a reasonable conclusion

Caroline was eating her lunch at the dining room table, looked up, and gasped. She said, "Something is weird in the living room!"

She ran kind of tensely to the living room and crept up to the corner where she saw suspicious activity.

She stood up and relaxed.

"It was just Sylvie's blanket, all bunched up. At first I thought it was an anteater."

healthy image

While examining her forearm closely, she ranted, "Why do I have tiny little hairs on my arms? Like, what's the reason? I don't get it! And pores! I don't even understand why we need ugly little holes in our skin. It's humiliating."

that explains it

Spontaneous conversation.

Caroline: Thanks for the cup of water, Mom. I really love you.

Mama: Oh! You're welcome. I love you, too.

Caroline: You are such a special person to me, Mama.

Mama: Wow, thank you. That is very sweet of you.

Caroline: I just love you SO MUCH!

Mama: You are super lovey today, huh?

Caroline: Yes, there are a bunch of pink hearts in my head, floating around. That's why.

whippersnapper

We were without power from Wednesday afternoon until Saturday morning. The hottest days in a couple years, what a nice coincidence. We bunked up with a very kind and generous cousin of Chuck's, the beloved Uncle Mark. His wife and kids were at a cottage on Lake Michigan, so it worked out well in terms of space and fun.

One morning Chuck and Caroline were playing outside in the kids' play fort/swing set which has an "address" of 752 (their ages at the time Mark built it - 7, 5, and 2).

Caroline asked why those numbers were there. Chuck explained. Caroline was confused and asked if cousin Jessica is really the same age as she is. After Chuck explained that this was built 4 years ago, and now the kids are 11, 9, and 6, and they're all older than her.

She was very upset to hear this so bluntly. "That's not fair! Now they won't respect me!"

rodney dangerfield, jr.

Yesterday was Sylvie's 2 year checkup at the doctor, and Caroline had to come with us.

From the moment we walked in the door, Miss Anxiety was stating she wished to stay in the waiting room alone because she did NOT want to see any needles or any shots or any blood. I assured her that when the time for shots came, she could wait outside the room in the hallway. That soothed her for about 2 seconds. Then we'd go through this routine again. "I'll just wait here! Look! There are books to entertain me!"

Sylvie got called back, and Caroline dragged her feet but came along. Anytime anyone entered the room, she'd ask in a panic, "I am not staying for the shots part. Do you have shots?" I remembered why I preferred to bring only the unwilling victim of the exam to the visit.

When the time for one quick shot did come, the doctor was a genius and had Caroline escort her to a lab room to pick out a lollipop for herself and for Sylvie. Master of distraction! Sylvie got her shot, was less freaked about it than Caroline was, and we were on our way out.

We met the doctor and Caroline in the hall, where the doc pulled me aside and laughed, saying that Caroline had just exclaimed to her, "Phew. Thanks, doc. I was gettin' a little paranoid in there."

all the best, mama

Caroline: Mama, I love you.

Mama: Oh, I love you, too.

Caroline: I really, really love you. I want to get your autograph.

Mama: Huh?

Caroline: Your autograph. That's how people know you really like them. You ask them for their autograph because you love them so much.

just wait until adulthood

Caroline walked into Chuck's office and asked to use his computer so she could play on PBS Kids' website.

He told her no, that he was reading the news, and she should go read some of her books or play with her toys.

She sighed and shuffled away, disappointed.

Seconds later, she came back into the room and exclaimed, "But Dad, everything's boring in a little girl's life!"

must be doing something right

Today was Sylvie's second birthday. As I tucked Caroline in to bed on Saturday night, she said, "Mama, can we go shopping tomorrow morning so I can get Sylvie something for her birthday?"

I was a little surprised. And a little suspicious. I told her, "Well, sure. But remember it would be a gift for Sylvie, not something for you."

She looked insulted. "Of course! I know that. I was thinking something little for her. A small toy for a small kid."

luddites of 2006

Caroline asked me if we had one of the games for the iPad when I was a kid.

I informed her that we didn't have iPads when I was a kid. And we didn't even have iPads when she was born.

"Whoa. Are you serious? No iPads?"

Then she paused to try to understand our backwards ways of that era.

"Did you bring me home from the hospital on a horse or somethin'?"

our family in song

Caroline summed up our family in a version of Old MacDonald. Each of us got our own verse.


Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on this farm he had a...

SYLVIE
E-I-E-I-O
With a "wah, whine" here and a "waaah, whiiiine" there
Here a "WAH", there a "WHINE," everwhere a STOMP STOMP

...

MOMMY
E-I-E-I-O
With a "What are you doing in there?!" here and a "sigh" there
Here a "Caroline..." there a "Sylvie...", everywhere a "What are you doing?!"

...

CAROLINE
E-I-E-I-O
With a "chatter, chatter" here and a "talk more" there
Here a "chit", there a "chat," everywhere a "talky talky!"

...

DADDY
E-I-E-I-O
With an "uuuuuh" here and an "ummmmm" there
Here a [shrug], there a "hm!", everywhere an "uuuuhhhh!"

So! Sylvie's an obstinate toddler, Caroline is an incorrigible talker, I'm very suspicious, and Chuck suffers from chronic indecision. And one of our children is being written out of the will.

auto-correct

Chuck's coworker mentioned to him that Caroline had inadvertently sent her an email from his iPhone. Slightly embarrassing that we had no idea this had happened, but not worth much thought. Later, she forwarded him the email, and it was a little surprising.

Subject: Caroline

Arson
ATF robin
Momy
Daddy
Lochy
Me
Silvie
Avry
Prsin
In
My
Famly
My name is Caroline

I thought, Hmmm, I see it says "Mommy, Daddy, Lucci (cat), Me, Sylvie, Every Person In My Family." She's only missing the dog, Reuben. But with "arson" and "ATF robin" at the top, this reads a little like a hit list. Are we on some watch list now?

So I called over Lizzie Borden, Jr., and asked what the first line said.

"Arson. I typed ARDEN and it changed it. It was really frustrating." Arden is her best friend. So phew. We can sleep with both eyes closed tonight.

But wait. Still have the firearms issue.

"ATF robin. I typed 'Arf roobin,' and it changed it, too. That thing is a piece of junk."

future informercial star

Chuck brought home pizza one night last week, and the girls jumped around in excitement as he passed the box to me.

I placed it on the counter and Caroline ran up to observe. When I opened the box, she stepped closer, took a deep breath, fluttered her eyelids, fanned at her face, and sighed, smiling.

"I could float away on this aroma."

next on national geographic

"Mamaaaa!!!! Hurry! There is a bee!"

Since we have severe bee allergies in the family, this is something I react to quickly. I ran to the dining room, and she guided me to the alleged bee.

"Honey, this is a house fly. Why did you think it was a bee?"

"Well, it was buzzing a lot. Bees buzz. I just thought it didn't have stripes because it was a rare, exotic bee."

practice pays off

"Hey Dad, I've been whistling better and better. Like at Marmy's house, I was whistling a couple pounds' worth. I used to only be able to whistle one single pound."