Will's Fourth-Favorite-Friend, Amy

Early October:

Text from Sarah:  What are you doing all morning on Saturday Oct. 28? Feel like hanging with me and the kids?

Text from Amy: Did you know that Saturday, October 28th is Pitbull Awareness Day? I'll send you a card. Nope. Never mind. I'll be seeing you so I'll bring it directly TO you!

Text from Sarah: What should we do Saturday???? Home Depot has trick or treating? Playground? Strong Museum????

Text from Amy: (agreeable as always) You decide...I'll just happily tag along.

Text from Sarah: I think we're going to Strong Museum because it's amazing and fun.

Plans determined, Amy proceeds to tell everyone she knows about how she is going to the Strong Museum of Play with her friend Sarah and her two adorable children. "I'm going to get a group picture of us in Big Bird's nest," Amy shared enthusiastically. 

The day before, Amy responsibly texts her friend: What time would you like me to be there?

Text from Sarah:  How about 9:30/10?

Morning of the much-anticipated visit: Amy dresses semi-professionally as befitting a museum where she will be sitting in a nest. She responsibly texts her departure time to her friend Sarah, whom Amy knows is anxiously awaiting her arrival.

Text from Amy:  Leaving house now.

Text from Sarah: Terrific. You can watch Elmo with the kids while I get dressed.

Wait...what?!?!

When I walk into Sarah's house, a little bird (still dressed comfortably in pajamas) told me

that my dreams of a group picture in an over-sized muppet's nest had gone the way of the dodo. Pouting, I settled in to do a puzzle with Will. "Who's your favorite friend, Will?" I asked, smiling at him pointedly. "I have three favorite friends," he reported, promptly rattling off three names that were clearly NOT mine. He and I were clearly at an impasse. I turned to Nora. She was clutching sticky Honey-Nut Cheerios but I would not be deterred. "Nora..." I sang, "Who's your favorite friend?" She handed me her sticky cereal. "I'll take that as a yes," I said. Realizing food was the crucial component necessary for cementing my now-burgeoning relationship with Will (who charmingly wondered how much longer I was going to be at his house), I offered him a potato chip for every three bites that he took of his peanut-butter sandwich. 

"Will, come down and watch Elmo with your fourth-favorite-friend, Amy," I said after lunch. "Who?" he asked, but the lure of Elmo was too much and soon we were snuggled up together under a blanket, a cozy four feet apart. Sarah snapped a picture, "It's almost like you're in Big Bird's nest," she exclaimed. "Why don't you go get dressed," I snapped, watching Elmo teach about kindness. Sometimes she just really ruffles my feathers.