What is takes to be polite...

Yesterday Gwenchik forgot all her manners and at some point even tried to slam the door. That was the first one and she got grounded in her room. Later at dinner, I asked what happened to my polite adorable daughter

Gwen: Well, I get too many punishments! That is why I forget to be polite.
Me: But you only get punished if you misbehave, so if you do not misbehave, you do not get the punishment.
Gwen: Well, that is not right. If I get less punishments I will behave better!

Lists and gene pool

The first thing that Gwenchik did this morning once she got up was make a list. She carefully filled in a page with different tasks, like get dresses, right a letter to Santa, practice karate moves... than she ran to me to ask if there anything else to add to the list.

Gwen: And then as soon as I am done with the task, I can cross it off!
....

Now I am famous for making lists, but I do not think that my daughter actually ever saw me making one, so we thought there is an indisputable gene influence :)

Overcoming flaws

Gwenchik and I are going to a musical "Little Women" today. So before we go, I try to explain the gist of the story of four sisters and how each one of them struggles to overcome a major character flaw: Meg, vanity; Jo, a hot temper; Beth, shyness; and Amy, selfishness.

Gwen: How can you overcome a flaw?
Me: Hmm, for example if you are shy, you learn how to interact better with people
.....
Gwen: Mom, grown-ups will be running around on stage singing about being shy? That is just so silly

Nutcracker dilemma

Just went to see the traditional Nutcracker ballet.

Gwen: Mom, isn't it strange that prince the Nutcracker dances with Plum Fairy all the time and not with Clare. She was the one who threw the shoe to save him, but he just abandoned her.
Me: Well, they are visiting Plum Fairy's domain, so to be polite he has to dance with her...
Gwen: Oh, he probably really wants to dance with Clare, but has to dance with the Fairy. That is not fair.

Love, family

Gwenchik is counting days until her uncle is coming for Thanksgiving. She has been having problems with pronouncing "rrr" and has been practicing daily.

Gwen: He can listen to my new "rrrrrr" sound and play the game "set" with me! Oh, Mommy I love you and Daddy and uncle so much!! Actually all my uncles!

....

Oh, the precious moments

KungFu Panda

Gwenchik has been taking Karate classes and lately all the kids talk about is Kung Fu Panda.
So finally we got a copy and set down to watch...

Once the Panda was selected as the Dragon Warrior.
Gwen: I feel really sad.
Me: Why?
Gwen: Because the Furious Five worked all their lives, and Panda just got what they all wanted without doing anything. That is not fair!

....

Me: So which of the characters did you like the best?
Gwen: Tie Lung --the bad guy, because he was the best one at Kung Fu, he was tricked.

Glasses=male

This morning we are all preparing our costumes: Gwenchik --a witch, I am-- Facebook, with a cardboard computer cut out, and George -- domestic fairy with a wig, wings and tutu.

Gwen: Daddy, you look funny, as you are not a girl.
Me: How do you know for sure he is not a girl?
Gwen: He always wears glasses!

.......
True the majority of males around our household do wear glasses

Geography lesson

I am tucking Gwenchik in bed.

Gwen: You are the best Mom in the whole world! No better, in the whole America! America is bigger than the whole world, right?

Koschei the Deathless

My daughter is running into the house holding a CD and is full of excitement

Gwen: Mom, there is an opera where Koschei the Deathless is singing! can you believe it, actually singing? You have to listen!
....
and than she spent the next half hour dancing and signing while listening to the opera of Koschei the Deathless -- typical bad character in Russian fairy tales.

Fair punishment

Gwen: Why do I get these strict punishments (no cartoons for a week) for really bad behaivior in school, while other kids don't. That is not fair!

After some explanation about what is or not fair and how not learning to behave properly with your teachers will have larger ramifications later in life...

Gwen: I guess, it is sort of good, that you are strict. At least I get to help with selecting the punishment, other kids do not.

Questions

Gwen: Mom, how do you know that we are not the movie?
Me: What do you mean?
Gwen: Well, are we real or something imagined by someone else, like Cinderella cartoon? She probably doesn't know that she is a cartoon if you ask her, right?

More of us...

Gwenchik got back home and run to tell me:

Gwen: Mom, there is another Gwyneth in the world! She is the new girl at our school!
Me: Great
Gwen: You know she even looks like me; the eyes, the hair. There is more of us out there.

Already five

Bright and early this morning...

Gwen: Mom! I am five years old today!
Me: Yes
Gwen: And then I'll be six, seven, eight --- and then you'll be so old

Skeptics: Fairytales and Dreams

Gwenchik was grumpily snuggling up in bed. To cheer her up...

Me: You know, if you go to sleep in a grumpy mood, even if Oley-Lukoe visits you tonight he will probably only bring his black umbrella.
Gwen: He only exists in fairy tales, so it doesn't really matter.
Me: Well, how do you really know he doesn't exist?
Gwen: When I sometimes come up to you room at night, I do not see him there.
Me: He probably hears you coming up and hides.
Gwen: Mom, he doesn't exist! He has no place to hide! He has a huge umbrella, right?

Not even 5 yet and already a skeptic.
.........................
For those of you that do not know, according to the fairytale, Oley-Lukoe visits kids at night and if they were naughty, he opens a black umbrella, which does not bring any dreams. However, if kids behaved well, he opens a multi-colored umbrella, which brings wonderful, magical dreams.

Be prepared for anything

From George
On the way to the playground, Gwenchik drew my attention to several long sticks she had leaned by our back door.
Gwen: Do you know why these are here?
Me: No...
Gwen: Well, in case some creature, like a dragon, should attack us in our house. If a dragon comes, I will take a long stick and poke it right in the eye.
Me: Yes, I'm sure it would never expect us to have long sticks with us in our house.
Gwen: Daddy, why aren't you taking a long stick with you?
Me: I'm hoping we don't meet any dragons or other fierce creatures on the way to the playground.

A bit later, we are walking by a wall decorated with cement lion sculptures.
Gwen: Look, Daddy, lions! I told you we should have brought our sticks!

The truth, so young

From George
Gwenchik asked me to tell her a fairy tale about a princess and a prince that fall in love and get married. So, a dramatic meeting and some requisite adventures later, the key moment arrives.
Me: ... and then, the princess and the prince looked deep into each others' eyes, and said they loved each other.
Gwen: No, no! The boy is supposed to fall in love with the girl first. And the girl isn't supposed to until later.
Me, shocked: Where did you hear that?
Gwen: It's just true. Now tell the story the right way!

Want to be a Mommy

Gwenchik was playing with her dolls.

Gwen: I can't wait to be a Mommy!
Me: Why?
Gwen: So I can make all the decisions!

Penny sharing

During an evening walk I found a penny and gave it to Gwenchik for her piggy bank.

Gwen: Well, another penny! Now mom do not worry, when you get really poor I will give you my piggy and we can live off that money.
Me: Hopefully, we wouldn't have to do that.
Gwen: Yes, I still need more pennies, right? We do not have enough?

Stop time

From George
While putting Gwen to bed:
George: Look at the clock. See, we only have fifteen minutes for you to finish, brush your teeth, get changed, and get in bed, so if you want your story, you'll have to hurry.
Gwen: Papa, why don't we break the clock? Then we'll have all the time we want.

Lucky

From George
When coming to meet Gwen on Cape Cod, I drove in after dinner. Gwen ran over, jumped on me, hugged me....

Gwen: Papa, you're so lucky! We're already done with dinner, so you get to have dessert without eating real food first!

Chocolate

Just got back from Cape Cod, where Gwenchik spent the last month with my parents playing in the ocean, running in the sun and riding a pony. When I walked through the doors to pick her up (have not seen her for almost three weeks), she ran to me and wouldn't let go for a day. And the first comparison she did sitting on my lap and looking at my pale arms:

Gwen: Mom, you really have to lie in the sun for days and days to match my chocolate tan.
Me: I should, but I only have two days.
Gwen: Well, then you would have to spend all of two days on the beach and you might get to caramel. Of course, that is not chocolate, but you'll live.

Fable influence

On the way to a friends house while driving in the rain, Gwenchik said that she rally wanted a car with a sliding roof opening.

Me: Why?
Gwen: So that I can open my mouth and drink rain water while still in the car
Me: When you grow up and if you study well, you'll have a job that pays you lot of money and will be able to buy any car you want.
Gwen: Yes, but if I study well and have that job, that would mean I'll be rich, right?
Me: Well yes.
Gwen: I do not want to be rich, because Robin Hood will come and take it all away.
Me: You know this is a fable, and all of this happen long, long time ago.
Gwen: But in the forest....

Secret plan

In the evening, grandma is reading Gwenchik a book, but it is really late and it is time to go to bed.

Gwen: Mom, can't wait till tomorrow to find out the ending!
Me: Don't you want to read it yourself? You wake up really early in the morning and can do that, right?
Gwen: No, do not want to. Could grandma please, please read till the end?
Me: Ok, but what would happen when grandma returns back to Moscow?
Gwen: Well, I though and though about this and I still have time to come up with a plan to keep her here reading to me. I need a secret plan...

The eternal question

From George

Gwen: Whom do you love more mommy or me?
George: Both equally.
Gwen: Yes, but between the two of us, whom do you really love more?
George: Mommy.
Gwen: Well, than no one really loves me, right
George: I love mommy as my wife, and you as my daughter

... the later seemed to ease the suffering just a bit.

Daily recap

Lately Gwenchik have been having some discipline problems at daycare. So, now every morning we talk about how to behave during the day and then in the evening talk about how the day actually went.

Me: How was your day today?
Gwen: Sorry, forgot to keep my promise and didn't listen to the teacher.
Me: Do you remember why?
Gwen: Not really. What I do remember, was that after the nap, you know, when I got to rest and think about my behavior, I was really golden!

Ballerina 101

Just came back from Boston Ballet where Gwenchik watched the 'Three masterpieces', a somewhat contemporary dances and surprisingly enough she enjoyed them and managed to stay for all three. During the intermission:

Me: Do you like it?
Gwen: Oh yes, even thought the dresses are funny and they jump a lot. I can jump too, so can I be a ballerina? I just need to learn to stand on one leg and spin, spin, spin

Comb for hire

From George
This morning, I found a new comb on Gwyneth's bookcase.
Gwen: This is my new comb. My Grandmother gave it to me, as a gift. That means that it is mine. And if you, or anyone, want to use it to comb my hair, you need to give me ... three cents. No, pennies. Better be two dollars.

The softest thing in the world

From George
While putting Gwenchik to bed:
Gwen: Do you know what the softest thing in the world is?
George: Your pillow?
Gwen: No, the sky. It's the sun's pillow, and the sun's blanket. When the sun goes to bed, the sky is what it sleeps on. Do you know when the sun gets all long and orange, just before night?
George: You mean at sunset?
Gwen: Yes. The sun gets all long because it's lying down to go to bed. And the sky is its blanket and its pillow.

Pleasant surprise

After coming back from a walk
Gwen: Mom, I was so good! I was just great!
Me: I am happy to hear that.
Gwen: You do not understand, I was better than great. Papa though that I would be behaving ok, and I really, really surprised him, as I behaved better, greater all around.

Unique

We were driving in a car and Gwenchik was behaving really well.
Me: You are golden! Our treasure
Gwen: There is a lot of gold and treasures, but I am one and only

Sweet profits

I was making jam out of strawberries and Gwenchik was helping me by washing berries, measuring sugar and stirring the pot. When the jam was ready, looking it over she exclaimed

Gwen: Mom, this looks like real jam from a glass jar! You know now we can sell ours!
Me: Yes, that is a great idea, but who would we sell it to?
Gwen: Papa?

Mindreader

I was frying sausages in the kitchen, when Gwenchik and George returned from day care.
Gwen: Papa look! We just talked about fried sausages in the car on the way home and mom is already making them!

So to score some points, I said that, as mom I have a special ability to hear what they were discussing in the car, sort of like a mind reader, even though I was at home.

Gwen: Hmmm... Ok, then. I will walk off into another room and talk to dad, and if you really can read minds, than you would easily know what we would be talking about, right? And I think you really can't read minds, and will only believe you when we do our experiment.

And she was off to her room... So how do you get out of this one, I ask you?

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.