Stone cold Bitty Girl

Yesterday I told Bitty Girl it was time to clean up her dolls in the living room.

See previous references to the group sleepovers that have been a regular occurrence--all of her dolls and stuffed animals, placed neatly face-down on various pillows and each covered with a blanket, COVERING my living room floor.

This is definitely from my side of the family--my sister and I had weekly "birthday" parties, where all the stuffed animals would be lined up on the couch.

Bitty examples:

Who me?

Naptime with the babies


Story time

Aerial view - Daddy says this reminds him of Jonestown

Her response to my request? "No, you clean them up."

I patiently explained that it was her job to clean them up, and if she didn't, the dolls would be put in "time-out" for today and she couldn't play with them.

She looks me right in the eye, 100% stone cold serious poker face, and says,

"I find them. I sneak."

SNEAK? A 2 year old? Who does she think she is? And where did she learn that word?

I stayed calm, masking my horrified giggles, and explained that she would not sneak and that I would help her clean them up. Before she had any dessert.

Mommy has to save her trump for the end.

And the Boss goes on....

Tonight at bedtime, after stories and brushing teeth

"I want a song."
"How do you ask for a song with polite words?"
"Song, please, Mommy." (complete with smirky smile and head tilt for emphasis)
"Which song should we sing? The Boat song?"
"Yes."
I start singing, only to be interrupted...
"No, Mommy, don't sing. I SING!"

Hmmmmmph.

Almost 6

As the big 6th birthday approaches (ok, it's in 5 weeks, but we celebrate long around here), I introduce you to the first of several lists.

Things that concern/perturb/frustrate/infuriate our "Almost 6"

• The seemingly arbitrary time change back to Standard Time
• Being wrong
• Anyone who even remotely suggests that he might be slightly wrong
• Losing. At anything.
• Too much attention being given to his little sister
• Missing out on anything
• Not having or doing something that someone else has or does or might have or do
• Being (or thinking he is) the fastest, oldest, tallest, strongest, and general all-around BEST OF ALL
• When Mom goes somewhere BY HERSELF. Or worse, with HER OWN FRIENDS.

Things that do NOT concern/frustrate/even raise the consciousness of "Almost 6"

• Nose picking - his own or other people
• Dirty fingernails
• Clothes matching
• Bad table manners
• That broccoli and carrots are the only two vegetables he will eat
• Socks pulled up almost to his knees (thank god for long-pants weather)
• Teasing his sister
• Making a mess
• If his jokes aren't funny (he thinks they're all funny)

Still snickering

This really isn't funny. Not if you're trying to rein in some 2 yr old "testing the limits" behavior and if you're a tired Daddy giving a slippery girl a bath.

And it's not helpful for Mommy to laugh about it. But sometimes it just slips out.

When I arrived home after work today, Bitty Girl was upstairs getting a bath. I went in to say hello, she smiled and announced that she was getting clean. The funny part is what she said next. To her Daddy, who had just, dealt with less-than-stellar dinner behavior from her. (Read: throwing noodles, spitting, and other things that warrant losing your chance for a cookie for dessert). So she was harboring a little animosity.

She looks him right in the eye, smiles sweetly, and says, "You HIDEOUS!"

I'll admit it. I laughed. I couldn't help it, and The Boy was on my lap so I couldn't exit quickly.
So she said it again.... "You HIDEOUS Daddy!"

If you're going to be rude and sassy, at least use a good adjective!

I guess that's a NOPE

Bitty Girl is in her bed chanting "Halloween Night, Halloween Night."
Guess that means she's not going to nap?

Ah, the joys of having an older brother and being this excited about Halloween at the ripe old age of 2 1/2.

At least she doesn't have a 9 am soccer game tomorrow...

Will post pictures after the big event!

Late afternoon edit: After a diaper change and 30 more minutes of "rest time," otherwise known as chanting, she FELL ASLEEP. For about an hour! Amazing.

Actually.....

That's Bitty Girl's new term.

"That's my cracker, actually."
"Actually, my dolly goes here."
"I want some i-fream (ice cream) actually."

She uses it with this funny little finger point with her head cocked to the side. Hysterical. And sometimes she gets the context right too.

Last night we had dinner with my grandma, in the dining room of her retirement place. We always create a stir since most of the people light up like 200-watt bulb when they see kids. And all the ladies nod in appreciation when we introduce her--they like the good old-fashioned name.

Bitty Girl sat in a big girl booster chair like she was on the royal throne, barking orders at us through dinner. When the server came to take our order, she grabbed a menu and really seemed to read it, pointing her little finger and running it over the letters. She responded emphatically "RICE please!" when asked for her side dish choices and "PINK I-FREAM" for dessert order. She had to hold her OWN chocolate milk and get the ice out of her water glass BY SELF!

Next morning when she told Daddy on the phone about her dinner, here's what she said she ate. Jellies (jelly beans), chocolate raisins, i-fream and brownies. I had to throw in that she ate some ham and a breadstick with a pound of butter, clam chowder, sunflower seeds and croutons from the salad bar, and a little fruit. No wonder she stayed up chatting to herself in her bed for an hour before she fell asleep. She was flying on a sugar high, actually!


And on Sunday, when she was digging in Papa's garden and I tried to take her picture, she ACTUALLY held up her finger (see below) and said, "No pictures, Mama. Busy digging!"
Hmmmph.