green blade of grass.
So, of course he doesn't want to set up the pool. He would have to give up something like 30,000 blades of his pretty grass, and the very thought of that is enough to make him cry.
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As we stood in Kohl's over the weekend, shenanigans reigned supreme. I knew what was going to happen before the whole thing even started. It was like watching a movie in slow motion, a movie which shows a little girl setting eyes on something and then aiming her stun gun at her dad so she could make him abide.
Alexis saw a giant inflatable water slide.
Mr. Husband saw a way to get out of setting up the pool.
I saw that it was on clearance. By, like, a lot.
I still would have said "no" had Alexis asked me first. Alas, she knows better. She knows which fiddle she can play, and WOW did she play it. She picked up the husband's puppet strings and worked her magic faster than anything I could have ever imagined. I was stunned silent.
When I regained my voice, I gave the kid her choice. She could get the slide, but she'd have to wait several more months for the playhouse she's had her eye on. We actually had the money to buy the playhouse back in spring, but random circumstances swooped in and sucked our wallets dry, so we've been trying to rebuild the cash stash to make that purchase. Buying the water slide would set things back further.
She was perfectly happy with the arrangement.
Yeah, she was THAT happy.
Thanks goodness she doesn't use her puppeteer skills on me. Ahem.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Reader Comments (10)
My husband is a sucker too. Happily.
Mr. Husband needs to give Sam pointers. He's been trying to coax his grass to grow for years now. And he, too, is all sorts of possessive of his lawn space. Good heavens, he's possessive.
@Karen--He will HAPPILY give pointers. I swear he spent an hour at a block party this weekend telling everyone all of his secrets. I'll ask and email you what brand of Weed and Feed he decided works best.
Im 25 years old and can still play my dad like that. I think its just a gift! I applaud her efforts buttttt as an educator, I know I sometimes let my kids play me pretty hard but I'm ok with that because I love them to pieces!
How big is it? Can we see more pictures?
Fortunately I don't have to worry about some little lady pulling MY strings - but I'm afraid if one of my sons ever brings home one of those little girl baby things and she calls me Grampa - I'm lost.
i love the pure joy in that photo. i'll be over to play soon...make room!
also, i'll need the weed and feed into as well, please. my yard is a mess! (but is it pet friendly?)
According to the husband, it's Scott's Turf Builder that has been working magic. It's just plain old weed and feed. He says it's cheapest at Walmart ($40 per bag--which was big enough to do our entire yard a couple of times). He has been reapplying at the first sight of weeds since about mid-May.
Little girls and their daddies. There's definitely something there.
Gorgeous picture. I love the way you always capture emotion so well.
Haha! She is a smart one. :)