Details, Details

They say that the devil is in the details... sometimes I wonder if the she's actually living right here in Newburyport. Molly is a kid who lives life to the fullest (with gusto, my mom says), and uses up every ounce of energy in every minute of every day. Once in awhile (usually after I've put away all the crackers in the pantry for the seventy ninth time), I wonder if I could rent one of those quiet kids. Maybe I'd like to try out one of those brands who doesn't finish her meal by putting food on top of her head or who doesn't eat dirt or who doesn't throw a hissy fit when I won't let her walk with a stick in her mouth or who doesn't go tearing after seagulls despite the fact that a 10 foot embankment of rocks is between her and those nasty birds. In the end, though, after all the (shockingly polite) "no no"s of the day are done and Molly is out like a light because her peepers can't be pried open for another story, I always end up coming around to that place where I know her spunk is magical and she gives just as much love as she receives. On even the most exhausting days, that little voice back in my head reminds me that we all love our children because of who they are, not because of what they do.