When Does the Party Start?

Margot at her finest.  I think the addition of the vocals means that this tops even her best Erasure-fueled disco moves.

Sisterly Advice

Tonight Margot was working on her "reading contract," which is a one-page chart on which she records what she's read each day of the week.  As is often the case with Margot, it was a drama-laden event.

Me:  "Margot, can you finish filling in your reading contract?"
Margot (wailing):  "Mommy!!  I can't do it.  I can't remember what I read on Tuesday, I just can't."
Me:  "Margot, calm down and think about what you read last night before you went to bed."
Margot:  "Oh, I can't do it!  I just can't remember, it's too hard!"
Claire:  "Margot, just persevere."

Mystery Notes Take a New Turn

In keeping with the Wiest-ette tradition, this note was "anonymously" left for me after Margot got in trouble tonight.  When I thanked her for the apology, she exclaimed, "How did you know it was from me??" 

She then followed up with a sort of read-aloud/ad-libbed presentation, which consisted of the following:  "Mommy - you're the best mom ever.  I love you.  You're intelligent.  You work hard to keep us healthy.  You make good biscuits.  I like when you sing us a lullaby.  You're a good mom.  I love you so, so much."

Geez.  Maybe I should put her in time-out more often.

Birthday Commentary

Today is Don's birthday.  Claire asked me how old he is - when I replied "41" she exclaimed, "Wow!  Do we know anyone else who is that old?  Besides Grandpa and Grandma, I mean?"

Rewards for Divas

I was cleaning out my wallet yesterday and Margot was the lucky recipient of an extra Godiva Rewards card.  She studied it carefully and then exclaimed, "Go, Diva?!  This is awesome!"

Her initial enthusiasm was followed by a rousing rendition of a song that goes like this:  "Go diva, it's your birthday!  Go diva, it's your birthday!"  (Repeat 300 times.)

Request of the Week

Jane's unusual request for a mail-order baby sister may have been trumped by the question that Margot just asked me:

Margot:  "Mommy, can you buy me a clear bodysuit?"
Me:  "A what?"
Margot:  "A CLEAR bodysuit.  Like, one you can see through?"
Me:  "No, I can't."
Margot:  "Yeah . . . I guess they're probably pretty hard to find."

I imagine that a see-through bodysuit might even be harder to locate that your average Hellcat costume.

Responsible Dogs

Let me start by noting that Jane is on a bit of a roll this week.  She has continued with near-hourly requests that I order her a baby sister, and responded with outright fury when she realized I'd actually given away almost all of our baby things ("Mommy!  I'm so mad at you.  You should not give our baby things away.  The baby sister is not going to have any bottles now!  She needs diapers!  She needs pacifiers!") 

She did, however, take a brief break from the topic of the hoped-for baby sister to engage in the following discussion:
Jane:  "Mommy, remember when I was home with Margot and we were by ourselves without any grown-ups here?" 
Me:  "What are you talking about?  You and Margot have never been left here with out any grown-ups."

Jane:  "Yes, we were."

Me:  "Who was watching you, then?"

Jane:  "Margot."

Me:  "Who was watching Margot?"

Jane:  "Claire."

Me:  "Ok.  Who was watching Claire?"

Jane:  "Um . . . Ollie?"  (Note:  Ollie is a dog.)

Me:  "Uh-huh.  And who was watching Ollie?"

Jane (triumphantly):  "Hugo!"  (Note:  Hugo is also a dog - although he is probably qualified to watch Ollie.)

Me:  "So, who was watching Hugo?" 

Jane:  "The dishwasher."

Me:  [silence]

Because, really - how am I supposed to respond to that?

Fashionista Strikes Again

Claire:  "Mommy?  Have you ever described me by saying "She lives for fashion"?"

Me:  "Um . . . I'm not sure I've used those exact words."

Claire:  "Huh.  Don't you think you should?"

Know Thy Sister

Jane's first comment upon receiving her newest accessory:  "Wow.  Margot is going to be really jealous of this pink cast."

Margot's first comment upon seeing Jane after we got home from the hospital:  "Jane, congratulations!  That's a really cool pink cast."

Does that kid know her sister or what?

(Jane's second comment after getting the cast, by the way, was to announce to the doctor that "this pink cast will still match my red birthday dress."  Even in the throes of broken-arm pain, one must not lose sight of one's fashion priorities.)

Catalog Shopping

In what may be her most original request yet, Jane just asked me to buy her a baby from the Company Store catalog.

Jane (holding catalog open to a page with two babies):  "Mommy?  See these babies? With their mouths open?"
Me:  "Yes, aren't they cute?"
Jane:  "Can you buy me one of these?  They can fit pacifiers in their mouths."  (Note:  the failure of many of Jane's dolls to "fit pacifiers in their mouths" is an unending source of disappointment for her.)
Me:  "Those are real babies - they aren't for sale.  They're just showing the different baby clothes that you can buy from this catalog."
Jane:  "They have a lot of them in here.  Can you buy me one of them for a baby sister?"
Me:  "Jane, we can't buy a baby from a catalog."
Jane:  "Look!!  Here are two more.  Can you buy me one of these?"
Me:  "No, we can't buy a real baby."
Jane:  "When I turn four can we order one?  For a little sister?  Who fits a pacifier in her mouth?"
Margot (walking into room):  "Jane, you can't order a real baby from a catalog."
Jane: "Margot!  I know that.  Mama has to order it for me."