Tag Archives: toddler

the fossil record

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I was reading in the nice cozy chair in Alice’s room while she entertained herself. Suddenly, she started bringing out toy after toy (after toy) and piling them up on top of me.

Hobby horse…  Super Grover…  Pillow pets…  Toy brain…  (Yes, The Kidling has a toy brain. So what.)

And then, the nonstop chatter began:

Alice: Scientists discovered these things a long, long time ago.

The Mama:How long?

Alice: About twenty-nine four years ago. It was a long time ago we found those fossils, so we need to be very careful. If they break, we can tape them.

(begins piling on more toys)

We discovered these a long, long time ago, too.

(brings out a monkey)

Those were found in China at the same age dinosaurs lived.

Sometimes I wonder if her brain and mouth are on autopilot. Seriously. The Kidling can chatter on and on with no end in sight. Some of you dear readers would say she comes by it naturally. Perhaps. But to the rest of you (who have not met The Mama), I wholeheartedly deny it.

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allllll the love

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Last Thursday night, The Dada and I had a mid-week date. Fantastic. I highly recommend it. The Dada ordered one of The Kidling’s favorite things and saved just enough for her to have it for lunch the next day.

While Alice was eating her lunch on Friday, I mentioned how nice I thought it was that her father had saved some of his extra-tasty, super-fancy dinner just for her. She wholeheartedly agreed. Which started this sweet little exchange:

The Mama: Alice, do you think you have the best dad, or is there a better dad out there somewhere?

Alice: (smiling) Best dad.

The Mama: Do you think you have the best mom, or is there a better mom out there?

Alice: Best mom.

The Mama: You know what, Kiddo? We think you’re the best kid, too.

Alice: I feel really loved because of alllll the love you give me.

(Cue melting heart)

I should note that Alice is prone to extraordinary honesty. She does not hesitate to tell me that I am not her favorite person in the world. In fact, she tells me that often (followed by, “. . . but I do still love you.”). So this was an awfully heartwarming conversation to have with my ultra-candid daughter.

goodbye, and good luck

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The Mama teaches a class two evenings a week. Before I left for class last night, I gave Alice a hug and kiss and told her to be a nice girl for her father. She replied, “Be a nice tea– I hope you say the right words!”

So do I, Alice. So do I…

lady alice*

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The elaborate event that was last night’s Grammy Awards had me thinking about funny little songs The Kidling has composed over the years. This is a personal favorite of mine…

 

October 2010, 2 3/4 years old

There was a farmer had a dog and Mingo was his name-o.
B-R-N-G-O and Nemo was his name-o.

 

* As in Lady Gaga. Clever, right? No? **sigh**

liar liar, pants on fire

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The Kidling and I were driving to Target on Wednesday. While I associate the store with cheap pull-ups and affordable mass-market design (and that wickedly irresistible dollar section up front…), Alice thinks Target = popcorn. When she found out where we were headed, she began her typical routine: “Mo-om! I’m hungry. Can I please have some popcorn? And one of those things? That’s like a smoothie?”*

It was nearly lunchtime, and The Kidling had an empty belly. I’m really not okay with filling an empty belly with junk. And that is precisely what I told Alice. As the conversation/rationalization commenced, there was music playing the background. There is usually music in the background. This time, however, it was just too good: Cat Stevens. “If You Want to Sing Out.”

(you know you want to listen… in fact, I highly recommend you click this little YouTube video** and resume reading while it plays in the background)

Alice: He said you can do what you want. We can’t do what we want.

The Mama: Why?

Alice: Because you’re the boss. I don’t think he’s thinking about us. I think he’s thinking about when you’re a big kid. Then you can do what you want.

(perfectly timed music: you can do what you want…)

Alice: He said we can do what we want. I want him to stop!

At which point I immediately parked the car and wrote down every word out of The Kidling’s mouth.

* Yep. An Icee. A nutritionist’s/dentist’s/launderer’s worst nightmare.

** Courtesy of rollingstone99. Thanks!

the LBD of awards*

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I suppose I should say thank you. the book of alice was awarded The Versatile Blogger Award by the wickedly funny author of Paltry Meanderings of a Taller Than Average Woman (try saying that three times fast). Which is lovely. And thoughtful. And retributive. You see, I bestowed the coveted 7×7 Award upon Cristy and six other fabulous bloggers a couple of weeks ago. And these lovely little awards do require a fair amount of work, particularly when your average blogpost takes four minutes to write. So here goes…

Rules, Rules, Rules…

  1. Add the Versatile Blogger Award to your post… not as cute as a picture of The Kidling, but fine.
  2. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog… here’s lookin’ at you, kid.
  3. Share 7 completely random pieces of information about myself… no dice. About The Kidling. No one wants to hear about The Mama.
  4. Include this set of rules in your post… because everyone loves rules.
  5. Nominate 10 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award in this post… watch out, blogging world. You’ve got some work to do!
  6. Notify each of the nominees by posting a comment on each of their blogs… I’m cheating (thanks for the idea, Cristy). Email it is.

Super Random…

  1. Alice’s favorite color is “all of them.”
  2. The Kidling thinks The Mama is smelly. Because I am. After yoga, that is. When I get home she says, “Ick Mom! Get out of your stinky yoga clothes!”
  3. Alice has absolutely no conception of scarcity. She inhales artisanal sopressata at the same rate with which she consumes cheap summer sausage: very, very rapidly.
  4. The Kidling and The Dada have matching sweatshirts (don’t worry. They don’t leave the house in them. Duh). Whenever Alice sees her father in his, she suddenly declares: “I’m cold!” This, of course, is code for: I want to match Dad! Pretty stinkin’ cute.
  5. Alice is a guilty carnivore. Stay tuned for related posts.
  6. The Kidling is obsessed (obsessed) with genuine, New Orleans brass bands. Particularly, The Soul Rebels. And rightfully so. This is some serious, get-down funky music (they also happen to be the soundtrack to almost every dance party in our household).
  7. Alice is painfully cute. Seriously. Painful. But you knew that…

And the Nominees Are…

  1. The Tiny Sartorialist. Gorgeous. And tiny. Gorgeously tiny.
  2. , . Yes, that comma is the blog title. And it is gorgeous.
  3. Insatiable Booksluts. Love, love, love this book review blog.
  4. Haute off the Press. Law + fashion = fabulous.
  5. Trinkets and Treasures. Pretty, pretty things.
  6. AJ Rokin. This lawyer-turned-writer procrastinates in blog form. Surely you’ve never done that…
  7. Jimmie Chew. Have you ever wondered about animal stars? This blog is seriously genius.
  8. Bohemian Babies. Someone has to keep track of all the fabulous kiddo-design, right?! And she does it so well.
  9. Jennie Ingham. If, like me, you have a separate board on Pinterest for textiles, you should check out this blog. Swoon.
  10. Shoes on the Wrong Feet. I just really like this blog about life and the little things.

Whew! Done. Cheers!

* Get it? Little black dress? Versatile? Sigh. I try…

funny things…

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Alice didn’t say anything funny yesterday. Well, not funny enough to merit a post. But rather than keep both of my followers hanging, I thought I’d share this gem from last spring.

May 2011, 3 years old

The Mama (to Alice): You are my favorite

Alice: Yes I am because I say funny things.

 

Precisely, Love. Precisely.