That's What They Said: The Amalia-at-3-Years-and-364-Days-Edition

Me:  Amalia, what do you think we should have for dinner tonight?  I was thinking maybe chili and grilled cheese ... does that sound good?
Amalia:  No.  How about grilled cheese and ... tortellini?!
Me:  Well, no.  We had ravioli last night, so we're not having tortellini today.
Amalia:  (annoyed)  Moooom, tortellini is NOT ravioli.  They are not the same thing!
Me:  Yes, they basically are.  They are just different shapes.
Amalia:  Oh.  Well, we could have Baylor's favorite food instead!
Me:  Isn't Baylor's favorite food tortellini?
Amalia:  (thinking)  No, it's some other kind of pasta.  What is it?  What is it?  Hm ...
Me:  I mean, I thought it was tortellini ...
Amalia:  (excitedly)  That's it!  Tortellini!  Baylor's favorite food is tortellini!  We should have that tonight for dinner!  (proud of herself for solving the riddle and finding a dinner solution)
Me:  *sigh*

(While my back was to her as I was washing a dish ...)
Amalia:  Mom!  Mom!  Where did my other hand go?!  Ahhh!
Me:  (after turning around)  Umm ...

Amalia:  I mean, it used to be right here, and now it's gone!  (gesticulates with her other hand the airspace where the missing hand used to be)
Me:  (playing along)  Geez, I don't know.
Amalia:  Did you check my back?

Me:  (after walking around her)  Ah!  There it is!
Amalia:  Yay!  There it is!  And it has my other grape!

Happy 4th Birthday, Ms. Amalia Jean!

Happy birthday to my dear, darling daughter, Amalia!  We spend a lot of time together these days, just you and I, and I love getting to watch you change a little bit every day, becoming more and more of the little girl you're destined to be.  You are so very smart, kind, caring, witty, silly, funny, and beautiful, both inside and out, and I am incredibly lucky to be your mama.  Thank you for keeping me on my toes and always pushing me to be better and do better.  

I love you so much, sweetie, and I hope this birthday is all you had hoped it would be and more!  

(As an aside: this is her sleep sheep these days.  It's a bit on the rough side, so much so that she sometimes  uses it to scratch an itch on her face or arm, and a few "bald" spots are staring to show.  But he has been well-loved ... here's what he used to look like, to give you an idea just how much he has been snuggled into his current state.  He's her favorite sleepy time pal by far.)

That's What They Said: Misunderstandings

Me:  Mollie, what would you like for breakfast?
Amalia:  Um ... (thinks for a second)
Me:  Would you like some peanut butter toast?
Amalia:  What?  What did you say?
Me:  (enunciating)  I asked if you'd like some peanut butter toast.
Amalia:  (matter-of-factly)  Oh, I thought you said, "Asparagus."


Baylor:  (in his extra sweet voice) Mommy, I want to be like you.
Me:  Aww, buddy!  Really?!
Baylor:  Yeah, will you help me?  Will you help me be a better kid ... at ... FRACTIONS.
Me:  (smiling) Sure.
(Little does he know, fractions aren't my strong suit.)


(In the morning, Mollie had on a short-sleeved dress, so while she and I were talking I helped her put on a sweatshirt over top of that.  Usually she doesn't like to put sweatshirts or sweaters over clothes she is excited to wear, but she didn't balk so I plowed ahead.  We went through the entire day with her snug and warm in the sweatshirt over her dress.  As she was getting undressed, though ...)
Amalia:  (in hysterics)  Who did this?!  Who did this to me?!  Who put this on me?!?!
Bryson:  (completely confused at the sudden mood shift)  What?  What is going on, sweetie?
Amalia:  (even more upset)  WHO DID THIS TO ME?!  WHO PUT THIS ON ME?!
Me:  (hearing the commotion and sprinting up the stairs)  What's wrong?!
Bryson:  I have no idea.
Amalia:  (sobbing and tugging at the sweatshirt)  WHO PUT THIS ON ME?!?!
Me:  (chuckling and smiling)  Oh, sweetie, it was me.  I put it on you ... this morning.  Don't you remember?  (She shook her head as I took it off her.)
Bryson:  (under his breath to me)  Are you serious?
Me:  (under my breath to him)  I didn't think she had noticed.  I guess I was right.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2014!

It's St. Patrick's Day, so you know what that means ... Shamrock Shakes!  Yup, the kids and I went out for shakes after school, Shamrock for Baylor and I and strawberry for Mollie.  Just look at that swirly goodness!

I got the kids all situated with their shakes then ran out to get my shake, my purse, and the mail.  When I came back in, Mollie told me matter-of-factly that she had found a hard thing in her cherry but had just spit it out, no problem.  Since when are there pits in maraschino cherries?

Mollie only drank about a quarter of hers, but that's about what I expected as she isn't a huge fan of sweets.

Baylor, sweet-toothed boy that he is, finished two-thirds of his.

I may have spoiled dinner for the three of us, but it's a special once-a-year after school treat that I just can't pass up.

Happy St. Patty's Day, everyone!

That's What They Said: Quotes and Pictures!

Baylor:  (randomly during dinner)  There's something weird about Uranus.



Baylor:  Mollie, can I read that book now, please?  (points to the one she's holding)
Amalia:  Awww, that's very sweet, Baylor, but no.  Not right now.



Baylor:  Mollie, five year-olds are stronger than three year-olds, so I'm stronger than you.
(Later ...)
Baylor:  I am stronger than you.  Five year-olds are really strong.  How old are you?
Amalia:  I'm five!
Baylor:  (excitedly)  Wow!  You're really strong!  We could be buddies!



I thought I'd include this ... it's written, not so much said, but this is my blog so I can rewrite the rules a bit.  Baylor made this at school last month:

It's Abraham Lincoln, and it reads, "He was the 16th president, but 2nd important."  When asked who the most important president was, he responded, "George Washington!  You know, because he helped win the Revolutionary War."

Here is the homework Baylor is going to turn in today.  He was asked to write down three topics on which he is an "expert".  If you have read, "Coins, Kennedy, Java Gym", you have read correctly.  When asked what "Kennedy" meant, he replied, "You know?  JFK ... the president?"  *sigh*  Oh, the things they say!

A Bump to the Noggin

Last Wednesday, on Baylor's 100th day of school, I got a call from his principal around 2:00.  He gently told me that Baylor had fallen and hit his head on the floor during gym class and had a nasty goose egg as a result, but also that he was okay.  Still, Mr. K thought it would be wise if I went to school to check it out, so after waking Mollie and scooping up all our Wednesday bags, we made the quick drive over to Baylor's school.  By the time I got there he was back in class, but the ladies in the office who had helped him with icing it said that it was quite a doozy of a bump but that he had insisted on going to class.  They also filled in what had happened; apparently during a lively game of freeze tag, Baylor went to tag the biggest girl in his class and basically ended up running into her and falling down.  She was fine, not a scratch on her, but Baylor had a knot atop his noggin.  They reassured me that he had been very brave and that he seemed okay, but they still thought I should go take a look at him.

So Mollie and I walked on to his room and caught our first glimpse of the wounded little man ...

These pictures don't do it justice.  It was huge, HUGE and apparently it had already gone down a ton by the time I made it to school.  Bless the office secretaries' hearts, they stalled Baylor in the office for quite a while, alternating who held ice on his head and managed to reduce the swelling a decent amount by the time he scurried back to class.

He was a little upset when he saw me and recounted his injury, but he was more upset at the thought of missing math so he finished out the day and walked to the car with Mollie and I when the bell rang.  

The next day, all the swelling had gone away, but the bruise was much more black and blue

Mollie, not wanting to be left out of the picture-taking extravaganza, asked me to take a picture of her brand new ponytail!  She's decided that she wants to grow her hair out as long as Princess Leia so she can do her hair in buns like that.  *sigh*  We'll see how long she lasts.

The morning after the incident we did have to take Baylor to the doctor; after the collision, he fell, hit his head, then tried to get up ... and in doing so strained his right thumb.  It was all swollen and bruised, though not nearly as bad as his head, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't broken, which it wasn't.

Now, over a week later, his bruise has turned a lovely shade of yellow and his thumb is completely back to normal.  I'm so glad this was as mild an injury as it was!  (And not nearly as gruesome-looking as his first!)