On games to play with her friends: “Let’s go home and cry.”
On things to shout at the mall: “I’m going off wandering by myself!”
On why she’s dangling between the couch and chair: “I’m being a bad example.”
On why she’s stopping to closed her eyes for a moment while building her blanket fort: “I’m getting directions in my head.”
On the plain white cup in her bath: “Good. A space cruiser.”
On being encouraged to try some dinner through the change of heart experienced by the protagonist of Green Eggs and Ham: “He’s lying.”
On being told it’s time to brush her hair: “I can feel something coming. Something mysterious! Something really, really mysterious! Until it all runs out of gas!”
On why she’s out on the sidewalk: “We’re going to get some poisonous berries.”
On her brother exploring a scattered pile of brightly-crayoned index cards: “Gabriel! My research!”
On being told by the doctor that, because of a bang on the knee, she shouldn’t do sports or P.E. for a few days: “I can’t pee?!!”
Abigail took a lot of photos today. She started with some of the dolls, then went for some general house shots. When she was done, I asked if she wanted to choose a few to share with people.
What you see below are the photos she selected herself. I offered a few suggestions, but she shot down as many of my ideas as she accepted. There were several that I thought were good that she chose not to include, and she wanted to have pictures of her and her brother, even though I thought she should just use the pictures she took today. Abigail won in both cases. Call it an opportunity to let go of some parental control.
Without further ado, Abigail’s photo show:
P.S. She was particularly proud of the picture of the curtains.
Gabe doesn’t watch much television. This is by design and is the result of good parenting choices. However, due to a loophole in the regulations we set up, we do have YouTube enabled on our TV. But it’s totally not really television, so it’s okay. Plus, YouTube videos have the ability to freeze a rampant toddler in his tracks, which can be handy when you want to get him to do something, like put on his shoes, or not do something, like jumping up and down on a pile of pillows next to the fireplace.
Here are Gabe’s Top Five YouTube selections. He asks for them by name. I’ve titled each of them by the actual words he uses to ask for them.
5. “Sea Lion”
I recommend this video to everyone. Not only does it contain a Sea Lion dancing to “Boogie Wonderland,” but it also offers up science. This video doesn’t have the calming affect that some of the others do, since both Gabe and his sister will spend much of their time mimicking Ronan.
4. “Wash Hair”
And here we offer even more science! Something about this video transfixes both our children. And while this is a question that I’ve never asked before, the video does provide an answer.
3. “TARDIS”
If you’ve got your kids watching some sort of media anyway, why NOT start the indoctrination process. Doctor Who videos are fairly popular with Gabe overall, but this is the one he always requests. The key with this video is to switch it off BEFORE Clara is dragged off by the evil ice creature at the end.
2. “Flippy Man”
Another one that’s impressive for kids of all ages. Gabe always insists we watch this one, although he’s frequently had enough halfway through. Of all his names for the video, this one is the most descriptive.
1. “Ladder”
And this one is the least descriptive. It actually took me a while to figure out which video he was talking about. As you can see in the thumbnail for the video, there is a ladder lying on the ground beneath the garbage can that the person in the Silurian mask is sitting on. Naturally, this video is about the ladder. The fact that Gabe ALWAYS wants this story is a major ego boost for me, since it’s one of my favorites of the videos I’ve put together.
That should be the end of the list, but I feel the need to add an Honorable Mention. Gabe always requests this video. In fact, this video is the term Gabe uses to ask us to turn on YouTube. But he never actually wants to watch this video once he sees his choices. But it features very cute Abigail, so I’m sharing it anyway. Zoom ahead to about the 50 second mark if you just want to know why he gave it this name.
On introducing a new friend to her room for the first time: “Do you want to make a mess?”
On the armadillo: “Dop-a-dop-a-demo.”
Nonsensicles 