This is my Mom and Dad!
Dad is the subject of the story below!
So the other day I picked the kids up from daycare and as we are driving home I was enjoying my conversations with Halle about her day. One of the highlights of these conversations goes as so:
Halle: Mom, did you know my teachers birthday is just a few days after mine!?
Mom: Oh yeah...what day is her birthday?
Halle: A few days after St. Patricks Day...like the 12th or something.
Mom: Well, that is exciting...your birthday is after St. Patricks Day too. St. Patty's Day is on the 17th of March.
Halle: Oh...whatever. I think hers is like on the 32nd or something.
Mom: Ok (note to self...discuss how many days are in a month). Do you know why we celebrate St. Patty's Day?
Halle: Yes...we celebrate the color green and leprechauns and PINCH PEOPLE THAT DON'T WEAR GREEN!!! It is your favorite holiday because you love green!!
Mom: Well, yes but we are celebrating Irish Heritage and St. Patrick.
Halle: Who is Patrick?
At this point I realize we are a bit above a 7 year olds head...but you know me!! I change the subject slightly to our Irish Heritage but do continue to keep in mind Halle's version of St. Patty's Day!
Mom: Did you know you are part Irish.
Halle: No I'm not...I am an Indian like Dad!
Mom: Yes. But you are part Dad and part Mom and since Mom is Irish it makes you part Irish.
Halle: That's weird...so I am part Indian and part Irish?
Mom: Well, you are only 1/4 Irish cause Mommy is 1/2 Irish.
Halle: What is 1/4 mean?
Mom: You know how 4 quarters equal a dollar?
Halle: Yes.
Mom: Well if you were a dollar one of your quarters would be Irish.
Halle: Sweet!!!
Mom: Yeah...did you know your Papa Mac is full Irish!!?
Halle: What do you mean full?
Mom: All of his quarters are Irish!!!
Now before we move forward...for those of you who do not know my Dad...I need to paint a visual! My dad is 6'5" 210! LARGER THAN LIFE TO HIS LITTLE HALLE GIRL!! Not to mention Halle already thinks he is magical and they have had a strong bond since the day she was born. He is also one of the funniest people you will ever meet...you can not have a conversation with this man without tears of laughter by conversations end. Now back to full Irish...
Mom: Halle did you hear me? I said all his quarters are Irish do you know what I am saying?
I look in the rear-view mirror just as she starts to squeal and I see her gigantic blue eyes sparkle with excitement of Christmas Morning.
Halle: YOU MEAN PAPA IS A FULL LEPRECHAUN!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED TO TELL MY TEACHER!!! DOES PAPA WEAR GREEN TIGHTS!!? HOLY COW I CAN'T BELIEVE PAPA IS A LEPRECHAUN!!! MY FRIENDS ARE GOING TO THINK I AM SO COOL...I KNOW A REAL LIVE LEPRECHAUN!!!
Don't ask me how I did but I was able to keep the laughter internal and move forward with...
Mom: Well honey he is
Halle: Can he go to school with me on St. Patty's day and do a dance for my class!!? I would so get an A....
Mom: Honey Papa is not
Halle: I CAN NOT BELIEVE I KNOW A REAL LIVE LEPRECHAUN!!!
Mom: HALLE
Halle: THIS IS SO COOL...CAN I CALL PAPA RIGHT NOW?
Mom: HALLE ROCHELLE...PAPA IS NOT A LEPRECHAUN!
Halle: But you just said all his quarters are Irish?
Mom: I know honey...they are but just because all his quarters are Irish doesn't mean he is a leprechaun.
Halle: Silence......
Mom: Honey do you understand what I am saying?
Halle: Not really?
Mom: Well babe, leprechauns are not real. Papa is Irish because his parents were born in Ireland...it is a country. And since his parents were from Ireland they are Irish and that makes Papa Irish and then Mommy is part Irish and you are part Irish.
I look in the rear-view mirror and smoke is rollin out her ears...she is trying so hard to process the idea of Papa being a leprechaun and the idea of heritage and being part something other than herself! Between concrete thinking and egocentrism this is a lot for a little 7 year old to process!
Mom: Do you understand now?
Halle: Long period of silence...yeah it makes sense I mean there is no way they make green tights big enough for Papa!!
And we will leave it at that!!! As long as we have some grasp of Papa not being a leprechaun that is all I can ask for at this point. I, of course, immediately called my Dad to fill him in on the conversation and it was a highlight to make someone who is always making us laugh...have a laugh them self! I however, will take a long time, if ever, to get the image of my Dad in green tights with a top hat on dancing an Irish Gig out of my mind!
So the other day I picked the kids up from daycare and as we are driving home I was enjoying my conversations with Halle about her day. One of the highlights of these conversations goes as so:
Halle: Mom, did you know my teachers birthday is just a few days after mine!?
Mom: Oh yeah...what day is her birthday?
Halle: A few days after St. Patricks Day...like the 12th or something.
Mom: Well, that is exciting...your birthday is after St. Patricks Day too. St. Patty's Day is on the 17th of March.
Halle: Oh...whatever. I think hers is like on the 32nd or something.
Mom: Ok (note to self...discuss how many days are in a month). Do you know why we celebrate St. Patty's Day?
Halle: Yes...we celebrate the color green and leprechauns and PINCH PEOPLE THAT DON'T WEAR GREEN!!! It is your favorite holiday because you love green!!
Mom: Well, yes but we are celebrating Irish Heritage and St. Patrick.
Halle: Who is Patrick?
At this point I realize we are a bit above a 7 year olds head...but you know me!! I change the subject slightly to our Irish Heritage but do continue to keep in mind Halle's version of St. Patty's Day!
Mom: Did you know you are part Irish.
Halle: No I'm not...I am an Indian like Dad!
Mom: Yes. But you are part Dad and part Mom and since Mom is Irish it makes you part Irish.
Halle: That's weird...so I am part Indian and part Irish?
Mom: Well, you are only 1/4 Irish cause Mommy is 1/2 Irish.
Halle: What is 1/4 mean?
Mom: You know how 4 quarters equal a dollar?
Halle: Yes.
Mom: Well if you were a dollar one of your quarters would be Irish.
Halle: Sweet!!!
Mom: Yeah...did you know your Papa Mac is full Irish!!?
Halle: What do you mean full?
Mom: All of his quarters are Irish!!!
Now before we move forward...for those of you who do not know my Dad...I need to paint a visual! My dad is 6'5" 210! LARGER THAN LIFE TO HIS LITTLE HALLE GIRL!! Not to mention Halle already thinks he is magical and they have had a strong bond since the day she was born. He is also one of the funniest people you will ever meet...you can not have a conversation with this man without tears of laughter by conversations end. Now back to full Irish...
Mom: Halle did you hear me? I said all his quarters are Irish do you know what I am saying?
I look in the rear-view mirror just as she starts to squeal and I see her gigantic blue eyes sparkle with excitement of Christmas Morning.
Halle: YOU MEAN PAPA IS A FULL LEPRECHAUN!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED TO TELL MY TEACHER!!! DOES PAPA WEAR GREEN TIGHTS!!? HOLY COW I CAN'T BELIEVE PAPA IS A LEPRECHAUN!!! MY FRIENDS ARE GOING TO THINK I AM SO COOL...I KNOW A REAL LIVE LEPRECHAUN!!!
Don't ask me how I did but I was able to keep the laughter internal and move forward with...
Mom: Well honey he is
Halle: Can he go to school with me on St. Patty's day and do a dance for my class!!? I would so get an A....
Mom: Honey Papa is not
Halle: I CAN NOT BELIEVE I KNOW A REAL LIVE LEPRECHAUN!!!
Mom: HALLE
Halle: THIS IS SO COOL...CAN I CALL PAPA RIGHT NOW?
Mom: HALLE ROCHELLE...PAPA IS NOT A LEPRECHAUN!
Halle: But you just said all his quarters are Irish?
Mom: I know honey...they are but just because all his quarters are Irish doesn't mean he is a leprechaun.
Halle: Silence......
Mom: Honey do you understand what I am saying?
Halle: Not really?
Mom: Well babe, leprechauns are not real. Papa is Irish because his parents were born in Ireland...it is a country. And since his parents were from Ireland they are Irish and that makes Papa Irish and then Mommy is part Irish and you are part Irish.
I look in the rear-view mirror and smoke is rollin out her ears...she is trying so hard to process the idea of Papa being a leprechaun and the idea of heritage and being part something other than herself! Between concrete thinking and egocentrism this is a lot for a little 7 year old to process!
Mom: Do you understand now?
Halle: Long period of silence...yeah it makes sense I mean there is no way they make green tights big enough for Papa!!
And we will leave it at that!!! As long as we have some grasp of Papa not being a leprechaun that is all I can ask for at this point. I, of course, immediately called my Dad to fill him in on the conversation and it was a highlight to make someone who is always making us laugh...have a laugh them self! I however, will take a long time, if ever, to get the image of my Dad in green tights with a top hat on dancing an Irish Gig out of my mind!
