Future husband considerations

In one of our mother-daughter conversations we got around to talking about kissing and getting married.

Gwen: Who do you think I should marry?

Me: I think you need to wait just a bit more for that.

Gwen: I know, I know... but if I were to get married now -- who do you think would be best?

.....

After my suggestion of a younger boy Misha

......

Gwen: No, ALL husbands are older!

Me: Well, no. You know aunt Yana who is older that her husband.

Gwen: Hmm. She is? Well, I guess Misha wouldn't be that bad and he is more likely to take care of me.

Santa's list

Gwenchik and a friend decided it was about time to write a letter to Santa. So they locked themselves in a room ... 5 minutes later

Gwen: Mom, I need you to help me.

Me: What, with the spelling?

Gwen: No. I do not know want I want and if I do not come up with something --- I'll get nothing and then I will be really upset.

School report card

We got Gwenchik's first school report card this weekend and had to sit down and go over it with her. She is doing great academically and even got a few outstanding, but following the rules and routines are not her strong points.

Gwen: Well, I am doing even better than I thought. They didn't tell you half the things we do in school! :) Yes, yes, I'll follow the rules, but often they make them up as they go along!

Tooth Fairy screw up

Gwenchik finally lost her front tooth in school yesterday and brought it back in a small white tooth shaped box, which was promptly deposited under the pillow. Next morning believe it or not there was a gold dollar in the plastic bag.

So tonight while preparing for bed we found the plastic bag with the white tooth box.

Me: Strange, why there is a bag still under the pillow?

Gwen: The Tooth Fairy forgot to take it with her in exchange for the dollar so she will probably come back tonight with another, don't you think?

After School

We have a GREAT after school program and on the early release days they organize field trips. So far they went to CoCo Water country and to a farm to collect apples.

Gwen: Tomorrow we will go on another field trip! Yeee!

Me: Great that you like them.

Gwen: Oh, I like them more that school itself. We get to run around and have fun instead of sitting in class learning letters. I can read so it is soooooooo boring.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Gwenchik lazily woke up this morning to happy birthday singing and the family crowding her bed with presents (family tradition). She thought to wait on unwrapping presents until the evening when the rest of the family gang would be showing up for the unwrapping of the entire heap of presents all at once -- but changed her mind in five minutes. I couldn't have waited even that long. :)

Gwen: It is my birthday, so I do not have to go to school.

Me: Yes, you do.

Gwen: What is the point of a birthday if I have to be in school on that day?

School till death

Gwenchik got back from school...

Gwen: School is boring.

Me: I thought you had a lot of fun yesterday.

Gwen: Well, yes, but I am done with it now.

Me: You know that you will need to go to school now for the next 12 years.

Gwen: 12 years!!! Till I die!

Oh, the excitement

Fifth day in school, and that after a long weekend holiday break ---- the school is still exciting.

So much so that Gwenchik just doesn't have time for mundane things like lunch.

Me: It looks like you didn't eat lunch at school today. Why?

Gwen: I know, I am starving! You know I was so busy chatting with my new friend that there

was NO TIME to actually eat lunch. Could you pack lunch that I can eat in one minute?

We still have so much to talk about!

Circle time

In first grade the day starts of with circle time. As I have never been through an American school system it is an alien concept to me, but I guess it is a way to connect. So we are discussing how the first day went...

Me: So what did you talk about during circles time

(the only actual activity that I am aware for that day)

Gwen: You told you name and the color you like.

Me: So what was your color?

Gwen: Well, I actually do not have a preferred color and I told them so.

......

Oh my, and this is just the beginning

Tomorrow -- First day of school

Tomorrow Gwenchik goes to the 1st grade. She is so exited and a bit apprehensive.

Gwen: Mom, will you come with me tomorrow?

Me: Yes, of course.

Gwen: And you can stay in the back of the class...

Me: No, sweetie, the school doesn't allow parents to stay during classes.

Gwen: They do not. What will I do?

Dancing

While we were listening to Viennese Waltz in the car and I was describing the debutante balls --- dancing, beautiful dresses...

Gwen: This music is really pretty. Can you dance waltz alone?

Me: No, you always dance with a partner.

Gwen: And I bet it is a boy.

Me: Yes.

Gwen (disappointed): Well, I guess I will not be dancing waltz anytime soon. Boys are so difficult to manage.

Women understand...

While driving to a friend's house, Gwenchik put on a generous amount of lip gloss and before leaving the car asked if she looked sparkly enough.

Me: Yes, though it looks a bit too much

Gwen: Well, auntie Kate would appreciate that. She is a WOMAN!

Downside to growing up

At a playdate with Gwenchik’s friend Nika the girls heard us lament how quickly kids grow up.

Nika: I want to grow up as soon as I can!

Gwen: No, I do not. Because you know if you grow up than your mom dies and I want my mom around. I just do not know how not to grow up.

Birthday planning

Yesterday, before going to bed we discussed Gwenchik's upcoming birthday (2 months). She could barely fall asleep and the next day spent a frustrated morning running around trying to plan the upcoming celebration.

Me: Why don't you write it down, this way you will remember

Gwen: I forgot the letters and they can't catch up with me, because I write so slowly. But I have so many ideas that I am afraid I will completely forget even my birthday because of the concentration required to write!

How come I do not have too...

Again, I got back from work and found out that Gwenchik was not behaving her best with her grandmother. I explained that I only have one mom, and Gwenchik has to take care of her, treasure her and listen to every word she says and do her best not to upset her...

Gwen: I understand. You know, when you get really, really old, I will also take care of you.

Me: I hope so.

Gwen: But you have two fathers, so if one gets upset you always have another one. How come I do not have that? I only have one Dad...

.....

What do you say to that?

Cat relationship

Because Gwenchik was away for almost a month and a half, the cats forgot how to interact with her.

Gwen: Mom, can you believe that Burka sits under the couch and doesn't want to come out to be petted!

Me: Well, she is probably scared.

Gwen: That is silly. How can she not want to be petted?

And so they sit across from each other trying to figure out who will give in first.

Back home

Because is it raining yet again, my parents decided to bring Gwenchik back from the Cape today.

My God, she is brown-chocolate, toned and muscled from climbing trees, riding horses and jumping in the waves.

Me: Wow, you are like a nice piece of chocolate!

Gwen: Yes, and I will not melt, though you probably will not eat me anyway.

Catching up

We finally drove to the Cape, where Gwenchik has been with my parents for the last two weeks.

She refused to go to sleep and waited up for us.

The next hour was a blur of puppet shows, climbing up the poll, swinging on the homemade swings, dancing, storytelling... like a small tsunami.

Nice to be a Mom

Gwenchik and I were doing some yard work: weeding, pulling grass and then feeding our neighbor's rabbits. Most of the weeds collected we decided to carry to our compost bin.

Gwen: It is nice to be a mom.
Me: Why is that?
Gwen: Well, you get yourself a daughter and then tell her to pull and carry weeds to the compost and she has to do it...
....

Mind you she actually really enjoys this activity, but the thought of "exploitation" appearing at 5 years old?

Worldly Mommy

Gwen: You know, that you are the most fun and interesting Mom.
Me: How so?
Gwen: You have been to many countries and you can always tell interesting stories about the world. All the other mothers can't!
.....
I guess our worldly travels in out forgotten life before Gwyneth are appreciated from an unexpected angle :)