bread, milk and butter: 24 hours of Jell-O

Yesterday we were strolling down the baking aisle at the Kroger, me pushing, ford in the cart and Frank in the car before us. All of a sudden he starts to hyperventhilate and scream with excitement at the same time. "mama, mama, mama, mama, mama....Look at this!!! You've got to look at this!!!!"

Standing before him was the wall of Jell-Os. It was as if he had been transported to the actual Candy Castle (of Candyland). His mouth was hanging open in awe, and I said, "it's okay, Frank, you can get one if you want." And you would of thought that I told him that he was head of the house for the rest of the day (another dream of his I am certain). He grabbed up his cherry Jell-O, and shoved it in my face so that I could really see how cool it was. Then he got back in the car and started singing its praises until he put it on the checkout belt and took it out of the bag to carry it home.

When Michael came home, his first words were, "Daddy look what mama let me get at the store!!!!" and shoved it in his face so that he would not miss how cool it was. As it was late and dinner was in the works, I told him we would have to wait until tomorrow for the Jell-O. He was not upset but cheerful in his anticipation.

This morning when i rolled out of bed to the kitchen to start breakfast and tea (i am trying more tea and less coffee right now), he exclaimed, "Now is it time???!!!!" I sleepily said sure, and he started getting out the bowl, the pot, and the spoon. He carefully ran through the house with his scissors to cut open the box, and cut open the bag, proclaiming "whenever you need to open Jell-O, the scissor man will do it!!" He was afraid to stir the boiling water at first - declaring he did not want to get a steam burn - but eventually he stirred it as well. He tasted it on the spoon... and then i was sad that he has not yet seen Mary Poppins, because pre-chilled Jell-O has always reminded me of "Just a Spoonful of Sugar." He found a place in the fridge for his bowl.

On the way to church he declared, "I decided that I am not going to tell anyone about my jell-o at church." Why? "because i don't want them to feel sad that they are not having any jell-o. I don't want to say: 'I'm getting jell-o, i'm getting jell-o." (thank you frank that is very big of you)

"do you think other kids are eating jell-o today?"
"what color do you think the jell-o is going to be when we get home?"
"what is it going to taste like?"
"i never have had jell-o before" (not true by the way...thanksgiving at Luby's)
"can I have the jell-o for lunch?" No, you can have some after your lunch.
"but if i eat lunch, i will be full of lunch and have no room for the Jell-O."

Finally, the time came. He stood by the refrigerator waiting. He stared at it until I served it. He thoughtful chose the blue bowl and the spork to eat with. As we ate the Jell-O simultaneously....He declared that he would eat it "everyday! all the day!! it is like liquid candy!!!!!"

He then asked if he could have the box, took it and ran to the play room to incorporate it in to his pile of random boxes, and began singing a song about having his very own jell-o box.

Just now, before nap, Frank asked if he can eat if for dinner, and in the morning, too.