Twisting the rules of hospitality

Anna is somewhat obsessed these days with other people's houses. This is a direct side effect of preschool and the resulting play dates she's had with classmates. Interestingly enough she doesn't yet compare the other houses to ours, she just gets excited to see what kind of stuff other families have. So I wasn't all that surprised when on a recent car trip she looked out at the residential neighborhood we were driving through and asked if we could go to "those people's houses." When I pointed out that we don't know those people, she thought for a second and boiled it down to a rule.

"So, if we don't know the people, we don't go to the house?"
"Exactly."
"But we could try."
"What should we do, just go up and say 'hi I don't know you but I want to go in your house'?"
(Giggling) "Yes!"
"And when we got in their house what would we do?"
"Ummmmm, ask them their names."

Some recent creations

I've been trying to get my digital scrapbooking mojo back. Here is what I've come up with.

A sure sign that your life has gone off track

You not only own two pairs of gray sweatpants, but you consider one your "good" pair.

I could so totally not even write about this

During a visit from my mother last night Rachel tells Grandma how much she likes the movie Horton Hears a Who. Specifically, the scene where Horton the elephant dances around and shakes his tushy.

So my mom asks Rachel, "Does Horton have a little tiny tushy?" And Rachel answers, "No, he has a really big tushy like my mommy!"

Over the river and through the woods

As her classmates were leaving preschool today Anna told me she wanted a nap.

"When we get home?" I asked.
"No, right now."
"Why do you want to take a nap at school?"
"So I can know where I'm going."
"You mean a map?"
"Yes, I need to make a map to Grandma's house."

So she got some paper and a purple marker and sat down at the table. Pretty much everyone was gone when she finished.



So, there's her map. It's all wrinkled because she insisted on rolling it up. "People do that with their maps, Mommy," she assured me.

Respect my lack of authority

While stuck in ridiculous traffic yesterday I jokingly asked Anna, "why won't this car get out of my way Anna?" Her answer: "Don't ask me, I'm not in charge."

If only she'd remember that a little more often.

Decision

It is midnight and the whole house is asleep. I have everything ready for tomorrow and I'm finally getting to bed. I tiptoe up the stairs so as not to wake the girls and quietly brush my teeth and climb into bed, mindful of the squeaks. I straighten out the blankets, check the alarm clock and settle back into my new memory foam pillow. I listen one last time for any stray footsteps in the hall, then finally exhale in the dark and roll onto my side, settling in for sleep.

Twelve seconds later Rachel's door opens and she silently pads to my side of the bed. I smell the lavender scent of her post-bath lotion and see that she's sucking her thumb with the same hand that clutches her blankey. She tries to climb up into my bed but her foot slips and so she holds her hand out to me for help. Our faces are only inches apart in the dark and I can see those huge dark eyes staring at me.

Get up, the responsible-mother-voice in my head nudges me. Get up and put her back in her own bed. You were just complaining to the entire blogosphere about kids in your bed, do what you need to do.

But I'm so comfortable right now, I whine back (yes, at myself). So comfortable and so warm! And look at that face, so sweet. Can you smell that lotion? Besides, she is so snuggly!

Rachel bats her eyelashes one more time and my hand reaches out to hers. Behind her blankey I see that familiar smile and I drown out the responsible-mother-voice as I breathe in the scent of her hair. Because in the end, around here at least, snuggly wins pretty much every time.