Erik Quinn: The Heart of a Family: Sweet Perseveration

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Sweet Perseveration



Erik asks thousands of times each day if I am going to turn the mixer or the washing machine on. I admit that sometimes I feel like using earmuffs or earplugs to escape the repetitious questions after a few hours (the thought of me answering the door with furry earmuffs on is actually pretty funny, now that I think about it). He still adores appliances that spin. I now hoard piles of dirty laundry so I can pop them in while Erik is home to enjoy the machine. He continues to retrieve his fleece blanket and Stinky Dog before making himself comfortable in front of the little window in the washer. Sometimes I hear Stinky Dog and Erik having a discussion about the laundry.

Last night Brian was at a meeting, and Erik and I had the house to ourselves. One of us was a little on the grouchy side, and it wasn't me. I went through my recipe collection, desperately searching for muffins or cookies that don't contain butter or milk, and I finally found a recipe for gingersnaps. Score. Erik was pretty happy about that. He ran through the kitchen screaming, "Mommy's going to use the mixer! Yaaaaaay!" And the house smells lovely this morning. His fascination with my KitchenAid appliance overrules his sensitivity to sound, although he keeps his hands over his ears most of the time.

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7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gua said,
I wish you could have read this post a couple of years ago. No way could we have imagined Erik sitting anywhere close to a mixer, or anything else that, as he described it, was "loud, noisy"!
This is yet another shot in the arm for newer WS moms... another place we can see that the symptoms that are so isolating can, with time, recede. Great photo. Isn't he handsome?!
Love, Mom

5:44 AM  
Blogger camille said...

Hiya Nance,
Oh this cracks me up. I'm still running to the mudroom and closing the door behind me to use even a small hand mixer. And the thing is, it really isn't loud at all but whew, I turn that thing on and he starts doing wiggle butt (as we so affectionately call it, he sits and wiggles his bottom which is a sign of anxiety for him) and then puts his usually messy hands (he is often sitting in the highchair while I'm trying to make something) in his hair which of course leaves a sticky coating of crumbled and half chewed food all around his ears. It's lovely. Hopefully some day he too will cheer for he mixer. Connor also does love the front loader washer and dryer we have. Ahh the simple things in life.

6:34 AM  
Blogger Tara said...

You know, this is one of the most amazing aspects of ws to me. Payton may not like the noise certain appliances make, but she obsesses with it and actually wants us to use it (and will watch with her ears covered - or run in the other room, shut the door and repeatedly come out to try and watch/listen). It just cracks me up that they may not enjoy the noise, but they obsess about it so much and just get so excited when you use it!

7:25 AM  
Blogger kathi said...

Amazing how much he's changed.

1:46 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Love the pic! I don't think this is an issue for AvaJewel but then again I don't cook nor has she even seen a mixer and after reading Camille's comment I have to go and look up a mudroom?
I will be on the look out for some really cool earmuffs for you Nancy:)

8:15 PM  
Blogger Aspen said...

That is so great! Daven still hasn't found that fascination. He even gets ancy anytime I do the dishes because he fears I will turn on the garbage disposal. Maybe I should try baking. HA!

7:22 AM  
Blogger Amy said...

I think if I got a Kitchen Aide Mixer Avery would drag it into her room and sleep with it. lol. As it is she is consumed with the hand mixer, the clock radio, and the vacuum enough so that I to use them as a form of child entertainment.
Sigh,
Amy

7:51 AM  

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