A collection of random stories:
Recently I arranged with the mother of A's best friend, E, for A to go over to their house after school. When the bus came, she told both girls about the playdate.
Their response: "our prayers were answered!!"
Yes, apparently they had literally been praying for A to come over to play. The story continues (but in a form not all readers will understand - sorry about that):
When they decided on the bus that they should pray for A to come over and play, A asked, "So what prayer should we say?"
E suggested the Amidah. A was worried, "I don't know that one by heart yet." So instead, she said Modeh Ani.
***
On a different occasion, E was at our house playing with all the girls. N was the princess. I overheard the following:
E (to N): You're the princess, and your mother is dead.
N: Do we have to say she died? Can't she just be at work?
***
On yet another occasion, E and her two younger brothers (who are N and D's age) came over briefly. After a few minutes, E's brother who's in first grade came over.
"Ali, the girls are all in the bathroom."
"OK, thanks for letting me know."
"No, but they're all in there!! Only N is really using the bathroom!"
"I see. That's a little strange, but I allow it."
"But they're all in there! Why??"
I had no answer.
***
One of my kids came up to me this evening, "Mommy, I have a funny joke! Are you listening?"
"OK, what's the joke?"
"Your tummy is so fat that it could explode!!" (child cracks up)
".... " (it's funny because it's true, apparently)
***
A different child was asking this morning when the baby will be born. I told her I don't know (my calm while discussing it was impressive, if I do say so myself, considering that "AAAAUUUGH when will this baby be born?????" has been on my mind quite a bit lately (no, I'm not overdue, just prone to pre-labor panic)).
Her conclusion, "I hope it's very soon, because I can't get my arms around you to hug you anymore." Aww.
***
For those who may not have heard, D was in the hospital this week, after suffering what appeared to be a broken nose at gan. Fortunately, her nose wasn't actually broken, just very swollen.
(It's good to mention these things now, before some of you come to visit and find D with two black eyes... )
So anyway, she and I were in the emergency room for x-rays and all that good stuff. She was so, so good when it came time for the x-rays; she held totally still like they asked, and this with me not allowed in the room. The technician was shocked.
It was a funny reminder of what a wonderfully well-behaved child D can be, when she's not doing the kinds of things that get her nose almost broken (number of times since then that D has engaged in perilous activity: too many to count... ).
***
While we were at the hospital, D asked me if people can go underwater. We talked about the different ways people could stay underwater for a while (submarine, scuba gear). After we'd covered that, she said, "Good. After N's birthday I want you to take me to the ocean and we'll go in a special underwater boat and I can see mermaids."
I had to explain that mermaids are not real. But there are lots of other interesting things under the water! Like fish in all kinds of colors, and coral reefs, and sharks ("imaleh!") and whales ("hmph")!
She thought for a minute, then said, "OK, so after N's birthday I want you to take me to the ocean and I'll go underwater and see lots of fish. (Pause, scowl) But they'd better not all be blue fish."
***
Meanwhile, I continue to half-study for my math test. I say "half" because cramming just isn't the same in my current situation. I'm studying a few hours a day, but I'm also tired and having frequent contractions and frankly just can't bring myself to care that much about whether various series converge anymore.
I tell myself that the math doesn't particularly care if I care about it. As long as I can remember how to actually solve the problems... As to that, the test is set up as five problems, each with a part A and B which are unrelated to each other, and I'll need to solve 4 of the 5, so a total of 8. At this point, I feel fairly confident in my ability to solve about 6 problems on each test - both A and B for a single problem, and just one or the other for the rest. Dar.
Half of my brain is half-hoping to go into labor before the test, so I can get an extension ("half" hoping because it's hard to fully hope for labor, which can be... less than fun). The other, probably wiser half realizes that postponing the test may not put me in a better situation (more time to study only helps if you're actually using it to study, as it turns out).
Anyway. Time to sleep. Or maybe sleep for two hours, then give birth. Not that I'm panicking, or anything.
Recently I arranged with the mother of A's best friend, E, for A to go over to their house after school. When the bus came, she told both girls about the playdate.
Their response: "our prayers were answered!!"
Yes, apparently they had literally been praying for A to come over to play. The story continues (but in a form not all readers will understand - sorry about that):
When they decided on the bus that they should pray for A to come over and play, A asked, "So what prayer should we say?"
E suggested the Amidah. A was worried, "I don't know that one by heart yet." So instead, she said Modeh Ani.
***
On a different occasion, E was at our house playing with all the girls. N was the princess. I overheard the following:
E (to N): You're the princess, and your mother is dead.
N: Do we have to say she died? Can't she just be at work?
***
On yet another occasion, E and her two younger brothers (who are N and D's age) came over briefly. After a few minutes, E's brother who's in first grade came over.
"Ali, the girls are all in the bathroom."
"OK, thanks for letting me know."
"No, but they're all in there!! Only N is really using the bathroom!"
"I see. That's a little strange, but I allow it."
"But they're all in there! Why??"
I had no answer.
***
One of my kids came up to me this evening, "Mommy, I have a funny joke! Are you listening?"
"OK, what's the joke?"
"Your tummy is so fat that it could explode!!" (child cracks up)
".... " (it's funny because it's true, apparently)
***
A different child was asking this morning when the baby will be born. I told her I don't know (my calm while discussing it was impressive, if I do say so myself, considering that "AAAAUUUGH when will this baby be born?????" has been on my mind quite a bit lately (no, I'm not overdue, just prone to pre-labor panic)).
Her conclusion, "I hope it's very soon, because I can't get my arms around you to hug you anymore." Aww.
***
For those who may not have heard, D was in the hospital this week, after suffering what appeared to be a broken nose at gan. Fortunately, her nose wasn't actually broken, just very swollen.
(It's good to mention these things now, before some of you come to visit and find D with two black eyes... )
So anyway, she and I were in the emergency room for x-rays and all that good stuff. She was so, so good when it came time for the x-rays; she held totally still like they asked, and this with me not allowed in the room. The technician was shocked.
It was a funny reminder of what a wonderfully well-behaved child D can be, when she's not doing the kinds of things that get her nose almost broken (number of times since then that D has engaged in perilous activity: too many to count... ).
***
While we were at the hospital, D asked me if people can go underwater. We talked about the different ways people could stay underwater for a while (submarine, scuba gear). After we'd covered that, she said, "Good. After N's birthday I want you to take me to the ocean and we'll go in a special underwater boat and I can see mermaids."
I had to explain that mermaids are not real. But there are lots of other interesting things under the water! Like fish in all kinds of colors, and coral reefs, and sharks ("imaleh!") and whales ("hmph")!
She thought for a minute, then said, "OK, so after N's birthday I want you to take me to the ocean and I'll go underwater and see lots of fish. (Pause, scowl) But they'd better not all be blue fish."
***
Meanwhile, I continue to half-study for my math test. I say "half" because cramming just isn't the same in my current situation. I'm studying a few hours a day, but I'm also tired and having frequent contractions and frankly just can't bring myself to care that much about whether various series converge anymore.
I tell myself that the math doesn't particularly care if I care about it. As long as I can remember how to actually solve the problems... As to that, the test is set up as five problems, each with a part A and B which are unrelated to each other, and I'll need to solve 4 of the 5, so a total of 8. At this point, I feel fairly confident in my ability to solve about 6 problems on each test - both A and B for a single problem, and just one or the other for the rest. Dar.
Half of my brain is half-hoping to go into labor before the test, so I can get an extension ("half" hoping because it's hard to fully hope for labor, which can be... less than fun). The other, probably wiser half realizes that postponing the test may not put me in a better situation (more time to study only helps if you're actually using it to study, as it turns out).
Anyway. Time to sleep. Or maybe sleep for two hours, then give birth. Not that I'm panicking, or anything.
Story #2: What a sweetheart N is!!
ReplyDeleteStory #3: It's good that he is learning at a young age that girls ALL go to the bathroom at the same time!