It's a hard girl's life

It was 90 degrees outside today, and we saw a guy bicycling past without wearing a shirt. Gwenchik watched him pass, envious.
Gwen: I don't like being a girl.
Me: Why?
Gwen: Boys don't have to wear shirts, can pee standing up, and don't have to give birth. Life isn't fair.

The Sharp Point of View

(From George)
I'm putting Gwenchik to bed and bringing her a cat, as she requested. The cat digs her claws into my shoulder.
I say, "Ouch! Be careful, we haven't cut Burka's claws for a while."
Gwen: "Hee-hee-hee!"
A bit later, Gwenchik asks me to bring her a band-aid.
Me: Did Burka scratch you?
Gwen: Uh-huh.
Me: Weren't you laughing just a few minutes ago, when she scratched me?
Gwen: Yes, but when she scratched you it was funny! When she scratched me, it wasn't!

Paranoid

As part of the conversation that Gwenchik overheard I used the word "paranoid" to describe a situation.
Gwen: I know exactly what you mean!
Me: ?
Gwen: Paranoid means that the parents annoy you...

Good life -- vacation week

I don't remember that my childhood vacations were so full of activities...

Yesterday, Gwenchik went to "Disney on Ice" show with a friend; then had a huge ice-cream at Friendly's, and topped it off with xbox game against Dad.

Today she spent the morning at a friend's house, then we hosted a Dominion game with another friend, and now her third playdate of the day is here for the evening.

What will tomorrow bring? How can we beat all this excitement?

Superbowl preference

As I am picking up Gwenchik from school I am surrounded by kids screaming -- "Patriots, Go Pats" and asking who I am supporting in Superbowl. I'm at a loss as I do not follow these, but know enough that Patriots is our New England team. So, I'm about to say Patriots, when Gwenchik screams -- "Giants". So as we walk home I am trying to figure it out....
Me: You do know that Patriots is our home team, right?
Gwen: Of course, I do.
Me: Then why do you support Giants?
Gwen: Because EVERYONE supports them here, and I feel bad for the Yankees. Can you imagine I was the only one who was rooting for Giants???

Love thy name

Gwenchik found out that her uncle will be having a baby this fall.
Gwen: Who do you want? A girl, right?
Roddy: Yes
Gwen: Have you picked out a name? I think Gwenchik is a GREAT name for your baby.

Stomach ache

George got a stomach ache.
Gwen: Dad, I know why your stomach hurts. You see, you ate donuts, but then didn't jump around. I do not have a stomach ache, even though I ate several of them, because with all the sweets you get really hyper and NEED to jump around, like I did with x-box. But you just sat about, that is why your stomach hurts.

The year of the Dragon

Gwenchik returning from her Sunday Russian Math class.
Gwen: One of the boys in class was happily telling everyone that tomorrow is the New Year, but no one knew what he was talking about! I just casually mentioned, that of course, it will be the celebration of the year of the Dragon, and he was so, so impressed!
Me: That is great.
Gwen: It is so nice that I have parents who know these things, then I look so cool.

Undeniable logic

We were all watching "Prince Caspian" together and Gwenchik understandably tended to cover her eyes and ears during the battle scenes.
Gwen: Tell me when Peter wins the fight with the bad guy.
Me: I am not sure he actually does, he is already wounded and the bad guy is not really playing fair...
Gwen: Of course he does, because he is listed in the next movie in the series.

Professional conversation

My friend Ksenia is staying with us for the holidays. Gwenchik wanted to know what exactly Ksenia does for a living. The way Ksenia explained internal audit consulting:
Ksenia: I visit different companies and I just give them advise....
Gwen: And people actually PAY for this?

Low present expectations

We got this really cool present for Gwenchik and I couldn't resist and asked if we could give it to her before Santa flies in.
Gwen: You didn't get me a math book as a present, did you?
Me: ?
Gwen: Well, OF COURSE, I would be happy with the book... but mom, what kind of parents give a math book to their child for a holiday! When I grow up and have kids, I will never give books that you need to learn from as presents!
......
What does it say about us as parents if our child automatically expects getting a math book as a present? Of course we didn't dissuade her from her erroneous notion, but it was nice that even though she was disappointed, she still tried to pretend that she was happy with the present, just to please us. She is really sweet and I can't wait to see her face once she actually gets her present. :)

Santa presents

Gwen: At school everyone knows that there is really no Santa and all the presents are bought by parents, which is kind of sad.
Me: Well, of course parents buy presents as it is a holiday, but Santa brings some too.
Gwen: Than why no one ever seen him? How can he really exist?
Me: He is a magical being, you know. So the entire point is to appear ONLY when everyone is asleep or not around.
Gwen: Ha, so no one really knows the truth, right? Do not tell anyone, but that means that I will get more than one present, right? You, Dad, Santa -- as least three.....

Motherland

As we are walking home from school Gwenchik proudly recounts her Spanish class geography lesson. They had a giant map on the wall with all the continents in Spanish.

Gwen: In school everyone knows that I am Russian. Actually  ---  the only Russian, I think.

Me: Yes

Gwen: So everyone was wondering what was that huge orange blob on the map -- and I was like, "oh, that is Russia -- pais mas grande del mundo!" Now EVERYONE is envious of me. 

Monopoly

Gwenchik begged me to play "Monopoly" with her for a long time as I am not a fan of the game. As she is losing and finally lands on one of my streets with a hotel on:

Gwen: I can't believe it. You wouldn't help your ONLY daughter!
Me: Well, you can mortgage your railroads or streets and I can help you calculate...
Gwen: YOUR ONLY daughter and you want to charge ME rent!
Me: It's a game, as you well know. Do you want me to give in?
Gwen: No. But when I grow up and have a daughter I will not WIN in "Monopoly" against her. I always, always win against Dad, as he doesn't know how to play. Why, why, why do you win in the game you do not even like?

Shorting money

At this point, from her birthday presents and several summer yard sales Gwenchik has about $200 in cash. About a week ago when her grandmother came to pick her up  and realized that she forgot her wallet Gwenchik generously offered the money that she has to grandma.

Gwenchik brings her new wallet that she got for her birthday and pulls out her riches -- $200. However all the dollar bills look weird -- much shorter than normal.
George: What is wrong with the dollar bills?
Gwen: Well, when I took the money from the envelope and transferred it into my new wallet the bills just wouldn't fit, so I cut the sides off. You see how nicely they fit now?

Reality-fiction

Lately Gwenchik likes writing -- in her diary, in numerous notebooks spread all over the house. As we driving to math class Gwenchik is reading aloud her new short story about a girl named Gwen and her dragon.
Gwen: ... girl named Gwen and her birthday was in September, when she turned 8 years old.
Me: So this is a story about you?
Gwen: Well sort of, but not really. It is like reality-fiction genre.

Yellow belt!

Today Gwenchik got her yellow belt! Quite unexpectedly, as the testing was set for middle of December -- so we are very proud of her. I suspect that for the next belt she would need to break a board.

Nice to be a girl

Walking around Central Sq in Cambridge ...
Gwen: It is nice to be a girl.
Me: Why do you think so?
Gwen: Girls can wear skirts or pants, their hair long or short and any jewelry and NOT  look weird.

Kids

Gwen: When I grow up I do not want to have kids.
Me: Why?
Gwen: It is painful for them to be born and than they do not really listen to their parents... so what is the point anyways?

Death

Today died Betta fish that Gwenchik got for her birthday. She cried, and cried, and cried... she felt responsible as she sort of neglected it, though, I suspect that the fish was, unfortunately sick, to begin with.