Quotable Quotes

Here are a few recent comments from RR:

While getting ready for bed:
"Mommy, I remember something from yesterday. There was a little bubble and I was thinking it."

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"Tomorrow I'll be a grown-up."
Context was she wants to be a grown-up and get her own money so she can buy her own toothpaste and squeeze out LOTS at a time instead of the annoyingly pea-size amount her cruel mother limits her to.

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Having re-watched the 1964 "Rudolph" Christmas Special the night before:

"Daddy, I have an idea. You and me can be independent together. ...Independent means you are very strong. You can carry (...thoughtful pause...) fifteen toys!"

Holiday Season

Both kids have been enjoying the holidays and family visits, and we are happy to see they are starting to play with each other now (though RR still spends plenty of time with her toy trains, as well.) Without any profound summing-up coming to mind, here in the last hour of 2011, I'll just report a few vignettes from RR.

When admiring some fall colors: "I like both seasons: Fall and Christmas!"

One of the kids' presents was a songbook. I realized my rendition of "Clementine" was more effective than expected, when I saw RR was in tears after a few verses. She said several times "I'm so sad! Why 'lost and gone forever'?" She wasn't satisfied with "it's just a story" and T eventually offered that Clementine later resurfaces and lives with the narrator happily ever after (and with some additional comments about swimming lessons.) This version was accepted I think with some suspicion.

We have a large rug in the living room which mysteriously, and incessantly, gets pulled sideways and forms wrinkles. Due to its size, and number of toy bins sitting around the edges, straightening the rug is a several step process. RR surveyed my efforts with a critical eye. "What do you think, is it flat?" I asked while lifting one corner of the sofa and tugging at the rug, expecting approval. "No, there is another bump over there!" she replied, pointing at the opposite corner. This was repeated several more times as I realized I was not going to get away with any half-hearted rug-straightening jobs. Finally I pulled a minor wrinkle flat and asked once more. RR surveyed the floor and pronounced her judgment. "It is a splendid rug, daddy."

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and we wish you a Splendid New Year!

Baby K: first steps

The big news here is that Baby K is graduating into Toddler K! She started making her first, very small steps this weekend. She isn't yet 1, so I think she is earlier than her sister. RR was excited to see the first steps too.

They grow up fast these days

I recently succumbed to the inevitable, and got a smartphone. This did not escape RR's eagle eyes, who of course wanted to play with the widget. I was curious to see what she would do, so I handed it over (remember, this girl is 3 years old). I don't know if this was by chance or on purpose, but within twenty seconds or so, she had (1) unlocked the phone, (2) opened the web browser, (3) searched for popular images, and pulled one up on the screen: "Daddy, is this you?" she asked, showing me the picture. (Note, this photo bears very little resemblance to me).

"Er, no sweetie, that isn't me. I think that is some actor."
She swiped her finger across the screen and studied a few more photos. She found another one to try and turned the phone to me again. "Daddy, is this you? (Note: this photo bears NO resemblance to me!) "Um, no that photo is not me. Maybe we should look at something else..."

"I don't know, I think he looks kind of... cute." said little RR. (I'm still not sure if this whole thing was some sort of setup on her part, or not.)

Another morning at breakfast, we had this conversation:

RR: Daddy, when you were a little girl, did you go to school?
Me: Yes, when I was a little boy I went to school just like you.
RR: (sigh) I said, when you were a little *girl*, daddy. I was making a *joke*.