(50 Months) 4 Years + 2 Months

I wasn't actually around for the Bean's monthday, but I successfully planned ahead to take her picture before leaving for my trip. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss the majority of her 51st month on this planet (sniff sniff, tear), but am glad I've been so habitual about writing down the things she says.

Out to dinner for Alex's bday, Francine declares: "It's so boring. It's so boring waiting for our food." What is she, 4 going on 14? I wasn't anticipating the "boring" thing until at least 'tween years.

Alex trying to convince Francie to get in the bath:

Alex: "You know what would make this party even better? Getting naked and taking a bath."

France: "Yeah, I haven't been fresh in awhile."

Alex: "Fresh?"

Francie: "Yeah, like clean."

Me laying in bed with her as she slowly begins to drift off, ever obsessed with bad guys and safety and, apparently, our correctional system:

F: "Mama do you promise you'll never let me go to jail?"

Me: "Yes, sweetpea, I promise to protect you and keep you safe and never let you go to jail."
I crossed my fingers on that last one, because lord knows I can't really promise she'll stay out of trouble. It's in her blood after all. 

"I love you 60 suns an hour and 20 moons a mile."

Trying to persuade me to hang out longer: "It's not like you're going to help someone really bad. You're just going to therapy to talk about your feelings."

Discussing our Friday, the first WHOLE mama day in a long time, talking about going to the coffee shop in the morning and then open gymnastics later:

Me: "I'm so excited to spend the whole day with you. Do you know how excited I am?!?"

Her: "I know. I knew the second I came out of your vagina."

At dinner:

F: "Fish don't poop or pee."

Alex: "Yes they do, where did you learn that?"

F: "I got it from my brain."

Me: "I'll Google it." 

(Googling ...)
Me: "Yes, they do poop and pee. One website says ... teehee, this is what I like about our family." 

Alex: "What, talking about 'mucous covered fecal packages" at dinner?"

Me: "Exactly. If when you're 4 you can't even ask your parents about fish bathroom habits, why at 13 would you talk to your mom or dad about sex?"

She is OBSESSED with vampires and pirates and zombies. And bad guys and police officers.

"Robin Hood is like Santa but he steals stuff."

"I'm not going to have a baby. I'm going to be a doctor. "
Epic feminism fail.

She hears EVERYTHING. "Why were you going to hit the Pax?"

Except when I'm asking her to do something. 

"Yay! I'm getting my clean-breakers again!" Reference to a poop that doesn't need wiping.

"I have things in my body that make me feel shy. If I haven't seen someone in a while."

"But mama, what if someone tries to kill me?!?"

Verrrrrry clingy, probably in anticipation of me leaving. "But mama I love you too much."

Laying in bed together, I'm gazing lovingly at her and tell her how beautiful she is to me.
Her: "You're the most beautiful in the whole world. More beautifuller than AJ and Breezy and Josie and the Spanish people and even the ones who don't talk. Even Elsa."

Cuddling in bed at night:

"You're pretty even if you pick your face. Now come here closer to me."

Alex, in reference to my taking a trip to Spain with my Dad:
Alex to Francie: "Will you go on an adventure with me someday?"

France: "Yeah. Maybe when Mama and Beebee are gone, we could go to Disneyland. And China. And set up the slack line!"

On Mother's Day:

"When's Father's Day?"

"When is Children's Day?!?"

Me: "Tomorrow is another family day, so we can sleep in. Tomorrow is Mother's Day, actually. 

Her: "Thanks for being my mama, Mama."

On Mother's Day being so sweet and loving on me: "I never knew what you would make of me." I don't really know what this means, but it sounded profound and touching when she said it. 

Her: "I guess the sky never ends ... Kinda like my love for you."

"Don't the toddlers have cute voices?"

"I'm not a tiny dictator!"

Francie to Alex in the shower: "You know another word for your under penis? Ballllllz!"

Her: "Can you fix my heart?"

Me: "What's wrong with it?"

Her: "It hurts."

Me: "Aw, why?"

Her: "Because you're gonna miss me too much."

Stealing a sip of my chai latte: "I took the tiniest sip. Teenier than an ant's footprint."

"Mom, it's kind of confusing that there's an aunt that takes care of you and an ant that crawls."

F: "Will you play with me?"

Me: "What shall we okay?"

F: "Let's play mommy and daddy."

Me: "Ok, just let me change the laundry first."

F: "I'm getting my shoes and going to work. You can be the daddy who stays home and changes laundry. And takes care of the kid."
Epic feminism win?!?

Playing with her bedazzled Easter basket: "This is where all the dead skin goes. Because I work in a hospital. I'm a doctor."

"Let's butt-fight." Mila and Francie.

'Hike' with daddy to Gabriel Park.

Playing doctor.

She says vagina more than any other 4 year old that I've heard of.

She insists on wearing ballet clothes to taekwondo and Irish dance class. This leotard happens to be a hand-me-down from yours truly!

Irish Dance class at Garden Home Rec Center.

The Bean and Mama in the foam pit during Open Gym at Westside.

Blast from the past - we met the Huff's at Westside Dance, where Dee and I both used to do gym.

Alex thought this photo might precisely predict their future as college girls.

Another recent iteration of pretend doctor play is that she wants to act our having babies.

Springtime means dinner on our lovely deck.

Big Baby and Kiki got new handmade clothes from Mimi.

Mother's Day at the Rhody Garden.

This girl warms my heart.

"Let's make a silly face."

Baby ducklings!

Daddy, Elsa, and Francine chilling on the deck.

Elsa ad Francie visiting Grandma Nancy at Mary S Young on Mother's Day.

Mother-Daughter

Pre-daycare coffeecake date.

Popsicles with Max and Logan.

Her first time wearing lipstick - BRIGHT RED lipstick.

She came to my last few hours at work with me, and we took a special gondola ride.

First Barbie - my VA supervisor saw this so-mod "Francine" Barbie and generously bought it for her.

And now all the Bean wants to do is change Barbie's clothes constantly.