..I was told today that 3- and 4-year-olds are fascinated with the concept of death, which is why I was more amused than concerned when Rachel said this to me this morning after I told her I planned to swim today:
"Maybe if you don't die in the middle of when I'm grown up and I have my own children, we could swim together in the same lane!"
I was so startled that I could only manage to sputter, "Capital idea, Rachel!"
A dear friend of mine, Deni, who has two grandsons, told me when her daughter was little, she told Deni that she really liked one of Deni's sweaters and wanted to know if she could have it when her mom died. And I told Deni she made me smile for the first time today.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Chavurah fun!
Today was our monthly meeting of the chavurah, the small group of families within Congregation Beth Israel who have kids around Rachel's age (I use that demarcation loosely -- the youngest kid is 5). I was feeling groggy and tired from taking NyQuil the night before and almost didn't go, but decided at the last minute to.
Rachel, of course, had a great time as soon as she found a 9 1/2 year old girl named Eva (the daughter of the hosts, who have two older boys) who very thoughtfully took Rachel under her wing and showed her all her stuffed animals. They were hanging out in her room when I peeked in after I'd helped myself to brunch food (I hadn't eaten breakfast) and they looked so cozy together! Both Drew and I thanked Eva profusely for keeping Rachel company, and we thanked her parents, too. "It can't be fun for Eva to hang out with a 3 1/2 year old," I said to Shelley, Eva's mom, who replied that Eva was probably glad she had a little girl to play with since most of the other parents in the chavurah all have boys.
"Can you come to OUR house?" Rachel asked Eva as we were leaving. "You can stay for three days!"
***
I was so tired when we got home that I tried to nap while Rachel napped. Unfortunately hers didn't last long, and I tried to persuade her to nap with me on the futon upstairs in the attic. She cuddled a little bit, then said, "Mommy, I'm going to bring you one of my stuffed animals for you to cuddle with." She trotted downstairs and returned with a puppy, which I actually did cuddle with until Rachel woke me up by asking me if I wanted some stamps on my hand. "Rachel, I'm trying to SLEEP," I said crossly, which I instantly regretted.
Then Drew came home from grocery shopping and I did some work on a freelance story and came downstairs when Rachel was in the bath. She asked for me to put her to sleep, but I had to tell her a Hello Kitty story. I made up a tale about Hello Kitty being worried that no one would come to her birthday party because her birthday was in the winter and there was snow on the ground and so the other friends wouldn't be able to drive to an indoor playground -- but then she woke up to the smell of chocolate cake and found that her mommy had rescheduled the party so everyone came to Hello Kitty's house and Hello Kitty got lots of presents, and they all went out and played in the snow, and then they all came inside and had hot chocolate and popcorn next to a big fire. And cake. And it was the best birthday party EVER.
"I'm worried it's going to SNOW on my birthday," Rachel fretted.
"Rachel, I promise you it won't snow," I said.
"But sometimes it snows in July," she said.
"Rachel, you are a very smart and clever girl," I said. "But you're wrong on this one. I promise it won't snow."
Then she started fretting that Halloween was really far away, and then she told me she wants to be a unicorn, with a pink mane of hair and a rainbow outfit. (I really hope that by October she has changed her mind to be a nice, easy-to-put-together princess. Or some kind of animal). Also: For her birthday she wants a rainbow cake with chocolate icing and pink and purple frosting.
"Frosting is the same as icing," I said. "So, you have to choose one or the other."
"Chocolate on the side and pink and purple on top," she said.
"Okay," I answered. "I'll have to work on the rainbow part, though."
"You can buy rainbow things," she explained. "Like rainbow-colored sugar!"
Like I said, I'll have to work on it.
Rachel, of course, had a great time as soon as she found a 9 1/2 year old girl named Eva (the daughter of the hosts, who have two older boys) who very thoughtfully took Rachel under her wing and showed her all her stuffed animals. They were hanging out in her room when I peeked in after I'd helped myself to brunch food (I hadn't eaten breakfast) and they looked so cozy together! Both Drew and I thanked Eva profusely for keeping Rachel company, and we thanked her parents, too. "It can't be fun for Eva to hang out with a 3 1/2 year old," I said to Shelley, Eva's mom, who replied that Eva was probably glad she had a little girl to play with since most of the other parents in the chavurah all have boys.
"Can you come to OUR house?" Rachel asked Eva as we were leaving. "You can stay for three days!"
***
I was so tired when we got home that I tried to nap while Rachel napped. Unfortunately hers didn't last long, and I tried to persuade her to nap with me on the futon upstairs in the attic. She cuddled a little bit, then said, "Mommy, I'm going to bring you one of my stuffed animals for you to cuddle with." She trotted downstairs and returned with a puppy, which I actually did cuddle with until Rachel woke me up by asking me if I wanted some stamps on my hand. "Rachel, I'm trying to SLEEP," I said crossly, which I instantly regretted.
Then Drew came home from grocery shopping and I did some work on a freelance story and came downstairs when Rachel was in the bath. She asked for me to put her to sleep, but I had to tell her a Hello Kitty story. I made up a tale about Hello Kitty being worried that no one would come to her birthday party because her birthday was in the winter and there was snow on the ground and so the other friends wouldn't be able to drive to an indoor playground -- but then she woke up to the smell of chocolate cake and found that her mommy had rescheduled the party so everyone came to Hello Kitty's house and Hello Kitty got lots of presents, and they all went out and played in the snow, and then they all came inside and had hot chocolate and popcorn next to a big fire. And cake. And it was the best birthday party EVER.
"I'm worried it's going to SNOW on my birthday," Rachel fretted.
"Rachel, I promise you it won't snow," I said.
"But sometimes it snows in July," she said.
"Rachel, you are a very smart and clever girl," I said. "But you're wrong on this one. I promise it won't snow."
Then she started fretting that Halloween was really far away, and then she told me she wants to be a unicorn, with a pink mane of hair and a rainbow outfit. (I really hope that by October she has changed her mind to be a nice, easy-to-put-together princess. Or some kind of animal). Also: For her birthday she wants a rainbow cake with chocolate icing and pink and purple frosting.
"Frosting is the same as icing," I said. "So, you have to choose one or the other."
"Chocolate on the side and pink and purple on top," she said.
"Okay," I answered. "I'll have to work on the rainbow part, though."
"You can buy rainbow things," she explained. "Like rainbow-colored sugar!"
Like I said, I'll have to work on it.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Rachel takes care of Mommy
As I said in my previous post, I've been sick. So much so that I actually left a little early on Friday and got home just before 6. Drew was home the whole week because the weather in Seattle was so bad that his editor ordered him not to drive up. So he graciously agreed to rent a movie for me, and I turned it on when I got home, huddled under a blanket and took some muscle relaxants (my shoulder was killing me) and ginger ale.
Drew told Rachel on the way home from preschool that Mommy wasn't feeling well, and she suggested that what I needed was "some relaxing music," so as soon as she got home she went to her bedroom, grabbed her Madeline music box and brought it upstairs.
Then she asked if we could watch a "My Little Pony" music that Drew, bless his heart, had bought her at a closeout sale at Blockbuster Video. Not something I would have done, because I'd rather her watch good Pixar-produced stuff...but it's too late, she is now hooked. Sigh.
I really didn't want to stop my movie, but she asked so sweetly and then followed it with, "it will cheer you up," so what could I say? Drew suggested we watch a little of it while he made dinner for Rachel (I didn't feel like eating) and then I'd finish my movie. "Sure," I said.
It was worth it. The movie was indeed insipid but there is nothing -- and I mean NOTHING -- like curling up on a couch with a little girl in my arms watching a move. At one point, one of the characters started saying something and then he corrected himself with, "Nah, that's the one with the girl in the woods and the seven little guys," and I laughed.
"See, Mommy?" Rachel smiled. "I told you this would cheer you up!" And she was right.
Drew told Rachel on the way home from preschool that Mommy wasn't feeling well, and she suggested that what I needed was "some relaxing music," so as soon as she got home she went to her bedroom, grabbed her Madeline music box and brought it upstairs.
Then she asked if we could watch a "My Little Pony" music that Drew, bless his heart, had bought her at a closeout sale at Blockbuster Video. Not something I would have done, because I'd rather her watch good Pixar-produced stuff...but it's too late, she is now hooked. Sigh.
I really didn't want to stop my movie, but she asked so sweetly and then followed it with, "it will cheer you up," so what could I say? Drew suggested we watch a little of it while he made dinner for Rachel (I didn't feel like eating) and then I'd finish my movie. "Sure," I said.
It was worth it. The movie was indeed insipid but there is nothing -- and I mean NOTHING -- like curling up on a couch with a little girl in my arms watching a move. At one point, one of the characters started saying something and then he corrected himself with, "Nah, that's the one with the girl in the woods and the seven little guys," and I laughed.
"See, Mommy?" Rachel smiled. "I told you this would cheer you up!" And she was right.
Friendly little girl
I've been sick (again) the last two days; my voice is almost gone, I'm tired and sniffly. In other words: Auditing a class at the business school, going to chorus rehearsals every week, freelancing on the side and, oh yeah, doing my job, is running me down. And there's not a damn thing I can do about it until May or so.
So instead of doing work on my freelance story, I spent much of the morning in bed, asleep. Drew took The Little Girl around on errands, and one of the places they went was Delphina's -- my go-to place for the breakfast scones I eat on weekends.
While Drew was at the counter, Rachel noticed a woman and a man sitting together on a bench in the bakery. Drew estimated the woman looked like she was in her late 20s.
"Oh, she looks so adorable!" the woman told Drew. Whereupon Rachel asked her, in order:
"What's YOUR name? Is that your husband? What's he eating?"
She also offered to share part of her food and some juice. The woman was clearly charmed, and as she left she looked at Rachel and sighed, "I want one!"
Drew quickly replied, "She's available for short-term rental."
***
Rachel was in the car and asked Drew today:
"If I do something bad, will you still love me?
"Of course, sweetie!" he said.
"Even if I drop something?"
"Of course!"
"Even if I SPILL something?"
"Of COURSE! Anger is temporary. But I will always love you."
(Drew said he wondered if she would commence to working herself up to 'if I commit mass murder, will you still love me?' but eventually she stopped.
So instead of doing work on my freelance story, I spent much of the morning in bed, asleep. Drew took The Little Girl around on errands, and one of the places they went was Delphina's -- my go-to place for the breakfast scones I eat on weekends.
While Drew was at the counter, Rachel noticed a woman and a man sitting together on a bench in the bakery. Drew estimated the woman looked like she was in her late 20s.
"Oh, she looks so adorable!" the woman told Drew. Whereupon Rachel asked her, in order:
"What's YOUR name? Is that your husband? What's he eating?"
She also offered to share part of her food and some juice. The woman was clearly charmed, and as she left she looked at Rachel and sighed, "I want one!"
Drew quickly replied, "She's available for short-term rental."
***
Rachel was in the car and asked Drew today:
"If I do something bad, will you still love me?
"Of course, sweetie!" he said.
"Even if I drop something?"
"Of course!"
"Even if I SPILL something?"
"Of COURSE! Anger is temporary. But I will always love you."
(Drew said he wondered if she would commence to working herself up to 'if I commit mass murder, will you still love me?' but eventually she stopped.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
More cute Rachel sayings
Two nights ago, while I was auditing a marketing class at Willamette's business school, Rachel said the following things to Drew:
While he was dishing up some chicken into her chicken soup:
"Daddy, that's a lot of chicken for a little girl."
And after Drew played part of the movie "Enchanted," about a cartoon princess (played by Amy Adams) who ends up on the streets of NYC as a live woman:
"This is a little grown-up for me. But I like it."
***
Today I took Rachel to her dentist appointment. She was SUPER -- put on the Tinkerbell sunglasses that the hygenist gave her and followed directions perfectly. The hygenist was very impressed at her teeth and said Drew and I take excellent care of them.
On the way over there (it's in Gresham, a 30-minute drive), Rachel had these things to say:
"Mommy, look! A flock of birds! They're flying to Mexico, where it's warm!" (um, where does she LEARN this stuff?)
We were talking about the cold weather and snow that happened Tuesday night. The next morning, Rachel told me, "Daddy shoveled the driveway and lifted your car up and put it in the garage and then he put on ice skates and skated up the driveway."
While he was dishing up some chicken into her chicken soup:
"Daddy, that's a lot of chicken for a little girl."
And after Drew played part of the movie "Enchanted," about a cartoon princess (played by Amy Adams) who ends up on the streets of NYC as a live woman:
"This is a little grown-up for me. But I like it."
***
Today I took Rachel to her dentist appointment. She was SUPER -- put on the Tinkerbell sunglasses that the hygenist gave her and followed directions perfectly. The hygenist was very impressed at her teeth and said Drew and I take excellent care of them.
On the way over there (it's in Gresham, a 30-minute drive), Rachel had these things to say:
"Mommy, look! A flock of birds! They're flying to Mexico, where it's warm!" (um, where does she LEARN this stuff?)
We were talking about the cold weather and snow that happened Tuesday night. The next morning, Rachel told me, "Daddy shoveled the driveway and lifted your car up and put it in the garage and then he put on ice skates and skated up the driveway."
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Snow!
"LOOK, MOMMY!" Rachel said Sunday as she grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen. Sure enough, it was snowing like the dickens, just like it was this morning. I hope Rachel is as enchanted by the white stuff as we are, since it comes so infrequently.
This morning she cautioned me about driving: "Be careful driving in the snow, Mommy. Your car will stick to the snow and you won't be able to move."
So noted, sweetie.
This morning she cautioned me about driving: "Be careful driving in the snow, Mommy. Your car will stick to the snow and you won't be able to move."
So noted, sweetie.
Mommy breaks the rules
We're entering the season of cold, cold weather, so I've been nagging poor Drew to build fires for us at night. Rachel has taken up the call and echoes Mommy's requests, and we promised her all weekend that Daddy would build a fire Sunday, so after she got home from her friend Tessa's birthday party Drew lit a fire.
I made beef barley soup but it wasn't ready in time for dinner, so Drew decided to get takeout. Rachel and I were plopped by the fire; I was making entries in my checkbook and paying some credit card bills, and we were all feeling too cozy to move, so I broke my own rule and WE HAD TAKEOUT SUSHI NEXT TO THE FIRE. In the LIVING ROOM, no less. Rachel had a plate of pasta, Drew lay on his stomach eating, and I sat on the couch and placed my food on our one end table.
"This is so relaxing," Rachel said at one point. It's true, rules are made to be broken!
I made beef barley soup but it wasn't ready in time for dinner, so Drew decided to get takeout. Rachel and I were plopped by the fire; I was making entries in my checkbook and paying some credit card bills, and we were all feeling too cozy to move, so I broke my own rule and WE HAD TAKEOUT SUSHI NEXT TO THE FIRE. In the LIVING ROOM, no less. Rachel had a plate of pasta, Drew lay on his stomach eating, and I sat on the couch and placed my food on our one end table.
"This is so relaxing," Rachel said at one point. It's true, rules are made to be broken!
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