Painting the News: The Keaton Family

 

 

With (almost) more paint on their clothes than had landed on the canvas, Mom had one more message to share with her kiddos.  While they were distracted by a few more chocolate donut holes, she painted a few letters letters…one word…and a quick arrow. Its not easy to create art on a moving, flexible cloth, but she was on a mission.

With Dad watching from the sidelines,  it was then time to let her oldest son practice his reading skills to read the message out loud for the younger two.

He turned to the canvas. Slowly. Too slowly, for his excited parents.

“Read it for me, will you? Please?” She was almost too excited to wait, but wasn’t willing to spoil her plan by rushing it too much.

He focused on the blue letters.   She almost blocked his view, from where he stood, so he took a step toward her.

He sounded it out.

Meticulously.

Deliberately.

Cautiously.

“B..A…B…”

He paused.  Processing what he was seeing.

His Mom grinned at him, encouraging him on. Sister was distracted, it was taking too long.  Dad grinned, waiting for the wheels to turn.

“BABY! Baby? BAAAABBBYYYY!!!”

The arrow. The letters. The word.

It took a minute. He read. He saw. He processed.

And THEN it all clicked. Sister’s eyes popped open. Distraction no more, she was fully engaged now. Laughing. Bouncing toward Mom. Smiling so hard it hurt. Little brother waited a minute, obviously trying to wrap his brain around the reality of a new baby taking over his role as youngest.  Finally decided he was excited, too, and danced a little dance just like brother.

Celebrating. Smiling. Rejoicing.

 

 

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