States and Cities

On the tarmac, upon landing in Austin, Texas to visit Aunt Jen and Uncle Bobby for Thanksgiving I said to Zoey, "We're finally here! We're in Austin!"

Zoey replied (with real tears), "Oh, no! We're supposed to be in Texas! I want to go to Texas to see Tia!"

M: Zoey, we are in Texas. Austin is in Texas.

Z (Tears immediately gone): Oh. I know.

Then, several seconds later... "Mommy, is Austin also on the earth?"

hyperbole

Lounging in bed this morning, Brian and I were discussing whether or not we should buy a baby gate.
Z: We've talked about this a million times! (Which is totally true.)

M: Hey, good hyperbole! Can you say hyperbole?

Z: Perbole, hi! Who's Perbole? Hi, Perbole!

boys

Last night Zoey was driving to a youth dance with me (Brian and Kaia were in the other car, coming to help me set up a few things):
Z: Mommy, what is a dance?

M: Well, when you're a little older you get to go to the church where they play fun music and you get to dance with your friends - and with boys! Doesn't that sound fun?

Z: Yes, well... mommy, I already have a boy.
M: You do? Who is your boy?

Z: You know his name mommy - it's Benjamin!

Today after church we were telling daddy about this conversation and he said, "I thought I was your boy." Zoey gave him a big hug and said, "You are my boy. Right now I have two boys!" Daddy just grumbled, "You're way too young to have two boys..."

more misunderstandings...

Tonight I asked Zoey to go tell Daddy that I needed him to bring up my paper cutter and BRADS from the basement.

Z: Daddy, Mommy needs her paper cutter and breasts from the basement.

D: Really?

Z: Yep, that's what she said!

new songs

Z: Mommy, do you want to sing a song with me?
M: Sure, what song would you like to sing?
Z: The "Look up in the Sky" song.
M: Umm, I don't think I know that song. Can you sing it for me?
Z: You do know it! I just thinked it and made it up. Sing it with me, please!
M: Uh, okay...

Then Zoey and Mommy proceeded to sing some gibberish until Daddy started laughing hysterically and told Mommy she earned a gold star for effort.

misunderstandings

We have a lot of misunderstandings at our house these days. Some of them are hilarious. Or maybe I'm just sleep deprived. Here's one.

Our dryer broke this week (what a horrible inconvenience!) and, while bathing girls, Brian and I were talking about our different options. He explained that we have to buy a gas dryer because that's what we currently own and when I asked about electric he said, "Well, I'm pretty sure it costs money to switch. At the very least we'd have to hire someone to get it capped."

At this comment Zoey burst into tears and cried, "But I don't want a cat! I want a fish!"

Once we figured out the misunderstanding, I couldn't stop laughing.

snowy mountains

Z: Mommy, do you know what a snowy mountain is?

M: Well, it's a mountain with snow on it.

Z: But why does that make the snowman get smaller?

M: What?

At this point Zoey proceeds to sing "Once There Was A Snowman" and instead of in the sun he melted, melted, melted, in the sun he melted small, small, small Zoey sings in the snowy mountain, mountain, mountain, in the snowy mountain small, small, small.


Too, too funny.

important matters

On the way home from the first day of preschool...

M: Zoey, did you see Kate, the little girl we met last week?

Z: Oh, yes, I did. Kate didn't listen during circle time. Mrs. Drew told us to sit criss-cross applesauce, like this (showed me in her car seat), but Kate didn't listen and just rolled around all over the floor. Didn't you tell me floors are dirty? (When I try to interject a response...) Maybe Kate's mommy didn't tell her floors are dirty because she just rolled and rolled. But do you know what? Kate had on a BEAUTIFUL dress!

I couldn't help but laugh because I had just read some readiness information my mom sent me. 3 year-olds should be able to string together 4-6 word sentences.

more spiders

The day after having a babysitter at our house Zoey said, "Mommy, guess what Carissa found in my tent!"
M: What did she find?

Z: Now don't freak out... she found a big spider!

Where did  my 3 year old learn the phrase don't freak out? Kind of funny!

spiders

We were at a friend's house swimming and she took a large bug out of the pool and threw it on the grass. Her two year old daughter asked, "Mommy, was that a spider?"

Before she could answer Zoey replied, "No, it wasn't a spider. My mommy didn't go 'aahhh!' when she saw it."

hand sanitizer

Zoey calls hand sanitizer hanitizer and it makes me laugh every single time. Today we took one of her friends to the park with us and I heard her say to Zoey, "What is hanitizer?" That made me laugh, too.

elephant

... and today Zoey said elephant - as opposed to enephant - and jumped up and down in excitement. "Mommy, I did it! I said elephant! Elephant! Elephant! Elephant! I am getting so big and strong now!"  Because being strong, everyone knows, improves one's pronunciation.

Sadness, again.

sadness

This morning Zoey asked me for a marshmallow for breakfast. Believe it or not, that's not the sad part. The sad part is that she actually said marshmallow as opposed to marshmayo. 


She said, "Mommy, may I please have a marsh... marsh... hmm... marsh... um... marshmallow for breakfast? Mommy! I said it! I said marshmallow! I did it!" and then proceeded to hop down the stairs saying marshmallow on each step. I nearly cried at watching her thought process and excitement over saying another word the "right" way.

She is changing so much recently. She's such a big girl and it still kills me.

Oh, and we didn't have any marshmallows in the kitchen so she didn't get one for breakfast, in case you were wondering.

a couple whiles

Zoey always combines the phrase a couple minutes and a little while. When she wants to do something for a few minutes she says, "Mommy, can we read books for a couple whiles?" or "Mommy, can you sing to me for a couple whiles?" It is so cute to me that I never correct her.

let's get leavin'

When we are in a hurry to get out of the house, which seems to be every time we try to leave the house, I say to Zoey, "Come on, sweetie; we've got to get goin'!" Tonight, while playing dress up with daddy, I heard her say from the other room, "Come on, sweetie; we've got to get leavin'!" It made me smile the real kind of smile. You know the smile that you can feel on the inside? That kind.

broken tv

While watching tv this morning Zoey yelled from the living room:
Z: Mommy, the tv is broken!
M: What do you mean the tv is broken?
Z: My show turned off! (Getting more upset...) The tv is totally broken!
I came from upstairs and into the living room to see a commercial on the tv.
M: It's not broken. This is just a commercial.
Z: Oh. What's a commercial?

Thank you, DVR and Nick JR. My 3-year old has never seen a commercial until today. LOL.

Oh, boy!

"Mommy, do you know what oh boy means?"

"Um... let me think..."

"I'll tell you.  It means someone made a big mess! Let me show you." [Zoey drops a pile of cards onto the floor.] "Listen... oh, boy! See, that's what it means!"

getting taller

Today at church I was helping Zoey wash her hands in the restroom. For the first time Zoey was able to reach the faucet without any assistance. I said, "Zoey, you're getting so tall!" In an exasperated tone Zoey exlaimed, "Yes, I am. Now would you PLEASE stop being sad about it?!?"

halloween

Z: Mommy, I want to be a mermaid for Halloween!

M: Hmm... that's a great idea. I wonder where we could find a mermaid costume?

Z: Um, at the mermaid store!

Note: What Zoey wants to be for halloween changes almost daily. Her ideas include (so far): a rooster, a tree, Boots, a princess, a baby, and (this is my favorite) a towel.

my best

I'm not sure exactly when Zoey started saying this, but one day she exclaimed, "Mommy, you're my best!" Now she uses it all the time for people, toys, and food. Like as in, "Marshmayos are my best!" Instead of favorite or best [insert noun] she uses just best and we love it. In fact, now we all use it (all as in Daddy, Mommy, and Zoey).

marriage

The idea of marriage is so abstract to my little girl, which I realize is age-appropriate, but some of the things she says about marriage crack me up.

Today, while driving home from the park:
Z: Mommy, how do I get married?
M: Well, you fall in love with your best friend and then get married.
Z: I am going to marry Kaia - she is my best friend.
M: I am glad Kaia is your best friend. You will marry a boy, though.
Z: No, I am going to go to the temple and have kisses and flowers - but NO BOY!

cowboys

Zoey thinks every hat is a cowboy hat.  She puts on her sunhat and says, "Ride 'em cowboys!"  The cutest, though, is when she tries to say, "Yee-hah!" because she says it, "Nee-hah!" It almost sounds like she is saying hello in Chinese.

some random words

Today we watched some video of Zoey from July of 2009 and it brought tears to my eyes because of how much she has changed.  I want to remember more.  Here are some things I want to remember.

- She said totally for the first time this week.  As in, "It is totawee raining outside," and "I am totawee   hungry."  It cracks me up. 

- Hayley = HayHay
Dallin = DalDal
Taylor = ShayShay
She never deviates from these and I love it.

- In the car a few weeks ago she said, "Mommy, some words are so hard for me to say! Like enephant (elephant) and helicockter (helicopter) and hosipel (hospital)."  All I could do was agree with her - they are hard words to say!

- She told me the other day she needed to send grandma an email (an email!). When I asked what she needed to tell her she said, "It's secret, but very important," with her hand up in the air and a very serious look on her face.  How can I argue with that?

breasts

Within days of arriving home with our new little girl, Kaia:

Z:  Mommy, I am now ready to feed the baby.  My breasts are big like yours.

M and D:  Laughter.

And the next day...

Z:  Mommy, is it white milk or chocolate milk in your breasts?

M:  It's white milk.  Great question, Zoey!

Z: Yeah, it is a good question, huh?

dc, please

This past week I was making lunch for Zoey.

M: What would you like to drink, babe?

Z: Diet Coke, please!

Yeah, I am the best example, ever. (I did not give it to her, in case you were worried. She had milk. Wholesome milk.)

nekkid

Zoey, running nekkid up and down the hallway, with her flashlight beaming all over her body.

M: Zoey, what are you doing?!?

Z: This? I'm just flashing myself.

blue's clues

M: Zoey, I can't get that "Blue's Clues" song out of my head!

Z: You just need to use soap and water and wash it out.