Mommy, you're so pretty

One of the great things of having small kids is that they think that you are the most beautiful person in the world. They think you have the best hair, the nicest clothes, the best body and the most beautiful voice. I remember when I was little, I thought my mother had the most beautiful Opera voice..lol..the reason I am laughing is because it was not beautiful, in fact, when I got older it sounded like fingernails against the blackboard. But for many years when she sang “Momma loved the roses” by Elvis, I got baby goose bumps..lol. Me and my sisters would think she was the best singer in the world. I remember looking in her makeup drawer and thinking that she had the most perfect lipstick colours, bright poppy red. Her nail polish was brown, but perfect. Everything about her was beautiful and I was so proud of her.
I see it with my own daughter. Every time I come down dressed up, she looks at me and says “Wow mommy you look beautiful”. She also wants me to keep everything for her when she grows up. When I am wearing a pair of black heels or if I am wearing sparkly earings, she is just so excited, and she asks me to keep it for her for when she gets “big”..lol. Little does she know, she will not think it is so cool when she is older, especially when she is a teenager. I know that eventually she will look at what I have on, or at what I buy, and criticize it, or make fun of it.
Tonight she asked me how old am I going to turn in 2 weeks. When my husband said 35, she said, “NO..mommy is turning 15...right mommy?” I didn’t want to shatter her image so I agreed..lol. Then my hubby said again, “No, mommy is turning 35” and she responded with “No, daddy! 35 is an old lady and mommy is not old!”..lol. She sees me as beautiful and young. My son used to tell me that he wanted to marry me when he grew up, well that lasted a whole 2 years, now it’s “Mommy, drop me off in the front of school, I don’t want you to come in the back with me”. It happened so fast, so I am enjoying all my daughter’s compliments as long as it lasts.

Innocence in a child in the most precious thing you can imagine. They look at the world with their wide eyes absorbing everything in front of them. They always see the glass half full and they don’t judge others by their appearance, skin colour or size. Everyone is equal and each day, is a fresh start. If we can only keep that innocent feeling forever. If only we can bottle up their enthusiasm and keep it for their upcoming years of stress and disappointment, and if only we can always be as beautiful to them as we once were, when they were just fragile humans. If only, we can remind them, that when they looked at us, we were pretty.
That’s my peace today!

Fried Calamari
1 pound fresh squid (whole)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
salt
4 tbsp chopped parsley
oil for frying

Wash squid, get sharp knife and cut into strips (whatever size you like). Salt the strips, dip in beated egg. Meanwhile mix flour, breadcrumbs and parsley in a bowl. Take the squid out of the egg bowl and dip in flour mixture. Heat oil in deep pan and deep fry. Garnish with parsley(optional)