Chicken Squawk

"Making a chicken squawk and bob like a quail might seem like the ultimate stupid pet trick, but by accomplishing this task by cross-species brain cell transplantation, brain researchers truly have something to crow about."

"My brain is telling me I need a popsicle Mommy!" Madeline said. I gave up a little prayer of thanks that there was no whine to the tone in her voice, nor any screeching or drama of any kind actually. (I also turned to make sure it was in fact my child and not some alien taking over the body that she usually occupies.)

We were leaving the grocery store and against my better judgement, I handed her a popsicle in order to reward the calm way in which she had just made her wishes known. Meanwhile I was thinking how nice it was that her brain wasn't telling her to pinch Liam's nose to awake him like it had this morning, or, like a few days ago when her brain apparently told her she could have her way if she were only to yank out a chunk of Lily's hair, leaving the back of Lily's head in a frizzy ball as if someone had taken a zippo lighter to it...without the smell of course. (When I had walked into the room to see why Lily was in hysterics, Madeline was standing there with an innocent expression of concern and said theatrically: "Look mom! Some of Lily's hair is falling out!" ...as if she had NO idea how she was holding enough blond hair to have strung a nice little violin bow...)

Of course, I later regretted the popsicle decision because as luck may have it, they were oversized pops and it was 90 some-odd-degrees outside and we were in the car going to pick up Aidan and oh yeah, she DROPPED the darn thing, which of course led to the drama and the screeching and the whining and I am certain had she been at home, or anywhere else that didn't include a 5-point harness, she'd have been rolling on the floor, arms and legs flailing and perhaps smoke coming out her ears and nose. Oh yes, I thought, it is my child.

And thus, we learn why moms have judgement in the first place. Perhaps the scientists would like to transplant some quail brain cells into the human child next. Some squawking and bobbing might be a welcome addition!