“Should we put Emma in the washing machine?!” Emma asked, while pointing to the washing machine filled with clothing. Then before I could answer, she shouted gleefully, “NO!! We cannot put Emma in the washing machine!” At which point Emma began to laugh hysterically. “Should we put Mommy in the washing machine?” Emma asked, still laughing and pointing at me.
“Good idea, Em. But will I fit?” I asked.
“NO!” Emma shrieked with laughter. “You cannot fit in the washing machine. Mommy’s too big!”
“But maybe I could squeeze inside if I scrunched down into a teeny little ball,” I said, sucking my cheeks in and curling my arms up next to my sides.
“NO!” Emma shouted. “You cannot fit inside the washing machine. Emma’s too big!”
“Emma’s too big? Or Mommy’s too big?” I asked, laughing along with her.
“Emma AND Mommy too big! We cannot put Emma in the washing machine,” Emma said.
This went on for quite some time, with me asking if we should put a whole variety of people in the washing machine: Daddy, Nic, Granma, Uncle Andy, Uncle Victor, Aunt Toni, Uncle Chris… the list went on.
Each time Emma would answer, “NO! We cannot put Nic in the washing machine. Nic is too big!” or “NO! We cannot put Daddy in the washing machine. Daddy’s too big!”
“What about Merlin? Should we put Merlin in the washing machine?” I asked, expecting the same answer from her.
But Emma surprised me by saying, “Yes.”
Taken aback I didn’t say anything for a second. Then I repeated, “We should put Merlin in the washing machine?”
“Yes!” Emma said.
“Are you sure?” I asked buying for time and trying to figure out how to save poor Merlin from such a murky fate.
“YES!” Emma shouted. “We can put Merlin in the washing machine!”
“Nooooooo! We cannot put Merlin in the washing machine,” I said.
Emma threw her head back and laughed and laughed. I don’t know that I have seen her derive so much joy from anything in days.
Poor Merlin.
Emma's Hope Book 