She's growing up too fast, Part 4

Rachel and I were talking tonight about how big she is. (She was wearing a sweater and jeans and she looked so grown-up, it took my breath away). I said I hoped she would always cuddle in my lap and she ridiculed that idea. "When I'm grown up I'll be too big to fit in your lap!" she said. "I'll crush you!" When I expressed sadness at the idea of her getting big, she replied, "I wanna have my OWN children and I wanna drive!"

***

As we pulled into the garage tonight, Rachel suddenly said, apropos of nothing, "Mommy, do you love me even though I do bad things?"

Sensing this was an important moment, I turned around and said, "Yes, Rachel. "Do you love Mommy when I get mad?"

"Yes," she replied. "I love Daddy, too!"

***

Rachel mentioned tonight (as Drew had told me earlier) that there's another Rachel in preschool who is moving from Toddler 3s to preschool. He told Rachel this morning that she should look out for the new Rachel and try to be her special friend.

Tonight Rachel said, "There's another Rachel. Little Rachel. When she grows up she'll be in my class and we'll be best friends!"

***

Speaking of best friends, Rachel said that none of the other kids played with her today, and added that's probably because Sadie, a friend of hers, likes to play with her all the time. She seemed concerned that that was cutting into her social life.

"I have a great idea!" Rachel said suddenly. "I can play with osmeone else and Sadie can come and all THREE of us can play together!"

***

Rachel insists she likes vegetables because she likes corn. (She assured me that when she grows up she will eat salad, too, and asked me, "Will you make me salad all the time when I grow up?" I said that I'd make her as much salad as she wants in high school, when she'll need to eat vegetables because she'll be playing soccer and softball...).

"Corn corn corn!" she shouted. "Do you know what corn tastes like? It tastes like golden raspeberries!"