Be quiet, everybody, be quiet...

When my daughter was two, a mama bird built a nest in the oakleaf hydrangea bush outside our breakfast room window. Daily we could hear the insistent "cheep, cheep, cheep" of those little birds begging their mama for tasty goody treats. "Lovely worms, oh yes, we loves them."

One night at Family Dinner Time (a ritualized event, held mostly daily, with its own set of rules upon which I will elaborate later) we were in full swing. Dad was explaining Dad stuff, Mom was hopping up and down getting food stuff, older boys were describing the latest cartoon episode, telemarketers were calling, doorbells were ringing. We're a pretty loud family. All of a sudden, in the middle of the chaos, my baby girl interrupts with her best commanding, do-what-I-say-and-no-one-gets-hurt voice:

"Beeee kwi-et, evwybody, beeee kwi-et. I heaw da babee buuds, I heaw da babee buuds."

(Which is to say, "Be quieet, everybody, be quiet... I hear the baby birds, I hear the baby birds." I had to type it in my best approximation of her squeaky little two-year-old voice.)

Of course, we all stopped to listen. She was right - it was Family Dinner Time for the baby birds, too. And ever since, whenever someone in this family needs to take the floor, the standard announcement is, "Beeee quiet, everybody, beeee quiet..."

So that's why I named this blog for the baby birds - because this is where I can take the floor. Did I mention it gets loud in my house? I'm looking forward to having a quiet place to think and say what I want to say.

More later.