Out of the mouths of babes

When baby girl heard that I was heading out for a run tonight, she started up a stream of vehement and unintelligible protestations which we finally figured out to be "But there's no beach here!"  Dad explained that Mom was going to run on the sidewalk.  But all Mom could think, was "My sentiments exactly, babe."

It is damned hot here.  Even at 9pm.  In the rain.

Baby girl has been entertaining us no end with her newfound language skills and powers of rational thought.  They are too fleeting to remember without writing down, too precious not to write, and since this seems to be my writing spot these days, I am sharing them with you, o vast audience.

With three brothers to keep in line, and being who she is (and whose daughter she is), baby girl can be a bit of a bossy pants.  Especially when it comes to righteous indignation over house rule violations, or energy/ecological conservation.  (At a similar age, I slapped a little girl for picking -and killing!- a flower.  What can I say; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree).  Which may explain her exasperated tone of voice when she came downstairs yesterday morning to see a bright square of sunshine on the floor, and sighed "Mom!  Somebody left the SUN on!!"

Another snapshot in time.  A friend and I were discussing the older boys' upcoming trip to visit their grandparents out of state, and commenting that this should be a happy visit for all involved, since the boys are now old enough to be independent, but young enough to be enthusiastic.  The 4-year-old was listening in on the conversation, and wanted to know what being independent meant.  My friend explained that the big boys didn't need as much help with things as younger kids do.  To which he replied proudly, "I don't need help going to the bathroom!"  After a pause, baby girl quietly volunteered, "I don't need help combing my ponies' hair."

And tonight, while the two little ones and I were lying down, talking and unwinding from the day. 

Little brother:  Mom, why don't you want my bed by the window?
Mom:  I don't really mind, do you want it by the window?
Little brother:  But why don't we put it by the window?
Baby girl:  You CAN'T move a BED!  It is heavy and heavy and heavy!
Mom:  Well, we could move the bed...
Baby girl:  How come you can move a bed?  It is heavy and heavy and heavy!
Mom:  Because mommy and daddy are strong.  But maybe it would be too bright by the window in the mornings...

The conversation turned to our babysitter who is coming tomorrow.  It's been a while since she tended for us, and I was trying to describe her to remind them of who she is.  Kathryn is a sweet girl, long dark hair, and petite.

Baby girl:  Kathryn is a little girl?
Mom:  Well, she's a girl, and she's a lot bigger than you.  But she's smaller than me.
Baby girl:  I am a little girl.
Mom:  Yes, you are my baby girl. 
Baby girl:  Kathryn has a mommy?
Mom: Yes, Kathryn has a mommy.
Baby girl:  Her mommy is big?
Mom:  Well, her mommy is bigger than she is...
Baby girl:  Her mommy can move the bed?

Sometimes you can almost smell the smoke.