Friday Highlights 7/29/11

Lucy Toddler's Blackberry Mohawk:

Molly: Waaaaah! I hurt my nickels! (she meant knuckles).

This morning, Molly said "Look, my cucumbers are a cupcake. And this is like a cherry on top!":

Molly ran into the room yelling "Look at my "G" and "H"!".

Not bad for a 3 1/2 year old :-)

Funny Faces

Lucy has developed a new funny face. She will make it on request, and we finally got it on video this evening!

Thank you for the Black

In light of the most recent post, and the lengthy discussion on Facebook that came of it, I feel the need to share the following story.

When I was 2, my parent's had friend that I called "Mr. Dag". He went to our church and was a funny, kind man. He was also a very, very dark black man.

One night he came to dinner at our house. I was asked to pray and said the following prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for this food. And thank you for mommy and daddy. And thank you for the black.

In Jesus name,

Amen

My mother's hope that perhaps he couldn't understand what I was saying and that the meal would proceed was dashed when I folded my little hands, looked him straight in the eye and said "Mr. Dag... why are you black?"

He laughed and said "Because that's the way God made me!".

That was good enough for me.

Children simply observe and describe things. Adults are the ones who read into it. I think we could learn a lot from toddlers.

Molly and Princess Tiana

About a year ago, Molly Toddler took a trip to Target where she chose her very first Barbie: Princess Tiana. Later that day, she excitedly said to me "Look Mommy, she's brown colored!". I asked her what color she was. After about a minute of careful consideration, she finally answered "I think I'm kind of orange... and lots of PINK". This innocent (and fairly accurate) answer made me smile.

Molly informed me the other day that her brother Michael had brown skin. She was very excited to tell me this. I guess he must be imaginary-adopted...

As a non-southerner living in the South, I am very careful about how I talk to her talk about skin color. I am frequently taken aback by some of the attitudes that still prevail here, and do not want my children to learn them. Molly doesn't think of herself as "white" (see above :-). Obviously, she is observant and is aware that many people look different from our family. In the past, if she said something about it, I'd say something like "everyone looks different, and that's just the way God made us". It's been enough...

Last weekend, we were in a parking lot waiting for Grandma Toddler. A group of very dark skinned ladies passed by our car.

Molly (squealing excitedly): Mom! That lady looks like Grandma.

Me: Really? Why does she look like Grandma?

Molly: Um... She looks like her body. And her clothes.

Me: Are they the same in other ways?

Molly: Their hair is black. But that lady has dark skin.

Me: That's true. She has skin like Princess Tiana doesn't she?

Molly: Yeah... She's so pretty.

Though the lady had a similar body shape and was wearing a shirt similar to one of Grandma Toddlers, it never would have occurred to me to think they looked "alike".

A few minutes later, we got out of the car and headed into the store. The group of ladies walked by again...

Molly (squealing excitedly): Look! It's the lady that looks like Grandma! But she has dark skin that matches the road!

Molly loves it when things match, and gets very loud and excited about it. I have no idea if they heard her. She was innocently observing, but I doubt it would be taken well.

She just likes to talk about what color things are, and people are not off limits. Any suggestions on age appropriate ways to approach this subject with Molly? Should it even be approached?

Monday Highlights 7/18/11

Daddy Toddler and I were at the final Harry Potter film. Molly Toddler had the following conversation with her babysitter.

Molly (pointing at a shirt on the couch): Is that daddy's shirt?

Sitter: Yes.

Molly (puzzled): But... is daddy walking around with no shirt on? That's so silly!

She pondered this for a minute.

Molly: You know what? I think he probably took of this shirt and put on a different shirt!

Molly: I'm Bob the Builder. Look at my tools!

She has measuring spoons stuffed into her pockets.

Me: Those are great tools, Bob. Can you be Molly again?

Molly: Wait a minute. I'll get her...

Molly ducked around the corner, twirled around, can came back with completely different posture and a very high pitched, breathy voice.

Molly: Why hello Mommy! I'm Molly again!

In Lucy Toddler news, she is talking like a champ. Today she said "apple" when she saw a picture of one. She frequently asks for her "pashy", to go "ow-shy" and for a drink of "shoooo".

In quandary Toddler news, we think Lucy has figured out how to open doors. I don't know how this is physically possible, because she can barely touch the bottom of the handle. However, she got into the toilet 3 times today, and I am 99% sure that the door was shut. I would put a child lock on the door, but Molly frequently needs to get in on a moment's notice. Will I risk toilet exploration or wet panties? I just can't decide.

Sunday-Thursday Highlights 7/10/11

Molly was playing with balls of yarn and making various foods (noodles, french fries, etc).

Me: I love your good manners, Molly.

Molly: Do you love my beignets?

Molly: It's a banana! Healthy as can be!

A few nights ago, the fire alarm went off at 3:00am (stupid humidity). Molly freaked and had to be comforted and calmed. The next morning, she told me a very elaborate story about the "monster noise" and that it was from a "grown up toy that was following me down the hall".

Me: What are you doing?

Molly: I'm pretending I'm imagionation-ing!

Molly: Mom... what can you do for me?

Me: Excuse me?

Molly: Can you give me a favor?

Molly: Mom, do you know what? I have two brothers: Michael and Super Meat Boy.

Me: Molly, where is you hairbow?

Molly: I took it off for safekeeping! It's in the car!

Molly demonstrates her "knittering" skills

In the spirit of her "Little House on the Prairie" dress, Molly demonstrates her "knittering" skills. (You'll probably need to turn up the volume)

We corrected her after the video, but "knittering" was such a great word. We had to get it on video. :-)

Dance Camp 2011 - Anticipation

Last week, Molly Toddler and I had the following conversation:

Me: Molly, next week you get to go learn how to dance!

Molly (dejectedly): No mommy, I can't go...

Me: Why not?

Molly: Becuase I just don't have a beautiful dress.

Me: Well actually, I have two leotards for you.

Molly: Leotard?

Me: They are clothes for dancers. I have a black one and pink one.

Molly: I will wear the black one. Because there's a black wall there (not sure where she go this idea from), and all the other girls will be wearing black.

Me: Actually, I think they might wear pink.

Molly: Oh... I will wear pink then.

Me: I'm also going to put your hair up like a dancer.

I gathered what hair she has, and fashioned it into a bun.

Molly: Oh mom... that looks fan-tas-tic.

Me: It does?

Molly: Yes... and it kind of looks like a pumpkin. Or a hay-stack on top of my head.

Today was Molly's first day:

Check out the tap shoes!

Molly doing a ballet pose:

I said "Molly, make an "O" with your arms, and she did this:

For those that haven't watched a ridiculous amount of Signing Time, she signed the letter "O".

We have dance camp every day this week. I hope to determine whether Molly will enjoy it enough to commit to lessons next year. When did my baby get so big?

Friday Highlights 7/8/11

Happy (belated) 4th of July from the Toddler Family!

Look at us- all color coordinated! :-)

When I'm out of the house all week, it's nearly impossible to record the Toddler girls' adventures. Here a few gems:

I gave Molly a snack of blue berries and tomatoes.

Me: Don't those colors look so nice together?

Molly: Yes! They look like children lining up

Um... What?

Lucy Toddler is getting some toddler attitude. The other day, she picked up Molly's cup, glared at her and says "No... ME!"

Me: Let's get dressed.

Molly: NO! I'm being a bear.

Me: But look at this cute new shirt!

Molly: WOW! It's very colorful! I want to wear it!

Me: But I thought you were a bear.

Molly: Yes, but now I'm a clothes-bear.

I assume that is taxonomically related to a "clothes-horse"...

Molly: Why are you wearing my clippies!!!

Me: I found them and just put them on.

Molly: You weren't being polite to me. You weren't sharing.

I finally got Molly to try some of the homemade strawberry jam a friend and I mide this week (she was not a fan of the blackberry flavor).

Me: What do you think?

Molly: I estimate it was good! We should have some strawberry toast!!!

Molly is banging her plate.

Me: Stop making that noise.

Molly: But I just wanted to see what the echo looks like.

Almost kiddo... :-)

Because it's about a million degrees down here in the swamp, we rarely play outside during the summer. That doesn't mean the girls don't get to go swimming:

Who needs water :-p

Molly Toddler Speaks "Spanish"

Dora (Molly Toddler) attempts to communicate with Tico (Daddy Toddler) in "Spanish".

Ah, blackmail :-)

Edit: Upon review, I noticed that she signs "party" when talking about the fiesta, and "sleep" when she's talking about sleep to Tico.

The Tale of Molly and the Glasses

Wednesday morning, I woke up and couldn't find my glasses. I asked Molly Toddler if she'd seen them; she told me "no", but acted guilty. I turned the house upside down and did not find them.

Thursday, she confessed to me that she'd broken my glasses and thrown them in the kitchen trash. Our trash day? Thursday.

I scheduled an eye appointment for Friday afternoon, and enjoyed a partially child free day of errands (thank you Grandma Toddler). I purchased new glasses shortly after the appointment.

This afternoon, I began sorting the laundry. Now, I normally do this Thursday night because, Friday is laundry day. However, since I had a day of errands planned, I put it off til today. You get three chances to guess what I found in the laundry - I doubt you'll need all three.

Apparently Molly channeled Anne of Green Gables and falsely confessed to breaking my glasses. Perhaps she thought I'd be happier if I knew what happened to them. Who knows...

When shown the recovered glasses, Molly was delighted.

Molly: See! I didn't break them. I just hid them in the laundry.

Daddy: Molly, that's bad. You lied to us, and we had to buy new glasses.

Molly: But I found them... because I have secret eyes!

I'm kicking myself for not sorting the laundry Thursday night and consequently spending unnecessary money on glasses (since I don't tutor in the summer now is NOT the t$me). However, my prescription has changed since I got them 6 years ago. Street signs are delightfully easy to read, and distant trees have clearly defined leaves again. Also, they're cute:

The moral(s) of the story? Never trust a 3-year-old's story, and do the laundry on time!