so yesterday jasper and i stayed home from church. we read books for a little bit, spending quite a bit of time on beatrix potters, and then we moved to the computer and jasper practised his typing for a while.
two pages of writing later, jasper asked if we could watch television. i agreed.
usually when jasper and i are alone together and he is a bit under the weather, he will ask for the wiggles. jasper is the last of the trio who still likes watching the wiggles and the girls often outshout him when it is time to choose a video. so it wasn't a surprise when jasper asked me to put in a wiggles dvd, and we started watching it together. the one where they are live in sydney. it is a good one.
jasper seemed less engaged than usual and i began to wonder if this was because he was sicker than i had originally thought. he wasn't even 'romp pomp a chomping' with his erstwhile vigor and there was no hands in the air, rockabye your bear… he just wasn't interested.
15 minutes in, i abandoned my routine and sat down with little jude, thinking he needed a cuddle to feel better. five minutes into the cuddle, jasper asked, "mummy, can we turn off the wiggles and watch mamma mia?"
and my heart gave a distinct crack.
i managed, "sure jasper, no worries", and i kissed him and popped in the new dvd, courtesy of andrea.
i held it together until charles and the remaining three came home. once they were settled, i called to charles and he found me in the kids bedroom. in a low low voice i told him what had happened. unfortunately, my voice was so low that he needed me to repeat myself. and as i was in the middle of attempt #2, i started crying as i faced the fact that our wiggle days are done. and magnificent pulled me to him and i cried like i haven't since olivia died.
those dvd's, which gave the kids so much comfort and enjoyment, no longer do. it makes me so very very sad.
murray, jeff, anthony and greg, thank you. the kids might have forgotten your lyrics, but i don't think i ever will.
this growing up business…it's good, but oh it hurts.
Reader interactions
14 Replies to “not a clean crack of the heart, but a wiggly one”
Ah, Tess. You brought tears to my eyes. No more toot toot chugga chugga big red car. I’ll never forget Sebbie reciting that line in YK referring to Nathan’s new wheels. You’re right, they grow up way too fast.
R.I.P Wiggles, It is a HUGE milestone Tess, but a good one. Plus I am ready to do some backup vocals for the kids on any Abba tune 🙂
Love to you all.
Auntie Pammie xoxo
Ohhhhhhh honey. My heart aches for you. Love live the Wiggles.
M xox
I’m there with you Tess. For me it was the Caillou books and VHS. I still have a couple I’m struggling to part with.
My heart aches with you honey. Saturday night during a hayride, B told me he didn’t want to sit with me and instead wanted to join the group of rowdy boys near the front.
Ouch says my heart.
I had to console your mom when “Charlotte’s Web” was downgraded from the must read list. I didn’t mind too much but I do miss Templeton.
Love to all….Dad
I felt just the same way recently, when our 8 year old kids said they were ready to put the Wiggles videos, Bob the Builder, and Baby Einstein in the multiples club clothing sale. They are not much interested in Raffi or Fred Penner, or Sharon Lois and Bram any more either.
I am still very attached to them all, and grateful for the quality music and entertainment they gave our little people.
Ouch. It’s fun to watch the Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, the Muppet Show and Harry Potter movies together, but I still know all the old ones by heart!
In fact we don’t watch that much TV and video around here any more – they’d rather play computer games.
I so sorry that the Wiggles have moved to another spot in your lives – the past.
But, can I admit freely here that I think it is quite wonderful that the new mantle is held by none other than ABBA?
How completely wonderus is that!!??
xoxo
It seems like a right of passage. One moment ends as another begins, never giving enough warning ahead of time in order to be fully prepared mind you. You put into words the exact feelings I get when some item/moment/activity gets relegated to a memory. Sigh, you made me all leaky…again!
Wiggles haven’t come up with E yet. Mom restricts her TV, usually it’s Sesame Street or Thomas videos. But when they move on, yes, troublesome.
Oh no, there comes a day when they outgrow the Wiggles? We’re just entering Wiggles mania at age 16 months and I seem to enjoy it as much as the baby!
Aw, Tess…I guess they do grow up.
Hi, Tess. I’ve been reading you for at least a few years now and don’t know if I’ve ever commented. I just wanted to say how beautiful this post is. You’re such a good writer, and your family is so lucky that you’re documenting your life together here this way. Love and Best Wishes, Val
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