January 8, 2004--Peek into the Luper household

I'm going to give you a peek into the Luper household. To set the scene, I have the day off, we don't have to do shopping today, so it's a rare Saturday to just be together. Erick is watching a football game. Rachel is sleeping. Timothy is lying on the floor on his tummy, watching the game. Jay is in a chair reading something, but I'm not sure what, and Joy is watching him. Abby and Sarah are downstairs.

Timothy just rolled over onto his back. He's got his fingers in his mouth, again. He keeps his first two fingers in his mouth almost all the time.

Joy is now sitting on the arm of the chair with her feet in the baby swing. Jay and her are having an small discussion over something, but I can't hear it over the T.V.--a woman reporter talking about how the Rams have lost the last five games.

I hear crying downstairs. It sounds like Sarah. Now Rachel is pounding on her door. I guess she's not asleep. Erick just headed off in the direction to let her out. Here she comes, wearing a pink Easter bonnet with her green pacifier in her mouth. Erick returns to the couch.

Sarah is calling from downstairs: "Joy, can we watch your ballet video? Can we watch your ballet video? Can we? Joy, can we watch your ballet video?"

I turn around and notice Rachel has pushed her high-chair up to the kitchen counter and is about to get into the Crisp Rice. I tell her, "Rachel, get down from there." She sits down. A few seconds later, Erick says, "Uh, uh, uh, put it back." Rachel puts down the coffee cup and gets off the high chair. Here she comes, back into the living room and stands in front of the T.V.

Erick says, "Rachel, move. Move! Sit down, or go downstairs. Go." Rachel goes to play with Timothy. She puts her pink Easter bonnet on him, and then puts in back on her head and goes downstairs.

JOY: Jay! Jay (crying) (To Mom) Jay has my two quarters.

MOM: Jay, give them back.

JOY: Mommy, guess what Jay always does, every single time.

MOM: What?

JOY: Every single time he always makes fun of my ballet video. He always says wrong words and makes me feel sad. He's like "stupid Maxine, stupid Jazzy," he's always like that."

MOM: Well, why don't you tell him to come here.

MOM: (to Jay) Don't be calling the girls' things stupid. Don't be calling them stupid, don't even be saying stupid.

JAY (bored) Yes. Yes. (Jay goes downstairs.)

(a few minutes later)

Jay arrives upstairs wearing a pink leotard and tutu.
 
JAY: Hi mom!

MOM: (looking at him strangely) Uh, hi, Jay!

Jay disappears again.

Joy arrives upstairs with her wallet.

JOY: Mom, do you think I'm ever going to get a purse to put this in?

MOM: I don't know. Maybe.

Joy notices her name on the screen.

JOY: What are you writing? I see, "Joy, and Mom, and some other words I know. Who are you writing to? Why does it only have Mom, Joy, and Jay on there? Why does it only have those? Why does it say, "Mom, Joy?" I don't get it. I don't get it. How do you just push on the keyboard and don't look at it? How do you don't look at the keyboard? I don't get it?

MOM: I'm just good!

JOY: Why did you do "dot dot..." (Joy leaves, mid-sentence.)