The Manic Jig

There are many words that we do not say in our house.  We don't use the word 'hate' or 'stupid', among others. One other word that is not to be uttered out loud, no matter what the dire circumstances may dictate, is the word 'pizza'.

I was not aware that an 18 month old could show so much pure excitement, so much uncontainable enthusiasm for any one thing, over and over again.  But this is Preston......and pizza.

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, and mommy sat motionless on the couch after a morning of hauling three children to the YMCA and than many, many laps in a pool with the four year old at swimming lessons.  Dinner would not be 'cooked' tonight.  And then the seven year old uttered that forbidden word in earshot of the 18 month old.....'pizza'.  Instantly, Preston began doing some sort of manic jig in the middle of the living room and running in circles screaming 'PIZZA'  'PIZZA'!!!  It was pure coincidence that he was also dressed like a lumberjack that day, in a red plaid shirt and brown corduroys.  He should have had an ax in his hand and a blue ox by his side....but I digress.

And so, the children would receive pizza for dinner.  Preston could not be contained until he was reassured that pizza was indeed on the way.  He spent much of that time, in true lumberjack fashion, running to the front door and pointing (because the front door is where pizza comes from) and screaming 'PIZZA' 'PIZZA'!!

Then suddenly, a knock on the door.  Daddy opened up to see what apparently in Preston's eyes was the equivalent to a rock star.  Preston ran to the door and proceeded to jump up and down and again do that manic jig while he yelled 'HI' 'HI' 'HI', over and over and over again to the pizza delivery man.  He then ran after daddy into the kitchen and 'jigged' one last time chanting that magical word.   Preston ate an entire, large  piece of pizza for dinner that night.  And he was a happy lumberjack.