#40 Beautiful Clothes

Brecken picked out my birthday present all by herself this year. A necklace. Very sweet. So yesterday I thought I'd put it on to show her how much I love it (i've worn it several times I promise)

Brecken: Oh mom, your necklace is so lovely!

Me: Thank you hon!

Brecken: (looks me up and down) Ummm.... do you think you could put on some beautiful clothes to wear with it?

Me: Well, I thought my clothes were pretty.

Brecken: (gives me a polite, but disapproving half smile) Well... your shirt is ok... but your pants are not beautiful. Come into your closet. I'll pick something out for you.

Something is wrong with this picture. Since when do four year olds feel the need to advise their mothers on their wardrobe?? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

#39 Comfy Bottom

I walked in upon one of the sweetest scenes for a mom to behold. Brecken and Taylor were both laying down on my bed. Brecken on my pillow, and Taylor using Brecken's stomach for a pillow. Upon seeing me Taylor sat up and Brecken rolled on to her stomach.

Brecken: Taylor, I want you to lay down on me!

Me: Sweety you rolled over, I don't think she'd want to lay on your back.

Brecken: Not my back. She can lay on my comfy bottom.

Hahaha! Who told her she has a comfy bottom?? Well at least she took it as a compliment. And if she concluded it on her own... At least she's proud of a little junk in the trunk :)

#38 Grandma Good

For my birthday this year my family consorted behind my back to surprise me with a visit. To ensure that I (and my house) would at least be presentable when they arrived, Russ told me that his mom would be stopping by some time that evening.

Brecken was also made aware and was excitedly awaiting Grandma Good. Much to all of our surprise it was not Grandma Good but Grandma Allen. Squeals form Brecken erupted. After about twenty minutes the excitement had somewhat dulled and Brecken started looking around...

Brecken: Wait. When's Grandma Good coming over?

Russ: Honey, she's not. Grandma Allen came instead.

Brecken: (shoulders slump) But I thought Grandma Good was coming!

Ah, little children. I have a feeling that if we told Brecken we were going swimming and we ended up in Disneyland, she'd look around and say "But where's the pool?"

#37 His Bare Hands

While Brecken and I were watching Mountain of the Lord one of the lines was "...with his bare hands..." to which Brecken excitedly says:

"His bear hands?? He has bear hands!?! Did you hear him mom? That guy has bear hands! Just like bears! Bears have bear hands too!!!"

#36 Sally

This is not an announcement. I am not expecting a baby. Regardless of this, Brecken feels an obligation to discuss names with me.

"Mom" she says. "I hope that the next time you have a baby it's a girl." Since Russ (I thought) had convinced her to lobby for a boy (not that it really makes a difference) I was a little surprised. "Why do you want a girl?" I asked her. "Because if we have a girl, I want to name her Sally."

Ok, that's cute and all, but I am not going to be naming my baby Sally, so I didn't want to get any hopes up here. So this is how I proceed (very sweetly I might add):

"Oh, that's cute, Breck. But we probably aren't going to name our girl Sally." Brecken, almost crying: "But I like Sally. I want it to be Sally!" And then a ten minute discussion proceeds, I tell her she can name her baby doll Sally, yada yada yada. And I thought it was resolved.

A month later Brecken has been working on her sales pitch. Have I mentioned Russ is in Sales? Well Brecken gets her manipulative sales skills from him.

Brecken: (holding a baby doll) Look at my pretty baby. I named her Sally.
Me: Oooh, what a pretty baby.
Brecken: Her name is Sally.
Me: Oh, how cute.
Brecken: Cute?
Me: Yes. It's very cute.
Brecken: So you like my baby doll's name?
Me: (Like I'm gonna say no) Yes. She's cute.
Brecken: You like the name Sally!
Me: Well- (Brecken cuts me off)
Brecken: So now, when you have a baby girl, we can name her Sally because you like the name Sally! hahahahahaha!!!! YES!

Ah. What the hay. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Let's just hope for a boy :)