When we had Scarlette’s four year developmental checkup there were many areas that she was lagging behind in due to her prematurity. LANGUAGE WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE, Y’ALL. The things this child says has me in constant giggles and it is one of my favorite parts of parenting her, seeing her personality bloom through the way she expresses herself.
It was really important to me that Scarlette be able to correctly identify and express her feelings. Probably this seemed really important on account of how at the time that I decided to work on this particular issue her go-to method of sharing her feelings with me was lying on the ground and screaming like a banshee. So you, know, I WAS INVESTED.
It is possible that I may have overemphasized this concept because now Scarlette shares her feelings with me all day long.
Me: No, dinnertime is in twenty minutes so you can not have a piece of chocolate right now.
Scarlette: Well, dis is vewy disappointing news, Mommy. Now I just feel so disappointed.
♥
Me: Well, we can’t play sidewalk chalk outside right now because it is raining and the rain makes the sidewalk chalk wash away, remember?
Scarlette: Well SOMETIMES little girls weally want to play sidewalk chalk and sometimes when people say no to dem it makes dem weally sad Mommy!
♥
Me: “Scarlette, I love that so much but Mommy just needs a little bit of quiet right now.”
Scarlette: “Yeah, you DO need to be quiet for a minute Mommy. Dat would be a good idea for you.”
When I told her that was not how I intended for that to be interpreted, she said “Oh, well I just can’t be quiet in my body right now. Maybe I can try again later.”
♥
I went looking for Scarlette after I made breakfast and spotted a tiny pair of feet peeking out from under my desk. So I asked “Scarlette? What are you doing down there?” And she replied “Oh. Well, I’m just being a little bit sneaky.”
And that’s when I bent down to find her huddled under her blanket with a handful of Thin Mints.
♥
Scarlette: “Mommy, you know what I fink would be a good idea? Putting glitter glue ebreywhere on da glass.”
(The thing is, Scarlette hasn’t learned the meaning of “verb tense” yet and so what she really meant was “Mommy, I ALREADY put glitter glue all over the bathroom window.” That’ll teach me to take a shower.)
♥
Me: Scarlette, did you sneak a cookie out of the pantry?
Scarlette: Well, yes I did. But I want to tell you dat LUCY DOG went in da pantry and she told me to get all da cookies and den she ATE DEM ALL UP WIF HER PAWS!
♥
Scarlette: “Mommy I weally want to take my shoes off.”
Me: “Okay honey, you can take your shoes off.”
Scarlette: “No! I can’t! I can’t take dem off!”
Me: “Why? Do you need my help?”
Scarlette: “No! I weally want to take my shoes off but I can’t because I don’t want to DIE!”
Me: “Um, what? Taking your shoes off does not mean that you will die.”
Scarlette: “YES I WILL. I GOT STINKY FEET! YOU SAY I KILLING YOU WITH MY STINKY FEET!”
♥
Scarlette, loudly, while singing a hymn at church: “Um Mommy? Is dis song about God or JELLYFISH?”
Me: “Scarlette, do you want toast?”
Scarlette, holding one finger in the air: “Oh, why yes I do, and I fink I might go wif some orange juice as well.”
♥
Scarlette, after crying for a long time: Mommy! Da water won’t stop coming out of my eyes! It’s making dem feel so pink and I don’t wike dat! I onwy wike to hab BLUE eyes!
♥
Scarlette just asked me what superpower I would like to have and I said invisibility. So then she asked me what invisibility means and I told her that it’s when people can’t see you, that you can’t see people who are invisible. And she said “Mommy. Dat is not a SUPERPOWER. Dat is just CLOSING YOUR EYES.”
Touche.
