SLEEPOVER AT TA (4 YRS OLD)

S slept over at her BFF Talia's house over ACL weekend, October 8 and 9th. She was suppose to stay with her cousins, but they backed out at the last minute. Momma was worried about how well S would do at night. But when momma and daddy showed up on Saturday night to pick her up, she wanted to stay an extra night. S had such a wonderful time, but the fall-out of it has been that she's extra clingy.

When asked if she had a great time, she smiles and says "yes!" When asked if she wants to do it again, she says, "No, I want to be with you momma."

GETTING MARRIED? (4 YRS OLD)

This was last Tuesday conversation, on the way home from school.
S - "Momma, I have to tell you something!"
M - "What is it?"
S - "Finnegan and I are going to get married."
M - "Did both of you guys agree to get married?"
S - "Yes, we were playing with each other and we decided to get married."
M - "Do you play with him? Is he a friend?"
S - "Yes"
M - "Do you talk to him, like I talk to daddy?"
S - "Yes."
M - "Great! Now you don't have to worry about who you are going to marry when you grow up."

Momma emailed Finnegan's mom and this is the converation between he and his mom.
Me: "Oh yeah? Do you know who you're going to marry?"
F: "Sarah." Pause. "But not until we're older."
Me: "Who's idea was this? Did Sarah ask you to marry her?"
F: "No. It was both our ideas."
Me: "That's great -- I really like Sarah. More importantly for me, I like her mom."
F: (Sighing.) "We're not getting married until we're bigger, Mommy."

WHAT'S YOUR JOB? (4 YRS OLD)

Momma often tells S that her job at Starbright (preschool) is to play and learn to be a good friend. Her job at home is to help momma and daddy take care of the house and to take care of each other.

Momma sometimes hears S repeat this to her own baby dolls -- "You need to help me take care of the house." Lately, S will tell momma, "I'm the bestest girl at school. I follow all the rules."

SLEEPOVER (4 YRS OLD)

Aunt Jenny and the girls (Cousin Arianna and Miranda) volunteered to keep Sarah while daddy and momma went to ACL on Saturday. (Mimi and Poppy are at Copper Canyon).

Momma announced on Monday (Oct 4) that S was going to have a sleepover with Ariana and Miranda. S was so excited she insisted on packing her suitcase that day. On Wednesday, S said, she didn't want to do the sleepover and wanted to stay with momma. On Thursday nite, at bedtime, S cried and said she didn't want to sleep over with her cousins. On Friday, momma cancelled bringing S over on Friday evening and would bring her Saturday morning.

Daddy and momma brought S over on Saturday (11 am) and promised to pick her up at bedtime if she wanted to be picked up. S stayed with her cousins reluctantly while daddy and momma drove away.

On Sunday when daddy and momma went to pick up S, S wanted to stay and didn't want to leave and asked if she could have another sleepover. Daddy and momma are happy that S had such a good time!

OCTOBER FEST (4 YRS OLD)

Over the weekend, daddy, momma and S went to Frederickburg Octoberfest. Momma was looking forward to the German food and daddy to the beer. The food wasn't so good, but the beer was. Momma's favorite parts were dancing the polka. S's favorite part was the bungee jumping. She giggled the entire time. Daddy's favorite part was making his two girls happy.

NICE SURPRISE (4 YRS OLD)

After rushing S to school this morning, momma comes home to be pleasantly find that S has dumped her cereal bowl and rinsed it out! Maybe, all the repetition (a.k.a nagging) is helping.

ALLOWANCE (4 YRS OLD)

S's allowance is hit or miss. She often refuses to do the chores necessary for her to earn her allowance and then, when she has a treat in mind, she asks momma endlessly to do a chore to earn some money. At 5 cents per chore, she's accummulated enough money to buy m&m ($.80), magic sand ($8), a pacifier lollipop ($1.50), and candy corn ($.40). The $8 was a combination of allowance ($3) and New Year money ($5).

She gets a nickle for: putting away her clean laundry (underwear, socks, pjs) and daddy's laundry (socks and underwear), folding clothes (towels, wash clothes, and rags), putting hangers in her clothes while momma hangs them, loading the washing machine (soap, putting in the clothes, and pushing buttons), helping put away the dishes (plasticware) and silverware, mopping and vacuuming (carpet sweeper). Momma also rewards her an extra nickle if she does the tasks immediately and cheerfully.

Momma also expects S to participate in taking care of the house, as a member of the family. Momma does not reward S for putting away her toys, putting her dirty dishes in the sink, making her bed, or putting her dirty clothes in the hamper. That's expected of everyone.

LEARNING TO BE FRIENDS (4 YRS OLD)

Momma wonders what the world is like for S. Often, momma sees S's wheels turning but S gets distracted by living in the momment. Sometimes, there are small bubbles of observations that creep out, especially about social dynamics.

On Sunday, after the conversation at Wildflower about bullying, S ask, "Is everyone is mean?" Momma responded with, "Some people are nicer and some people are meaner." S continued, "What do you do with someone meaner?" Momma suggested walking away or finding something else to do. S continued, "If they are still mean?" Daddy jumped in and said, "sometime you have to be tough."

This lead S to talk about a situation she had with her friend Talia. Talia was "mean" to her because she didn't want to share her nest. Momma asked if S talked to Talia about it. She said, "yes, I said there was room for two in her nest." So, what did you do?, asked momma. S said, "I went and played by myself." But in the kid-world, "playing by myself" only lasts a couple of minutes and S & T are back to playing with each other.

Momma's proud to hear that S is figuring out social dynamics herself.