Word-Smithing (updaetd)

I wish I could just sit down and write something here everyday instead of letting things build up and eat at my brain until I get all bummed about not recording it somewhere and finally give in. Lily's been saying such fun things lately I really want to capture them here. So someday, I can come back and remember - Like when she's a teenager and I want to strangle myself.

To that end, here's a little collection of my favorites lately - or the ones I can remember...

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Yesterday I got Lily up from her nap and Quinn was sleeping (rare occurrence!). I climbed into bed with her and her first words were "Mommy, where's Quinton?" I told her he was asleep. She jumped up and said "Will you play with me now?" My heart broke a little as I followed her into the playroom. We spent a good 20 minutes playing with stickers. At the end of it, my heart was filled with love - and appreciation at getting this time alone with her - so I scooped her up and said "I want to tell you a secret". She leaned in close and I said "I love you". She giggled.

Later that night at dinner:
Lily: "Daddy I want to tell you secret"
Gordon leans in to listen
Lily: "The mango is not ready yet"

This morning at breakfast
Lily: "Mommy, I want to tell you a secret"
I lean in to listen
Lily: "Firecrackers!"

We're still working on the meaning of "secret"!

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Gordon is in the kitchen getting dinner ready (I am the luckiest person alive). He is standing in front of the drawer where the silverware lives. Lily, decides she wants to get her spoon and her fork. She walks over to Gordon and demands:
"Go Away Daddy!"
We tell her - "Lily, that's not how you ask someone to move"
"Go Away Daddy!"
again, we repeat that she is not asking nicely
"Go Away Daddy PLEASE!"

Apparently we haven't done such a good job teaching "excuse me"

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(this is an old one, but it's great)

A while back - I think when I was in Houston in March - Gordon and Lily went to dinner at a Tibetan restaurant in Davis Square. Lily was enthralled by all the containers of interesting-looking condiments on the table. She kept reaching for them and Gordon kept distracting her and warning her that they were spicy. She's not a fan of spicy things just yet.

Eventually she got some hot stuff on her finger and into her mouth. She immediately got pretty upset, complaining "Spicy Spicy Spicy".

Gordon got her to drink water and she looked relieved saying "ahhh spicy's gone!".

But then a minute later she looked alarmed and exclaimed "oh no! Spicy's BACK! Spicy's BACK!" I think this cycle was repeated a couple of times.

On a related note, if Gordon hasn't shaved in a couple of days Lily will tell him that his face is "Spicy"

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(in which she experiments with flattery and manipulation)

Now that it's spring (nearly summer!) we've been spending a lot of time outside and on our back deck. Lily has become very adept at opening doors and occasionally tries to head outside on her own. We, of course, are working VERY hard to discourage this solo exploration (ummm scary much?). The other day our neighbors were over for dinner with their two kids. The kids were having a BALL rough-housing and making general mayhem. By the time we said goodbye everyone was pretty riled up. As they were leaving Lily saw the open front door and took off out into the hallway and down the stairs. I quickly followed and we had this conversation by the front door of our building:

Me: Lily, you can NOT leave the house and come down here without asking us first
Lily: Please can I go downstairs?
Me: yes, that's how you ask, but you have to do it BEFORE you leave
Lily: Please can I go downstairs?
Me: (changing tactics) Why did you want to come down here?
Lily: (thinks for a minute) ummm... because I LIKE you!

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Chuck's comment reminded me of another Lily-ism I forgot the first time around...

A favorite phrase of hers lately is "alot of times". She often uses it to modify how much she likes something. Examples include:
"I like blueberries alot of times"
"I like strawberries alot of times"
"I like circle alot of times"
"I like nines alot of times"
"Liza Jane is my favorite song alot of times"

On my first Monday home alone with Lily and Quinn we went to art class. I decided to drive the short distance to Davis Square for my sanity. However we were planning to meet friends (Chuck, Eileen & Susannah) for lunch afterward. So I needed a stroller and Mei Tai to transport the kids from art class to lunch. Well I grabbed the Mei Tai, but in the insanity of trying to get three of us out the door left it sitting on the entryway bench. I didn't notice until I got to art class and went to pop Quinn into it. I frantically searched the car and my bag - all the while exclaiming "shoot shoot shoot!". Finally I gave up and went to get Lily out of her seat.

She looks at me, smiling and laughing a bit and says:
"You said shoot Mommy. You said shoot alot of times!"

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armoire hide-and-seek: a current favorite