Nightmare

2am

e: Aaahhhh!!!
M/D: What's wrong?!
e: ABC soup (chef boyardee pasta & meatballs)!!!
D: It's still sleeping time. It's not dinner.
e: zzzzzzz

Clarification

When my brother asked for snow, I don't think he meant 60'F.

Still asking for snow

Ice is fun. But it doesn't pass muster. We got ice a week ago, and Mamma took us skating on the sidewalk and let us eat ice. It was salty? But why don't I have any snow?

Dresses

Mamma wore this green dress when she was a little girl. And then for years her bear wore this dress. And now Bedstebear gets to wear hand-me-downs too.

Deaf ears

(Mamma upstairs. Daddy & Nina downstairs.)
n: Mamma, can I have a waffle in the car (on the way to school)?
D: No Nina, we already had breakfast and we don't have time to make a waffle.
n: Mamma, can I have a waffle?
D: Nina, I already told you no.
(Nina walks upstairs)
n: Mamma, can I have a waffle?

Pippi!

I finally got to see Pippi Longstockings! Or Laangstrump for my ancestors. Mamma said I'm like Pippi. I disagree. My legs match. Then Mamma reminded me tha Pippi is strong and brave and smart. Now I see the resemblance.

Greatgrandparents

My teachers didn't know how to write grandma. They kept telling me it was "grandma". With the help of a translator, I taught them it's spelled "Bedstemor" and "Bedstefar". And then I practiced spelling it all day.

Bacon

(pants falling down)
Stephanna: Ewan, pull up your pants.
e: I did. They keep falling down my bum.
S: That's not your bum. That's your bacon.
e: (giggle) No. Bacon is on my plate!

Dinner routine forecasting

M: Ewan, what was your favorite part of today?
e: Eating oranges for dessert.

Musical jewelry box

What some intend to be used to hold jewelry instead holds my fairies (the ballerina was lonely) and Strawberry Shortcake furniture. But Ewan and I can't decide what is the more magical part - the secret mirror or the music.

ps. Mamma hasn't taught me how to spell jewellery the correct way yet for all you CDN/AUS/UK friends.

Go big or go home

M: What do you want to do this weekend?
n: Oh, I don't know. Maybe, if you want to, we could buy a new car?

Why don't little brothers ever do what they're told?

(in the car ready to leave daycare/school)

n: (SMACK)
e: OOOOWWWWW!
M: (turning around from the front seat) WHAT HAPPENED?
n: (whisper) Ewan, don't tell.
M: Ewan, what happened?
n: Ewan, don't tell.
e: Nina hit me.

Marriage

n: I'm going to marry Ewan.
M: Sorry, but you can't marry Ewan. It's against the law.
n: Then who can I marry?
M: Hopefully when you get older you can marry whomever you love and who loves you back.
n: I'll marry a boy and Ewan will marry a girl.
M: Or maybe you'll marry a girl and Ewan will marry a boy. It depends on who you fall in love with.
n: Or maybe I'll marry both!
M: Sorry, you can only marry one person at a time.
n: Yeah. Because if I married a boy and a girl at the same time it would be a flower.

Never enough

They just have so many uses! They can have tea parties and play house and play with each other and sleep with you and watch TV and have baths and go to space and sit on Daddies and marry princes. More are always welcome at Casa Nina.

Winter?

What season is this? There's no snow! I want snow!!! Seattle has snow. Columbus has snow. And I have none. I have these really cool boots and all I want for winter is one small snowman. Is that too much to ask?

Calendar

I'm always asking how many more school days until we stay home, or how many days until swimming, or how many days until SoandSo's birthday. And so now I have my own Princess calendar that tells me the answers. And I get to mark an X on each day as it goes by. But I still ask. Because it's nice to have Mamma and Daddy explain my calendar to me. And because I'm not clear why Saturday is the end of the week because weekend days go together and Monday is the start of the school week! Calendars are not intuitive.

Smart girl

n: I'm glad you're happy Mamma. Sometimes you're grumpy.... You're grumpy when Ewan and I don't listen.

Writing center

All day at school I spend at the writing center. I write words and draw pictures and write numbers and just write write write. Daddy says NeeNee would be proud. I guess instead of talking all the time, she writes all the time.

(after talking nonstop for 2 hours)
M: Can you please listen while I talk?
n: (pause) So now I'm going to tell my story.

Max!

Dinner and dancing and a movie? I think I just has my first chaperoned date.

Chuck E Cheese!

Today was my friend TJ's birthday party. At Chuck E Cheese. I found out I like to gamble. More coins. More tickets. Just one more try. If I leave my station the next kid will get the big win.

n: That was the best celebration ever!

Fashion Smashion Dance Party

In time for 2012, your own line of music videos for Fashion Smashion dance parties. All you need are 80s music videos, polka-dot skirts, floral overall-dresses, sportswear shirts, and some great dance moves. Now Dance!

Christmas lives!

So Ewan isn't so sad that Christmas is over, I draw Christmas trees on red linens with lots of presents every day. And I count the days on my calendar until next Christmas. I'll be here soon. In 11 pages.

Bye-bye Christmas

We took down the decorations. We threw out the tree. But we haven't had any snow that stayed long enough to play in. I can't believe Christmas was really here and went.

I CLOGGED THE TOILET!

Who knew I had all that stuff in me?

Sense of humor

Some people just have a different sense of humor. Mamma and Daddy laugh at commercials when people fall down and hurt themselves. But they don't find it funny when I throw really hard and heavy toys and Nina's forehead. What gives?

Daddy's back

Still not a fair fight. We still win.

Bedtime day #4

Ewan 4, Mamma 0

This is just getting too easy for Ewan. And I wanted to play too. So I took mornings.

Nina 2 (with an assist from Ewan this morning), Mamma 0

Daddy, come home. This at least needs to be a fair fight!

Bedtime day #3

Ewan 3, Mamma 0.

I'm not happy with them battling, because I get stuck in the middle. Last night Ewan kept me up until 9:30pm, and so I was tired this morning and no one was doing anything right or the way I wanted it. They make me all grumpy! Grrrr....

Bedtime day #2

Night #2 that Daddy is gone. Mamma gave up right away. She thought I'd fall asleep by cuddling her in her bed. Well, once Nina caught wind of that idea, it was party in Mamma's bed and we all fell asleep together! I'm not sure when I fell asleep because I can't tell time. Mamma woke up at 9:15pm and I was asleep and so was Nina.

Bedtime day #1

So Daddy usually helps me go to bed, and Mamma helps Nina go to bed. And now Daddy's away for a week.

Day #1. Mamma tried for an hour to get me to go to sleep. Then she sat in my room with me. She thought I had fallen asleep - tricked her! So she gave up and cuddled me in her bed until I fell asleep at 9:45pm.

Bedtime update

So, maybe I'll share my deep dark secret.

I used to be really good at going to bed. Put me down, I'd roll over, and go to sleep. But now, in my big boy bed, it is way too much fun to keep getting out of bed. And when I stay in bed I twitch and kick and can't fall asleep. And I can't decide if I want Mamma/Daddy to stay in my room with me or "get out of my room". Daddy usually helps me go to sleep by staying upstairs with me and quietly walking me back to my bed. For at least an hour. And this has been going on for a couple of months.

I told you. It's my deep dark secret.

It's genetic

Good looks and drumming runs in the family.

iPod

I have a new favorite activity. The iPod. It's my best friend. It gives me stickers and has animals on it.