Eggnog

Ben: Why do they call it 'eggnog'?

Daddy: Well... it has eggs in it...

Ben: Yeah, but what's with the 'nog' part?

Her Mother's Daughter

It looks like it's just going to be a Penelope week around here.

So I was sitting in the rocking chair, waiting for Penelope to get the book she wanted to read. She'd already picked out one that I haven't read yet - Petunia... something or other. I can't remember, but I'm not going into her room right now to figure it out. In any case, I was looking forward to it.

Penelope had other things in mind though. She started going through the books on her bookshelf looking at them. I said, "There it is, Petunia is right there on top."

"I know. I'm looking for something else. Here! Little Jimmy Little!"

Ugh. It's one of the Care Bears books from the 80's. I am not a fan. I tried to steer her back to the other book, "Oh sweetie no, not the Care Bears tonight! I was looking forward to the Petunia book! I haven't read that one yet."

And then she said something that is a distinct Mommy-ism, "You'll deal." Then she handed me the book and started climbing into the chair with me.

At first, I thought I must have heard her wrong, "What?"

As she settled into the chair on my lap she said, "It's ok, Dad. You'll live. Little Jimmy Little."

And then of course, I read the Little Jimmy Little book for what seems like the hundredth time. She was right. I dealt. I'm alive.

Penelope quotes from the week

#1 - At the dinner table

The family is eating dinner. Ben has ketchup on his face.

Daddy: "Ben, you have ketchup on your face."

Ben takes his napkin and wipes his face with it.

Daddy: "How did you manage to do that? You just wiped your entire face with that napkin, and the ketchup is still there."

Mommy: "He's a boy."

Penelope: "And I'm a girl. Girls can do anything."

#2 - In the laundry room

Penelope is helping Mommy move clothes from the washer to the dryer.

Mommy: "Oops! That one doesn't go in the dryer. Here, I'll put that one on the line."

Penelope: "You mean on Facebook."

#3 - When I grow up

Penelope: "Daddy, when I grow up can I be a teacher?"

Daddy: "Of course you can! So, you want to be a teacher... do you know what the first thing you need to do is?"

Penelope: "Yes. I need to turn 5."

A letter to Penelope

Dear Penelope,

Happy birthday! It is hard to believe you are four! I decided that I wanted to write down just a few of the things that I love about the four-year-old you. Honestly, it is hard to just pick a few. You're a very lovable little girl (but I'm a bit biased on the subject).

I love that you always have a song in your heart. I can't remember the last day that went by when I didn't hear you singing. You sing to us, you sing to your toys, you sing to yourself... you sing when you're happy, you sing when you're bored, you even sing when you're in the bathroom.  Sometimes it is a song that we all know, and often you are just making it up as you go.

I love that you think the world has a giant invisible Pause button that you can use when you need to. Out of the blue, you'll just shout "Pause!" and make a motion like you're pressing a giant button, run out of the room to do whatever you need to do, then run back in, and press the button again, shout "Unpause!", and pick right up where you left off.

I love that you love books. If you could get me to sit still long enough, you'd have me read every book in the house to you. And you desperately want to read by yourself. You'll spend half an hour paging through one of Ben's chapter books on your own, just looking at any pictures that are there. Or you'll get one of your own books and "read" the story out loud to yourself. I can't wait until you're reading on your own.

I love your sense of humor. It's like two parts "innocent kidspeak" mixed with three parts "goofy oddball", and delivered with  impeccable comedic timing. You know just the right moment to cross your eyes or make a goofy face, and on the rare occasions when you've decided that your bellybutton should join the conversation, it's seemed like a natural choice. You're in that 2-5 age zone, where half of what you say is just cute or funny anyway. An example... the other day you were being particularly goofy. Mother (that's what you call her sometimes, when you are acting all grown-up) said to you "Penelope, you're so stinkin' cute!" You put your hands on your hips, your angry face on, and said very indignantly, "No I'm not! I took a bath!"

Well all right, then. If you insist.

And of course, I love that you love me too. The big hug you give my shins when I get home is a highlight of many days. I realize that some of these things are true to who you'll be a year from now or two, five ten etc., while others belong to the realm of "kid things" that will fade with time. Which is which doesn't really matter, but I hope that at least the shin hugs persist for a while.

Love,

-Daddy (a.k.a. Father)

Tooth #2

Ben lost another tooth on Wednesday (the bottom right incisor, he informs me - he sidled up next to me and is now sitting with me while I type this). This time he was in gym class, wiggling it with his fingers when it popped out. I'll ignore the implications on how well he may have been participating in class on this day or for the past couple weeks. 

And, of course he wrote the Tooth Fairy a note. He's real big into notes. When he showed it to us it just looked like a blank sheet of paper! He'd written in yellow highlighter. We wondered how the Tooth Fairy was going to even be able to read his note, and Ben told us it would glow in the dark. Hmmm... not sure about that. Maybe the Tooth Fairy has more sensitive eyes than the rest of us. Perhaps she can see different wavelengths or something.

I was able to simulate how the Tooth Fairy might have seen his note using a black light:

We thought about this.. Wow.. what's the Tooth Fairy's name? It's just "Tooth Fairy", right? Or maybe its "Toothetina", if you're a Pinkalicious fan. We were surprised in the morning to find that the Tooth Fairy had signed Ben's note!

Not only did she sign it (as Ben is pointing out each time I type "she"), Ben's tooth fairy is a he! He's got a pretty cool name, too. Where do fairies get their names from anyway? Answering that question required a brief distraction. And now I am being asked what a distraction is, so I should stop writing while I am ahead.

Moon Over New Braunfels

We visited our friends down in New Braunfels today. They have a new wee one - about 8 weeks old. I always forget how tiny and cute they are!

Anyway.. not here to talk about adorable little babies. I was going to talk about swimming pool physics. You see, when there's a 6-year-old boy in a pool who wants to be tossed in the air, then you've got to toss him, at least once. And if that 6-year-old's swim trunks happen to be untied, then on the upswing the water will tug them downward. By the time said 6-year-old has left the water... well you can guess the rest.

I was on the sidelines to witness the whole thing. Jason provided the initial toss. It was a really funny sight - Ben flying through the air, butt bare to the world, with an expression of glee on his face. He was so excited! "My bum was out in the air! Do it again!" So of course we obliged.

Clean?

Penelope, handing over her sunglasses: "Here Mommy."

Mommy: "Why are these wet?"

Penelope: "Because I cleaned them."

Mommy: "You cleaned them?"

Penelope: "Yep. With my tongue!"