Sunday, February 03, 2013

January 2013 - Recap

Oh my dear, darling four-year-old,
So Bob told me this was true.  That there'd be no denying it.  That even though I had experienced some level of it before you turned four, it wasn't even close to what it was after you turned four.  Four-year-old girls ARE, in fact, the silliest creatures on the face of the planet.  Good heavens, with the incessant fake laughter, the made-up language (that we lovingly refer to as Natalese) that you use periodically throughout the day, and the tremendous humor you find from sticking your socks in Charlie's face for him to smell, it's a wonder we can come up for air. 

In addition to being the silliest people on the planet, I'm realizing that four-year-old girls are also the sassiest.  One of my dear friends said that she threatened to make her four-year-old daughter three again if she didn't straighten up her attitude.  I immediately stole that idea.  Whenever you start to get too big for your britches (about every 12 seconds or so), I say "Would you like to be three again?  Cuz I can make that happen.  I'm a Mommy.  I can do anything."  Then you screech and wail that you don't WANT to be three again.  That being three is for BABIES.  That you'll have to give up your super cool NIGHTLIGHT and your super cool TOOTHBRUSH (two things that are only given to four-year-olds, don't ya know?) and you CAN'T give
those up.  So you decide to squelch the sassiness.  For two minutes.  Thankfully, your analytical side hasn't decided to question my method of making you three again.  Because frankly, I have no idea how I'd answer that. 

This is the first month of 'Quiet Time' where you haven't taken a nap.  Which means I haven't taken a nap.  Which means I'm a bleary-eyed mess by dinner time.  Which means I've started having an afternoon cup of coffee.  But it also means that by the time your bedtime rolls around at 7:30, there is very little protest from your end.  You do the obligatory "I don't WANNA go to sleep!  It's no FUN being in my room by mySELF" monologue, but it only lasts a few minutes and you're sacked out.  As opposed to when you WERE taking a nap.  Where it wouldn't be abnormal for you to come into the living room two HOURS after I put you to bed talking about how it's no FUN to be your room by yourSELF.  So no afternoon nap means a quicker bedtime but it also means that both of our nerves are completely shot by 6pm.

So since you're not napping during Quiet Time, you've had to come up with other activities to do.  One of them is jewelry making.  And I have to hand it to you.  You totally milk the cuteness factor.  The rule of Quiet Time is that you can't come out of your room.  You can do whatever you want (within reason, of course - but it's not like you have a flame thrower in there) as long as you stay in your room.  Well, you've been on this jewelry-making kick this month, and you've rationalized that if you're holding a necklace that you've made for me, it's okay to come out of your room 17 times during Quiet Time.

I'm not sure where you picked this up from (probably me, but I'm not 100%), but you've recently started saying things are 'amazing' and 'outstanding'.  Except you don't say it like 'amazing' and 'outstanding'.  You say 'uh--MAZING' and 'out--STANDING'.  You say it so emphatically and with such seriousness that it's hard not to giggle in response.  According to you, Goldfish crackers are uh-MAZING.  Pancakes at a local restaurant are out-STANDING.  I'm not sure what determines if something falls into the uh-MAZING category or the out-STANDING category.  But I do know this: you are both, indeed, uh-MAZING and out-STANDING.  And uh-MAZINGLY exhausting.  Zzzzzz.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for February 1, 2013:

  • Turkey: At Least 2 Dead in Suicide Attack on US Embassy
  • Growing Number Of Educators Boycott Standardized Tests
  • Who’s who: This year’s Super Bowl stars
  • Sheriff to Alabama hostage-taker: 'I want to thank him for taking care of our child'
  • Ben & Jerry's Unveils Liz Lemon Greek Yogurt Flavor

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