Conservation of vegetables

From George
We sometimes have problems getting Gwenchik to eat the vegetables we give her for lunch at day care. One evening at dinner, Gwenchik asked for more homemade sauerkraut.
Gwen: I like sauerkraut so much!
George: But you don't eat it when we give it to you for lunch at day care.
Gwen: That is because if I eat it during the day, then I won't have enough to eat at home.

Party circuit

From George
Friday, while driving back from her great grandfather birthday party...
Gwen: Poor me. Don't you feel bad on my behalf?
George: Why?
Gwen: I went to one birthday party tonight, I have Kolya's tomorrow and than Nica's on Sunday! So many parties, so many cakes -- it is hard.

First ride on the T

The wonder, the pure joy of riding the T for the first time!!! Gwenchik was really looking forward to the first T ride and asked all sort of questions, like what is the difference between a train and a tram; why the trains run on rails; if we are really underground, how can we breathe and why there are lamps everywhere; what happens if the train misses the rails?

And than she was triumphantly standing in the middle of the moving car, spreading her legs and arms trying to keep her balance and smiling her 100 Watts smile... and the entire train was smiling by the end of out trip at her pure delight.

Grandpa moon connection

Our grandparents are coming to visit, and Gwenchik is starting to plan as to what fun things she'll be doing with them. Last year they spent some time on the Cape, where she learned how to swim with her grandfather.
Gwen: Mom, now that I can dive in the swimming pool, do you think I would be able to do the same on the Cape?
Me: Of course.
Gwen: Yes, but it is really shallow there. We really need my grandpa, as he knows all about the moon sucking in the water to get nice sand beaches with crabs.Than he will know when the moon lets the water out.

The joy of reading

We have had a pretty eventful day today: class in the morning, than modern ballet, than a wonderful party... so we are driving home, and Gwenchik is exhausted.
Gwen: Mom, I am really tired today, as it was really busy.
Me: And you did really well. I am very proud that you managed to enjoy the day without any hysterics.
Gwen: So to continue to be great, how about I finish reading this story while we are driving and than I get to watch a cartoon of my choice? Of course, tomorrow, and only while the guests are out, as I am really tired today.
Me: That's a deal! But the whole story? (pretty long poem by Pushkin)
Gwen: You know, I am actually starting to enjoy reading, it just takes so long to get to the end... we need to get me new books, so that I do not know the end. This way, all I would do is read! And than you will be able to sleep in the mornings!

..........

Ah, music to my ears. The joy of reading, remembering the rules about watching cartoons -- so all these minor struggles are not for nothing :)

Mother January

From George
We gave Gwenchik a cat calendar.
A few minutes later, we hear her saying to herself:
"Once upon a time there was a Mommy cat, named January, and she had a daughter cat, February..."

Daddy, who is you favorite animal?

Gwenchik is missing her daddy a lot, though it comes out in subtle ways. Today after her Russian class, where she was the usual STAR, she got stickers as rewards. She brought me a sticker of a piglet (my favorite animal), but was disappointed, that while choosing stickers she realized that either daddy doesn't have a favorite animal, or she already forgot who it was.

Daddy, who is you favorite animal?

Reason to choose a profession

Gwenchik is finally the 'star of the week' at her daycare for the next week. There is a list of questions that we have to find the answers to. One of them is about who do you want to be when you grow up.
Gwen: Doctor.
Me: Why a doctor? And what kind?
Gwen: Probably an adult doctor, because they make even more money. Money with which I can buy ALL the candy I want!

Dream movies

From George
While putting Gwyneth to bed, she asks me to stroke her eyebrows for a while, while she lies with her eyes closed. Suddenly she opens her eyes and sits up.
Gwen: Papa, I dreamed about people last night! People in a class!
George: As in a school class?
Gwen: Yes. And they all had big teeth. Like this! (Opens her mouth wide and growls.)
George: Big, sharp teeth?
Gwen: Yes. Papa, it was a big, complicated dream, that I don't have time to tell you all about now.
.........
Gwenchik closes her eyes and lies down, contentedly. I resume stroking her eyebrows.

Gwen: (Happily, with her eyes closed.) I'm watching the next part of that same movie now. What interesting cars they have!

Girl-ladieship

While we were reading a book on the couch, George prepared his specialty---French toast.
George: Ok, ladies, everything is ready, please join us.
Gwen: Hmmm, I am a girl. But a girl is kind of a small lady, right? So I can eat toast as well. But daddy, next time ask a lady and a small lady to join, ok?

Where animals come from

From George
After watching Ratatouille, in an effort to put off the inevitable time she has to go to sleep:
Gwen: Papa, what are animals made of?
George: Much the same things that we are. Flesh, skin, bones, hair...
Gwen: No, I mean where do animals come from?
George: They grow from little animals, like people grow from little people.
Gwen: And where do little animals come from?
George: From their mother's belly. Every animal has a mother...
Gwen: And how do they get in their mother's belly?
George: That's complicated, I'll explain it later.
(Pause)
Gwen: Papa, I know where animals come from.
George: Really?
Gwen: Yes. First there are these little microbes. Then bigger, long microbes stick on to them. By sucking, like this. (Demonstrates sucking in air.)
George: And they stick together to make animals?
Gwen: Yes. The legs get made first.
George: Really? Who told you this?
Gwen: Yes. Let me remember what my grandfather told me. The legs get made first, then the stomach, then the back, the arms, the fingers, the palms... No, that's not right, these are animals, they don't have fingers. It must be the animal legs get made first, then the paws...
George: Oh. That makes the whole animal that way?
Gwen: Yes. And then after the animals die, they turn into people.

The perfect job

Gwenchik was trying to define what 'grown up' meant, and decided that if you work --- you are grown up.
Me: So what kind of profession do you see yourself interested in?
Gwen: One in which you can eat lots and lots and lots of candy!

How silly is silly

We have two of Gwenchik's uncles visiting us from Indiana. She is thrilled that they came to visit and overwhelmed with all the attention. They go for all day sessions at MIT and every morning Gwenchik's wants to know when they will have the reserved time
to play just with her.

This morning, we were going as usual to her MindLab class, and all of a sudden she wanted the uncles to leave earlier for MIT. So while driving to class, I asked why?

Gwen: Mom, they are really, really silly most of the time. They speak really fast and say only nonsense. Probably grown up nonsense, but I do not understand what is so funny most of the time.
Me: So do you what them to stay at MIT longer, because it seems like they are too grown up for you?
Gwen: Oh, no. They have to come and read me a story tonight and play with me. I just have to rest, get enough sleep and maybe you can read me a book in a way that actually make sense. Then I can just watch them being silly. It is really funny and I do not think they understand that they are silly, do you?
......
Later, on the way back continuing conversation.
Me: You know, you can probably tell them when they are being too silly and you do not understand them.
Gwen: I tried several times, but they keep talking about strange things and continue to be silly. Of course, I can tell them that I will not kiss them good night if they won't read they book like everyone else---but that is really not nice. So I just wait...

Asking for too much

We were driving back from our Saturday classes. On the way there we were listening to classical music and discussing anatomy: functions of the brain and the stomach. So on the way back, I wanted to listen to my last book on tape: "Harry Potter".
Me: Ok, let's listen to some Harry Potter for a bit.
Gwen: No, I want to know more about anatomy.
Me: But I can't really tell you more. Let's get a book from the library and we can look at the pictures and read more about it. But for now, I want something for my enjoyment.
Gwen: But I kiss you for your enjoyment all the time! Why do you need some Harry Potter?

Everybody wants to be a cat

From George.
Late in the evening.
Gwen: Papa, I want to be a cat.
George: Why is that?
Gwen: Because then I would never sleep.
George: Actually, cats sleep even more than people do, sixteen hours per day.
Gwen: I never see them sleeping.
George: Well, frankly, they try to find a place far away from you to go to sleep. They think it's safer that way.
Gwen: Oh. What animal never has to sleep?

Heir presumptive

From George.
As I was putting Gwen to bed, while she did not want to go:
Gwen: Papa, when will I will be the Queen?
George: What do you mean?
Gwen: The Queen, then I will be in charge of the world.
George: Well, I don't know. Not before you grow up certainly. Why do you want to be queen of the world?
Gwen: Because then I'll be able to make my own decisions.

Child's logic

We are trying to explain to Gwenchik that it is not nice to talk about someone in the third person while they are present. And she still has trouble sometimes with that. So we were driving in a car and talking and Gwenchik again wasn't addressing a person by their name.
Me: Gwenchik, who are you talking to?
Gwen: Her
Me: Who is her?
Gwen: I just don't get this. I know her name, she knows her name, and you do... so why can't you all understand who am I speaking to?

My angel...

Me: How do you manage to be such an Angel lately?
Gwen: I was born that way!

Sleep in

Ah, holidays. It was very relaxing... We got to stay home as a family for several days: play games and go on play dates, dress up the Christmas tree, wrap presents. We got our best present a bit ahead of schedule on Monday morning, when we got to sleep in till 9:30 (normally we are up at 7), as Gwenchik quietly crawled into our bed.
Gwen: Mom, I thought that you would want to sleep in, so I woke up, put on a CD with Russian fairy tales and just played with my dolls and colored this picture for you, while I listened to them. I looked at the clock and it was later than 9, but I wasn't sure. Is it time now to get up?

MIT fairy

We told Gwenchik that her uncle David, who lives in Indiana, has been accepted to MIT (Congratulations, David!)
Gwen: Does that mean that he will be in Boston now?
Me: Yes, he will actually live here, probably starting this fall
Gwen: So, he wouldn't need to fly on the plane every time to visit us, right?
Me: Right
Gwen: I need to make a nice card (she is into coloring lately) for that nice MIT fairy, that she will make so that Nathan and Seth will come stay as well.