the way it is

Dear Della,

Last night, we were all in the kitchen cooking dinner and getting ready for Thanksgiving when Daddy tooted. On the loud side. Here is the conversation that ensued (with me giggling in the background):

"You can't be in the band!"

"Why?"

"Acuz you tooted!"

"People in the band toot. And you toot too."

"Yeah, but I toot sparkles!"

I love you,

Mama

last night in bed

Dear Della,

Last night while getting into your bed, you were wrestling around with your pillows a little. You have 3 in your bed, a full sized, feather pillow with a green, polka dot pillow case, a small fuzzy one that Granna gave you with "Princess" on it and a medium sized, feather pillow with a flower pillow case that I made that you always used when you had your toddler bed.

Now that you have the setup, here is your dialog.

"I don't want to sweep wif dis big piwwow," as you hand it to Daddy.

"I want to sweep wif dis little one," as you rest your head on the fuzzy, Princess pillow. "Dis one is too soft!".

Daddy gently suggests that you sleep with the flower pillow, and you try that one out.

"Dis one is too fwowewy," (translation: flowery) as you reach for the big one on the floor.

"Dis one is not too polka dotty!" and you lay down, content.

I love you,

Mama

on the way to school

Dear Della,

"I had a dweam wif Bawack Obama in it."

"You did?"

"Yeah, he came to my pawty and bwought me a gift."

"Was John McCain there too?"

"Yes, but not the bad pwesident."

"George Bush?"

"Yeah!"

I love you,

Mama

heard in bed

Dear Della,

This morning we were laying in bed together (my favorite way to wake up). We were looking at a little book that Granna had given me years ago which was difficult for me because I didn't have my glasses on.

"Wets wead dis witto book."

"Ok, we can read a few pages."

"Five, fow, fee, seconds..."

I love you,

Mama

guts and insides

Dear Della,

Yesterday, we spent the day together enjoying the final days of summer. We went to the library, had lunch at Hollywood Burger Bar, purchased a used/new to you raincoat and cat rain boots, visited Children's Garden and played in the fountain at Jamison Square. By the time we met Daddy at the Lucky Lab, I was exhausted but happy.

You were so happy to be in the fountain. You basically threw your boots off and ran into the water screaming. You informed me that you were screaming because you were having fun. I spent most of the time reading my book and glancing up every 2 or 3 sentences to scan the throngs of children in search of your blue polka dotted swimsuit. I enjoyed watching the crowd too as almost everyone had a smile on there face, kids to adults.

At the library, we found the normal kid books, but we also found an anatomy book from the " 'dult " section. I picked it up for you as you have been talking about how babies breath and eat with your classroom at ChildRoots.
The first thing you asked, "Is there any pee?". You have since seen a cross section of a vertebrae that has the spinal cord in a yellow color. That will forever be known to you as pee. We took it into school today and you proudly showed it off to Teacher Jessica and Harry. On this picture, you informed him that it was, indeed, pee. He responded that it was the same color as pee. He is so good about just reflecting your thoughts and comments. But, of course, I had to say that, "No, it is just the inside of the back bones, blah, blah, blah." I don't think you really care what it actually represents. You also really like looking at the hand bones, putting your hand on it and noticing that the picture is "vewy tiny".

This comes on the heals of watching a Magic School Bus episode that shows the inside of a kid's digestive track. You have always been so fascinated with the Magic School Bus books, and I find it fascinating that you like science so well. It has reinforced my decision to change your preschool. You often tell me that you like your old school better and that "everyone hates you" at your new school. Well, you never talked about a snail's big foot (we even brought one in that is still living in your room) or uterus' or looked for potato bugs at your old school.

I love you,

Mama

to be frank

Dear Della,

We have been hanging out on our own this week as Daddy has been at his bike repair class in Ashland this week. Here is an excerpt from our conversation tonight:

"Tomorrow is going to be Mama's day,"

"Yeah! Now, I won't hate you!"

Thanks my dear. I aim to please.

I love you,

Mama

what else?

Dear Della,

Yesterday, we had a fun afternoon on Uncle Benny's boat on Lacamas Lake. I don't think you really knew what to expect when I told you where we were going.

Once we were all in the boat with pfd's on the kids, we went puttering away from the dock. Then, Uncle Benny opened it up and you started screaming. With joy! You were so happy to be going fast. You asked for your sunglasses. Once you had them on, you sat in the chair smiling, shaking your hair a little in the wind and screaming. " THIS IS SO MUCH FUNNNNN!", you yelled.

You weren't as excited when we stopped and through the anchors down as you liked "going fast". But, Aunt Jen inflated the "Island Oasis" which is a hug raft that has a section cut out and a net at the bottom for little people to swim in it. You played on that and in the lake with me and on the ladder at the back of the boat. You cried for awhile "acuz my wife jacket is toooo tiiiggghhht". But, my operation Ignore It worked out well and you stopped.

It was very relaxing, and I was able to enjoy playing with cousin Sammy as well. When we got back, Ben treated us to dinner at the Moose Lodge. It was too bad that I forgot my camera though.

Here is an excerpt from our conversation on the way home:

"Why we onwy do two fings today?"

"What do you mean?"

"We onwy go on the boat an' go to dinnaw. Why"?

I love you,

Mama