Giggles

There was something delicious about the gift my daughter proudly presented her dad with for Fathers’ Day today. 

This is the girl with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a condition which means she never feels physically full up but has to be on a strict diet. The present, bought from a school sale, and of her own choosing, was a book. It featured recipes like a banana dessert involving six tablespoons of butter and brown sugar and was entitled: “Eat Your Way To Success, Fame & Fortune.”

She gave it to her dad at lunchtime, as she’d only just returned from a return sleepover at her PWS BFF’s house. She’d been treated to a healthy low-fat tea, a low-calorie popcorn evening treat, and a fruit-heavy breakfast, with no “Eat Your Way To Type Two Diabetes” meals involved. Because PWS BFF’s mum doesn’t have to be told about the food thing, obviously.

Prior to the visit, they'd partaken in email correspondence about what film they'd watch. PWS BFF had sent the following message:

"Please could you bring ladybirds game saturday to my house in case we want to play . Here are the film 
Choices that we can watch. 
1. Miranda 
2. One driection this is us 
3. Katy perry part of me
4. Peter pan 
Tell me what you want to watch."

Followed, a minute later, by a panic-stricken caveat: 

"Not Katy perry. Dont choose that one"

I got edited highlights of the visit. The menu was, of course, top of the “What I Liked Best About My Sleepover” list. Food is top of “What I Liked Best About Anything” lists. But taking her friend's dogs for a walk ran it a close second, as did playing games, and watching Miranda. But NOT Katy Perry. Sod her.

They'd also taken great delight in showing eachother their books. 

“We read my ‘You Are Special’ book I took, Mum,” my daughter told me, eyebrows raised with high excitement. “I knew she’d like it. She said: ‘Why am I special?’, because she’d forgotten for a minute, but I told her having Prader-Willi makes you special. She is special, like me.”

I’d sent a text to PWS BFF’s Mum earlier this morning, warning her that my girl tends to take her retainers out of her mouth and instead of putting them neatly away in their box, drops them wherever she happens to be, which can prove tricky, as the blasted things are transparent. The reply came back almost immediately: ‘Many giggles from them today as they played ‘Hunt The Retainer’.

And it was the chuckles that were mentioned again when PWS BFF’s dad dropped my daughter home after her night with her friend. “I don’t remember hearing my girl laugh so much,” he said.

I’m glad she had a good old giggle with her mate.

Video Is Toots & The Maytals - When I Laugh