With Just the Bare Necessities of Life

Dear Oma and Tante,

Guess what? I’m an elephant! I’m Colonel Hathi from The Jungle Book!

I like to walk around on all fours and listen to Colonel Hathi’s March. I’ve memorized the words. I like the part that goes:

Oh, we march from here to there
And it doesn't matter where . . .

It’s a lot like running errands with Mama.

I ask Mama to play Colonel Hathi’s March over and over and over again. I like to say, “HALT!” That means, “Turn Around!”

Sometimes Daddy smacks Mama’s bottom like Colonel Hathi does and says, “Pull it in Winifred.” He usually gets snacked back.

Sometimes Daddy pretends to squeeze a banana into my mouth. But I just tell him, “I’m not Mowgli! I’m Colonel Hathi!”

Sabrina’s favorite parts are two. She likes King Louis. She likes to shake her bottom like she’s a monkey in the jungle.

Mama put a stop to that one.

Sabrina and I like to scat like Baloo and King Louis. We like the part where Baloo says, “Get Mad, Baby!” We sing a little more nonsense and then we shout, “Take me home, Daddy!”

Last time we did our scat song I thought about it for a while, and then pointed out to Mama that we are home.

Sabrina also likes when Kaa the snake sings Trussst in Me. Mama laughs when Kaa wraps himself around Mowgli and says, “Hold still please.”

At bedtime last night Mama told Sabrina to give her the biggest big hug she has in her body. Sabrina tackled Mama with her arms around Mama’s neck and knocked her backwards. Sabrina was on top of Mama when Sabrina said, “Hold still please.”

I could hear Mama laughing from down the hall.

Love,
Colonel Hathi