I'll be looking at the "moom", but I'll be seeing you

Daniel, who still can not quite get that just because you may be on the phone with a person, and you can hear their voice, it does not mean they can see what you are seeing, because, though you may hear them, they are in fact not where you are at all (ah, the marvels of technology) said to my mom while he was talking to her on the phone the other night, "Meme! Meme! Look at the moom! Look at the moom! It's so cute! And so cazy!" He then tried to show her what the cats were doing through the phone. Too funny.
He is fascinated with the moon, this wild child of mine; this boy who would rather be outdoors than in, who loves to walk barefoot in the grass, who spends most of his time when he is inside looking out of windows and doors, and most of his time when he is outside running and playing and laughing, or just looking up at the sky and wondering at the birds and where they are going.
Which reminds me of another story . . . we were driving home from grandpa's a few weeks ago. Joe had taken the older boys on home and it was just Daniel and me in the truck.
It was a lovely late afternoon, the sun dusting the leaves with golden light.
Daniel had asked for some gum, but I was all out of my purse stash, and told him he'd have to wait until we got home because there was more gum there.
He had taken this news grimly, but silently, sticking out his lip and making a pouty face.
We had the windows down, and we were stopped at a stop sign when Daniel began talking. At first I thought he was talking to me, "Hey! Hey!" he called out excitedly.
"What, hon?" I asked, turning to look at him.
His head was cocked and leaning against the door, upturned and peering out the window.
" Birds! Birds! What are you doing up there? Hey, can you hear me? Can you get me some gum?"
He then proceeded to pretend the birds flew down to him with gum, which he popped into his mouth and began to "chew."
I laughed and laughed.
"Are you asking the birds for gum, silly?" I asked.
He grinned at me, blue eyes shining, "yeah."
It is the first time I saw him "pretend" something.
He made my day.
My bird-boy.
My wild child.
My open-eyed dreamer.
My beautiful son.