Straight Talk

She speaks the truth, the one who speaks-- intellibly that is. Or maybe, only partially intellibly since now she is starting to become really creative with her words -- telling stories, making up words. Silly words, funny words, annoying words, rhyming words. Words that dance off her tongue like they were skipping rope. Words that tickle her cheeks and make her sister laugh. Words with meaning, words that sound like they should mean something, or words that just are fun to say. Either way, she's a talker that one. I've thought of keeping a book of things she says, and it's something I would absolutely love to do, but I also have to pull myself back down to reality every now and then. Not realistic. All these awesome things I would like to do, and then I remember the vacuuming. Or, that there is such a thing as laundry (remember that post?), and life in general.

VOILA! A little bell goes off in my head and I am slapped in the face with a wet noodle! Of COURSE I can write things like that down. There is a place just for that! There is happiness, bluebirds are singing, flower petals are swirling around me in a gentle breeze. And here's the best part, you get a front seat for it all.

So, without further ado, I present you with "Straight Talk" part one.

Sitting at the dinner table, pretending not to be twitching with annoyance from the fact that mealtime will probably be another battle about eating, Greta is kicked back relaxing in her chair. I suppress every momism regarding table manners, etc. at this point knowing full well that to do so would be to open the proverbial can of worms, and at this point it's easier to just let her go hungry then to step into a mine field SO...I try to immerse myself in my husbands warm eyes across the table from me and block off my periferal vision. It works, as I am swimming in happiness while engaging in a conversation that doesn't involve what anyone 4 or under has done for the day, someone 4 pipes up:

"You never know mommy."
Don't look. Don't make eye contact. Keep looking forward...keep talking...the minute you show interest it's all over....
(Cue record needle jerk sound)
"You just never know mommy." (I can see the big grin, is she doing this on purpose? What is the point? What is she getting at. Don't look Don't look don't look....)

AH. Curses. The moment is lost. I give up.

"What Greta. What do you never know?" Smile smile smile....

"You just never know...(long possibly dramatic pause inserted by speaker) what I'm going to eat for dinner."

"How true, Greta, how true."

LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH (with Greta giggling...she has no clue sometimes how funny she is.) I wonder what she really was getting at?