All toes go to heaven.

Abby has discovered how to tie knots. This is generally no big deal; however, we have had to discuss not tying things around one's neck (this, after an incident with her Groovy Girl scarf, which she now knows is too small for her neck) or around any other body parts. Last night she decided to tie a string around her big toe. I was right there and saw it begin to turn red.

G: Abigail, what did mommy say about tying things on our bodies?
A: Don't do it.
G: That's right. If you tie something too tightly on your toe, the blood cannot get to it, and it will die, and maybe even have to be cut off!

(I waited for the questions about blood, pain, amputation...)

A: Will it go to heaven?

p.s. I don't use scare tactics very often, but the honest truth about consequences can be a useful deterrent.

Update on "The Lion, The Witch, and the Roardrobe"

Abby did end up sleeping in our bed the other night, as I suspected she might. Her fears about the White Wirtch have been calmed, but now she's seriously getting in to the role play...

Last night as Matthew slaved away making Coq au Vin (it was unbelievably good!), I read two more chapters. In between chapters, I took a short break to check in on Matthew and when I came back, Abby was holding her book and talking to her stuffed animal, Curious George.
A: OK, now we're going to read our next chapter...

Then she saw me and grinned. We read about Peter's first battle, and his (rather explicit) triumph over the wolf, using his sword. I looked up from the pages to find Abby sawing poor Curious George with the wing of a paper airplane Matthew had made earlier in the day. That's freaky behavior for Abby, for any of you that might not know her well. Apparently George forgave her; he was the requested animal companion for the night.

First encounters with C.S. Lewis

I started reading Lewis' "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" to Abby two days ago. This was mostly an experiment to see how well she might follow the story since we do not have the new illustrated version, but rather my childhood boxed set that has a small illustration at the beginning of each chapter. She is always very excited to see the pictures, but is going wild with imagining the scenes. This translates, of course, to many questions (and interruptions, which she promises are "just one more fing..." (thing)), but we really are making excellent progress. We are halfway through the book (Edmund has just been discovered missing, and the kids are about to meet Aslan). About a chapter ago Abby said to me:

A (with a breathless and excited tone): Mommy, I have a great idea! How about me and my friends can go there (Narnia), and live there all together!
G: That sounds exciting!
A: Mommy? How do we get in that book? (She's totally serious)
G: Well, we have to read the story and imagine what it might be like to be there.
A: (pause) Mommy, I know, we can PRETEND that we are there in that book!

This anticipation to be IN the story is so fresh and wonderful. The downside is that Abby is quite concerned about the White Witch and Aslan (the Lion). She wants to meet Aslan (A: I want to be right up next to him. I'm not afraid!), but requires many assurances that the White Witch is not trying to capture her. Tonight we peeked ahead at the illustration of Aslan. I made the mistake of "rarring" (roaring) and jumping up a little. Bad mommy. Abby cried and was quite indignant!

A (through tears, and ever so slightly red-grey from crying): That's not what Aslan is like! He doesn't RAR like that. You shouldn't say that!
G: You are right, Abby. I'm so sorry for rarring at you, I was just playing. I wont do that again, I promise.
A: It's OK, I'm not mad at you.

Then a few minutes later, when it was time for her to get into her PJs, I asked her to fetch them from her bedroom. She ran about halfway down the hall and stopped abruptly, then she ran right back to me.

A: Mommy, I'm afraid!
G: Honey, what are you afraid of?
A: I'm afraid of the White Witch.

OH BOY. Now I've done it! Abby LOVES this story, but I have a feeling she is going to milk this fear for all it is worth! I'll admit, Lewis is amazing at creating a riveting story...ten bucks says she sleeps in our bed tonight.

good daddy

Abby walks down the hall with her glass tea pot tied up with a shoe string, leading the (breakable) tea pot like a dog:

A: Look daddy!
M: Oh boy, that looks like a very neat idea, but why don't you practice your cleverness on something less breakable.

I was impressed with this response. I just wonder if he would have been quite so thoughtful and relaxed if it had been his iPod she was trailing with a string!!

morning funnies

A: Why does daddy not wear undies like a girl?
G: Daddy wears undies, but he is a boy.
A: (pause) One time he wore girl undies. It was a long time ago, and you didn't know it.
G: Did you see him wear these undies? What color were they?
A (leans closer and whispers): pink.

I went to the source (chuckling), and asked:

G: Is this true?
M (laughing): No, that is not true and you cannot blog about that.

I post this blog with Matthew's blessings, by the way.

Another daddy comment:

A: Daddy, you'll wake the children with your tooting like that.
(Note: We do not have other children)

storytime

A story by Abby: August 8, 2005

"Little Froggie's house was by a new orchard, and all of a sudden the princesses ran by to get their princes to go back home. They went back home to get visitors. And all of a sudden the strong wind came and started to blow them away. The princesses went back to their house in the wind. Some princesses have to leave. If they are gone they have to leave the house. They go back in, they go back out, they go back in, they go back out. And all of a sudden, the rain came and they went back in and snuggled up warm and cozy. Then they were all happily ever after."

Abby's first Love letter

We recently returned from a long trip to visit friends and family in the South. Before we left California, Abby's friend Miles (also 3 years old) became so excited to see her that he had his mommy (Paige) write a message, word for word, to Abby. This may just be her first love letter:

"I miss you Abby, I love you Abby, I love you so much Abby, I love you
to the moon and back, I love you so much to the planet and back, you're
so pretty, I can't wait to see you, I can't wait to see your house, I
can't wait to see you Abby. I love you so much, I miss you , I love
your house but I can't remember what's inside your house. I almost
want you I can't wait so much. I can't can't wait to see you berry
berry berry much. To the planet, to the moon, way to your earth I
love you and I miss you. That's all."

Sunday Morning

On our way to church this morning, and after momentarily forgetting that we needed to make a left turn, Matthew pulled the car to the left more forcibly than usual. A similar turn to the right into the Starbucks parking lot made me wonder if he was testing the steering:

G: Matty, your driving is a bit erratic.
A (from the back seat): Yeah, daddy, you need to go to church!

G's first Blog entry

After enjoying the blog entries of several friends (and my husband), I thought it might be fun to give this a try. I mostly hope for this to be a way to keep family and friends up to date with the goings on with our little family in Davis. Between two adults working on Ph.Ds and a 3.5 year old, life here is busy, crazy, wonderful. I hope this keeps us better connected!