The Mystery of Girls

Charlie talks often about his aspiration to write a book when he grows up. He's already decided on a title: The Mystery of Girls. Usually he discusses this aspiration when the topic is thrust upon his consideration by things like Sarah trying desperately to kiss his nose when they are both strapped in to the third row of the minivan.

Tonight, she successfully landed a smooch on the schnozz of the unsuspecting budding author, who was a victim of the surprise attack because he was sitting on the couch reading Superfudge for the second time and thus was oblivious to his environment. He revealed himself to be not only a future author but also a future priest, and sang out, "Let us proclaim the mystery of girls!"

The Starving Children

Sarah and Charlie are collecting money for Operation Rice Bowl, the annual Lenten collection to fight hunger in developing nations. Sarah has been enthusiastically collecting money for this cause: "collecting" every coin she comes across around the house. She keeps producing coins and asking if she can put them in her Rice Bowl, and I keep having to ask her where she found them to figure out whose unwitting donation it was.

Yesterday I came home from work with two dimes in my pocket. I handed them to her and said, "If you can tell me how much this is, you can keep it." She got very excited and said, "These are dimes, right? Twenty cents!" I said right, and she trotted off. She came back with her own personal piggy bank and prepared to drop them in.

"Sarah!" I said. "Wait! I thought that was for the starving children!"

"Well, " she smiled, "I'm a starving child, so I guess it is."

It took me a moment to realize she wasn't making a joke, as she again prepared to drop the coins in her bank.

"No, I mean the real starving children."

Charlie walked in. "I'm starving too. When's dinner?"

Me: "No! Operation Rice Bowl!"

Sarah: "Oh! Those starving children. ... Well how about one for me and one for them?"

Childhood Memories

Allison asked, "Who is going to take care of us when you guys run the marathon?" (For the record, Bryant is running the Atlanta Marathon in March, and I am running the Half Marathon.)

Charlie said, "I remember when you guys ran the Half Marathon in like 2003, Auntie came and stayed with us and brought us out to the marathon to cheer for you."

I said, "Charlie, I'm amazed you remember that. That was 2002. You were only a little older than Allison."

Charlie said, "Yeah. That's one of the only things I remember from my childhood."

The Pantry Has a Potty Mouth

Allison came up from the play room and asked for a snack, so I told her she could get one out of the pantry. She brought out a snack and said, "The pantry said d--- it!" Considering that Charlie and Sarah still speak in hushed tones of "the 'd' word" and "the 's' word" referring to dumb and stupid, I was stunned by her bona fide cuss word.

"What??" I asked. She repeated it.
"Where did you hear that word?"
A: "The pantry said it."
Me: "No. Tell me the truth. Where did you hear that?"
A: "From the pantry. I went in to get my snack and the pantry said d--- it."
Me: "Allison, that is a very bad word. Pantries can't talk. Tell me who said that word to you."
A: "The pantry said d--- it."
Me: "OK. Stop saying that. Go up to your room until you are ready to tell me the truth."

She went to her room for a long time, and in the interim I decided I was giving the word too much of a reaction and so I decided to forgo my former line of questioning. When she came out, I told her, "That is not a nice word, and I don't want to hear you say that again. OK?" She agreed.

When Bryant came home, I told him about the incident. He immediately said, "Oh, I'm sure she must have heard me say that sometime!" So apparently she was covering for her daddy.

*****

Two days later, Charlie, Allison, and Bryant were all in the same room, and Charlie said, "Dang it!" Allison rushed over to Bryant and tattled, "Charlie said d--- it!" Bryant tried to explain that that was not what Charlie said and not what Allison should be saying. I don't think Charlie has any idea that dang it is a euphemism, although I guess his baby sister is going to teach him a thing or two.

She also runs around saying "Stupid Boy," which is apparently a country song she and Bryant hear often on the radio, so again, she says words that Charlie and Sarah don't dare say. She is also the first person to utter "Shut up" in our house, including, her very first time, a sassy "I have two words for you: Shut. Up." to Sarah. The big kids were horrified and didn't even repeat the words when they were telling on her. I don't know where she heard that, but it certainly wasn't from Charlie or Sarah.

I guess Allison needs to stop hanging out with the pantry.

Go Tornadoes!

This morning Charlie and Sarah's basketball games were held simultaneously on adjoining courts. Both teams are called the Tornadoes. (The league uses weather-related names, so they play teams like the Hurricanes, the Thunder, and the Lightening). We sat in the midde of the stands so we could see both games at once, and Allison bellowed, "Go Tornadoes!" Several people near us turned around and laughed, so Allison asked, "Mommy, why does everyone laugh at me when I cheer?" I told her they weren't laughing at her but they were just smiling because they didn't know a three-year-old could be so great at cheering.

Then she decided to cheer "Go Tigers!" repeatedly. People still turned around, but I think for a slightly different reason.

Brotherly Wisdom

Charlie went in to see David in the morning. After the usual exchange of good mornings, Charlie said, "David, this is the worst time of year. There's no football and there's no baseball."

Allison's Birthday Party

On Saturday, Allison had a lovely tea party to celebrate her birthday. Five little girls came over, and they dressed up like princesses, decorated sugar cookies, danced to Sarah's Hello Kitty Dance Party Mix (made by Uncle), and enjoyed cake and ice cream. David, Charlie, and Sarah all enjoyed the party and helped the guests enjoy themselves.

The Pinewood Derby

Charlie designed, built, and painted a car for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby! Daddy helped him and handled the power tools. They strategized about the optimal weight and weighed the car at the post office on the Friday evening before the race.

Apparently the contest is in the design and construction of the car, not the racing abilities of the child, so the scout is not allowed to race his car, only to turn in the car in the morning and watch it race in its allotted time slot. When faced with the choice of whether to watch his car race at the Derby or participate in his basketball game, without hesitation Charlie chose to play in his game. It was a good choice: his team needed him, his car did not.





Charlie rocks!

Many, Many Blessings

Although we still enjoy singing our grace before meals (particularly the one about animals where we get to flap our wings), lately we have taken to improvising:


Sarah, Saturday night:
God, thank you for this food. Help us to have a good meal, a safe family, and a happy home. Amen.

Allison, tonight:
God? Everyone around this table is the best, and totally sweet. Amen.

A Sporting Mind

Our friends the Alisches are coming over for the Super Bowl, and Charlie was reminiscing about other Super Bowls we've watched with them. I told him I didn't remember specifically that those were Super Bowls, and that I don't have a very good memory for sporting events.

He said, "Well, I bet you do for the ones that are important to you. Like what a Boston team did in 2004 that they hadn't done in 86 years?"

"Well, I know that they won the World Series, and I probably could have told you that it was 2004. But Daddy could tell you all the details, like whether Game 6 was home or away, and where each of us was sitting, and who got the last out."

Charlie looked at me patiently and said, "Mommy, that's impossible. There was no Game 6. The Red Sox swept them."

Like father, like son.

The Honeymooners

I told the children that Uncle and Auntie Ally are on their honeymoon in Hawaii.

Sarah: Are they going to a hulaut?
Me: You mean a luau?
Sarah: Yeah. A luau.
Me: I don't know, but I bet they are.
Sarah: Are they the, like, master at the luau?
Me: What do you mean?
Sarah: You know, the master of the music.
Me: Oh, you mean the dj?
Sarah: Yeah.
Me: No, I bet they're just dancing.
Sarah: Well that sounds fun. 'Cause they're on their honeymoon!

Allison's Birthday - The Presents

Allison opened a lot of gifts and was so excited about them all.

It took her a little time to realize it was all about her - I guess because Christmas was so recently. She would pick up presents and say, "Who's this one for?" We said, "You," and she'd say enthusiastically, "For me?" The first gift she opened had 2 pairs of pajamas, so she said, "One for me and one for Sarah!" The second thing she opened was two bathing suits, and she said, "Is this one for Sarah?"











By the end, she was glad the presents were for her. After she opened everything, she said, "Thanks, guys, for all my presents!" We said it was fun to pick them out for her and she said, "Well thanks, guys, for picking them out for me!"

Allison's Birthday Celebration

I love this song!

The silly singers.

Allison blows out the candles.

Mmmmm -- delicious!


David was so excited he dropped a whole handful of ice cream!

Happy Birthday to Allison!

Allison's three!

Allison helps Daddy bake her birthday cake.

I'm three years old today!

The chefs admire their unique creation.

I'm so proud!

Missing Miss Melanie

Melanie was Ally's Maid of Honor. Allison Mackey grew quite fond of her, and at the wedding said to me, "Look. There's my new best friend!"

****

Allison, last week, while sitting on the couch: What is Melanie doing?
me: Melanie?
Allison: Yes.
me: You mean Auntie Ally's friend Melanie?
Allison: And she's my friend!
me: Right. Well, she lives in New York. So I guess that's what she's doing.
Allison: Oh.


***

Tonight, at bedtime, on the eve of Allison's third birthday:
Me: When you wake up, you're going to be three!
Allison: I'm so exciting!
Me: And three is big.
Allison: Berry berry big!
Me: Do you know how three-year-olds act?
Allison: Happy.
Me: Good. What else?
Allison: Polite.
Me: Right. What else?
Allison: Um, be friendly?
Me: That's right. And what else do they do?
Allison: Dance with their friends Melanies.

So Melanie ... if you're out there ... your little friend Allison is thinking about you!

I Love You (I Think)

me, to Allison: I love you.
Allison: I love you too. (pause) Is that from "Annie"?
me: What?
Allison: Is "I love you" from "Annie"?
me: No. It's just me saying that.
Allison: What about "I love you, Annie"? Is that from "Annie"?
me: Yeah, I guess they might say that at the end.
Allison: Oh.

I Love You

David walked over to Daddy last night, gave him a hug and said, "I love you Daddy!" Then he walked over to me and gave me a hug and said, "I love you Mommy!"

Not Yet Three

Allison: I'm sort of a big girl, and sort of a baby. Right, Mommy?
me: Well, that's the way it is when you're almost three. But when you're three, then you'll be a big girl!