(62 Months) - 5;2

62 Months - Five Years + Two Months - 5;2

Bedtime battles that are reminiscent of crib/sleep training (for which I blame my recently accelrated aging process)

Francie, getting upset and whiny about having to do a puzzle alone:

Me: “You don't have to do it alone. But you have to use your words to tell us what you want. Not your whiny words, you big kid words. We can't read your mind.”

Francie, stopping the puzzle to address me directly: “But you can read my mind sometimes.”

She asked to wear "her rosary." I clasped the necklace haphazardly, apparently with Mary facing her and Jesus facing out. She tells me she likes it the other way and I ask why, “because it's god. I like gods.”

"Jesus lives in the sky."

With me at the coffee shop, me pulling out my iPad to look something up: I want to look online? Is this line?

“Guess what I’m gonna do after work when I’m a grown-up? I’m gonna go play basketball. And then soccer.”

Alex: "How about you go outside and play for a bit."
Francie: "No, I don't want to."
Me: "How about you go outside and find five things that start with the letter F."
(Anything for a couple minutes of respite. Thank.the.lord.)
Less than five minutes later, she returns.Francie: "I did it! I found five things. Flowers. Fence. Fire pit. Fucket."
Me: "Uh, what's a fucket?"
F: "It's like a bucket. But with no handle."
Me, laughing: "But also, that's only four things."

"Adults are better at getting all the poop off our butts because your necks are longer."

“Mama, I think my nipples are turning into boobs … do you think they look fatter?”

After a talk re puberty: “when is the first hair gonna come out.”

“I thought in my head, 'if I let my mom go meditate she won't be so mean.'”

Francie: "Your hair is white. Like Elsa!"

Me: "Do you think I look like Elsa?"

Francie: "No, she doesn't have zits."

Playing Frozen Uno, “I didn’t want to play my card. Because I wanted to win.”

She's been wearing/playing with my high heels:

“Because these are your shoes it'd be really helpful if you helped me put them away.”

I was complaining about my bday present still not coming.

Francie: “Mama, when are your rings ever gonna come?”

I smile at her, we both know she just revealed the secret.

Francie: “Don't tell daddy.”

Alex: “What are you talking about?”

Francie: “Nothing. Just ourselves.”

Me: “Ha, you just lied!”

Francie, whispering: “But that's how I keep my secrets.”

Cheers! Nobody likes a holiday, any holiday, like this girl does. She's all about celebrating anyone for any reason - as long as it includes food or dessert or presents!

Out to dinner for Alex's 36th bday.

The trucker hat she drew for h im

The other trucker hat + the grown-up bib we made for Alex's bday.

2007/2017 ---> Alex's 26th/Alex's 36th birthdays

Maplewood re-opened their back room and started serving food!

My Wonder Woman.

Appreciating nature's "wonders" on Earth Day.

Inspired by the Lorax - "Unless ..."

On a nature walk with Daddy

Spotted a trillium, one of my recent favorite flowers

Our latest family portrait

The stacking rings that Alex/Francie bought me for my bday (and I returned/exchanged to get something that looks more like the stacking ring on my ring finger)

Sunny Saturday strolls through Gabriel Park

Best.book.ever.

I think I'm so pun-ny.

When your student knows you too damned well ...

Flamily walk at Gabriel Park.

Mama Day picnic at Gabriel Park

No Rhody Garden for me on Mother's Day this year, but the rhodies at Gabriel Park were in full bloom. As was Aunt Ida.

Long live the fucket - one of the funniest Francie anecdotes yet.

Visiting Grandma Nancy on Mother's Day at Mary S. Young.

Cousin Hazelnut turns 1! And seems to be enjoying her new wooden VW push toy.

Never get  between a man and his typewriter.

The Bean's first (and last) discman. I even bought it new, which I didn't realize one could still do.