Ellen-isms

Georgia is sick - AGAIN. And, for kicks, so am I. So ... at our house, Ellen is the entertainer when I need to get stuff done. Guess she will have to do that on the blog, too!

Ellen always comments that I kiss and hug Georgia and use my "nice voice" more than I do with her. I reassure her that I do, in fact, kiss and hug them both. Also, that Georgia is just a baby and she is sure to get my "mean" voice one of these days. Cue one evening at dinner time and Georgia has started pushing up with her feet from her high chair and dangling over the side, despite the fact she is strapped in. I was washing Ellen's feet and hands in the kitchen sink after school (you know, as you do) and I couldn't reach Georgia over the island, so I was using my stern voice with her and telling her NO. Ellen looked at me giving Georgia the stink eye and started laughing and said, "Finally! It isn't me!"

I was making Erik his weekly batch of oatmeal smoothies (recipe here for Make Ahead Oatmeal Smoothies) (also, see: lucky dog). Ellen asked to help and she put the chia seeds in the blender. I asked her - do you know what these are?
"Yes! Chinchillas!"

Mom - what kind of errands are Dad and Mr. Mike running?
Oh, it's for tailgating.
(sigh) Boys, boys, boys ...

I was working with Ellen on her "All About Me" homework for Pre-K. I asked her what her favorite food is ... "You know, that circle vegetable. Circle-brouts?" (Brussels sprouts)

We came home from school and Ellen walked by the glass recycle bin in the garage and started singing, "Oh, Daddy - lovin' those beers!"

"Come on Georgia! I'll give you a wart!"
Me - a wart? What are you talking about?
"You know, a wart. For crawling to me!"
Me - that's called an AWARD.

Ellen was playing beauty parlor with me and putting pretend glitter on my scalp:
"Did you know your hair grows out of little holes? It's kind of weird. Like a beetle."

We were wandering around Target and Ellen saw the back-to-school poster with two college girls in towels. She says, "Oh - look at them playing!" and then, in a quiet voice she acts like she is talking for them ..."I'm prettier than you. No, I'm prettier than YOU!"
Which is, 1. Funny and 2. Sad - why was this her first thought? It's certainly not something we say at our house, though I guess it's hard to avoid.

Ellen put on some lotion one afternoon: "Mmmmm - this smells like ... aroma."

We were driving home from some place and pulled into our neighborhood:
E: "I have to go to the bathroom. To poop."
Me: Can you wait? We are close.
E: "Sure. It's just medium bad. BUT - in 6 minutes in will be real bad."

I have started a new thing with Ellen at the end of most days ... 5 Questions. What made you happy today? What made you sad? Who got in trouble at school? Did anyone do anything to make you uncomfortable? What did you learn?
We were talking through them at dinner the other night and she was telling about a classmate who talks with her mouth open at the table. I told Ellen that she wasn't in charge of her friend and that the teachers would talk to said friend and that Ellen was only in charge of herself. "Huh. I never thought of it that way!"

I picked Ellen up at school this week and immediately as we came off the playground she told me NOT to pick up the note in her box. I told her that I would most certainly get everything out of her mailbox to bring home. "Mom - but the note ... it's for ... Mother's Day." Well, that is a long way away - I think I will just bring it home. "Well - I guess you can get it. But don't open it. Or read it." Oh, I will be reading it. I took a quick peek at it and she started to fret and I told her we would talk about it in the car on the way home.
It said: "Dear Mom and Dad - Today I was showing my underwear outside. My teacher brought me to the office. Ms. Peggy talked to me about privacy. I am not going to do it again. Ellen"
According to Ellen, there were three girls just "sharing" what their undies looked like. I told her I wasn't angry, but that it wasn't an appropriate thing to do and that she needed to learn from her bad choice and be sure not to do it again. She was literally trembling in the back seat, eyes red and full of tears. She kept saying "My neck! My throat! It hurts! We have to stop talking about this because my neck hurts!" I couldn't really understand why, but then I realized she must have a lump in her throat because she was starting to cry - funny to hear her describe what this was like. Then, after she calmed down, she was ADAMANT that Erik not read the note. I reassured her over and over that he wouldn't be angry, but that it was important to share notes from school with Dad. She literally hid under the table when he came home. On the one hand, I'm glad she has a healthy fear of disappointing her parents, but on the other hand, we need to make progress in the we-always-love-you-so-tell-us-the-truth category.