The Truth Comes Out

Sarabeth has always wanted to be a mermaid. She is not quite convinced that mermaids are really a myth. In fact, my curly-haired daughter has a book about curly hair which suggests curly-haired women are actually descended from mermaids. Sarabeth latched on to that idea, as you can imagine.

After years of drawing mermaids, cutting out pictures of mermaids, reading books about mermaids, collecting mermaid Barbies, etc., Sarabeth finally got a mermaid costume for her 8th birthday. Then, on our Disney cruise, she became fast friends with Princess Ariel (aka The Little Mermaid) and purchased a mermaid doll in St. Thomas as one of her souvenirs.

Recently all Sarabeth's mermaid dreams came true when she got her very own swimmable mermaid tail. She is in her shimmery fish-tailed glory now, in the bathtub and in the swimming pool, where she always wanted to be anyway.

Can't Argue with That

When Sarabeth was four....

Mommy (exasperated): Sarabeth, is it your goal to keep me from doing anything for myself that I want to do?

Sarabeth: Yes, because I love you more than anyone else in the world and I want to be with you. I bug you because I love you.

Mommy (deflated): I love you, too, Sarabeth.

Hugs exchanged.

Wait for Me!

As I headed downstairs to the kitchen, three-year-old Sarabeth came running from her bedroom, asking me to wait for her. "Mommy, you left without me and you aren't holding my hand. I don't appreciate that."

Hospitality

So, in trying to teach my children how to be good hosts when they have friends over, apparently I neglected to mention that locking them and yourself into the dog's kennel (with the dog) might not be the most mannerly idea.

Fun Mom

Okay, so, when I was growing up, I never, ever, ever got to ride the horse at the grocery store. Thus, I very much want my own children to have this exalted childhood experience. Fortunately, "Sandy," the horse at Meijer, only costs one cent per ride!

Divine Theory

Since she was a tiny girl, Sarabeth has talked about the sparkly beads she sees in the dark when she's in bed at night. When she was four, she explained her theory: "I think the beads I see in the dark at night are angels watching over me. I try to reach out and grab them, to hold them, but I never can."

Worth Talking About

When Christopher was two years old, he didn't talk very much... so anything he did say was really special. For example: after his Uncle Keith and Aunt Tammy got him this cool outfit (which he loved), he was happy to tell people what was on the front of his shirt.

"Mon-ter tuck!"

What's on your shirt, Christopher?

"Mon-ter tuck!"