My Masterpiece & November 2011 Tidbits

Making Life a Bliss Complete | Make Your Own Book

November Tidbits

Tess asked if she could give some money to the Salvation Army bellringer. I asked if she knew why people give them money. Her response: "Cuz they like their music!"

Tess asked me to conduct her music as she played the "harp" on our stair banister.

Tess used our Christmas advent box as an "apartment building" for her dolls. When I went to fill it, I found all sorts of dolls, furniture and cars parked in the slots.

While helping to decorate the Christmas tree, Tess took the liberty of categorizing the various ornaments she placed on the tree. She thought my glittered fruit ornaments and simple balls were "boring" and our more distinct, unique ornaments were "not boring." When I asked her about a swirled glass ball ornament, she reported it was "medium boring."

Ryan and Tess were playing "telephone" today. Ryan pretended to call Tess, but she just ignored his "ringing" phone. When Ryan asked why she wasn't answering, she said, "Because it just a sale person." Ryan asked how she knew who was on the phone and she said, "I just look at the phone and it a sale person. They're selling new windows and I don't want new windows." I guess she understands the concept of "caller ID."

Tess was incredulous when, on the way home from Thanksgiving dinner, we told her that Thanksgiving was over and it time to get ready for Christmas. "Wow--that a short Thanksgiving!"

Tess' explanation for Drew's first haircut: "He has to be handsome for his birthday party."

A character in one of Tess' library books was wearing a beret. She pointed it out to me: "That's a France hat!"

While playing outside, Tess asked me (Ryan) if I could help her find some yellow flowers.  After I pointed out that there were some in our yard, she picked a few and then said, "Daddy, you take off your glasses so you see what I am not doing."  After a few questions, I discovered that Tess wanted to give some flowers to a girl sitting on the sidewalk a few houses away.

Tess had identified a soft spot on the nape of Drewie's neck as his "cutest spot," where she loved to nuzzle him and give him kisses. After his first haircut, she was concerned that they'd "cut off his cutest spot." It was true; the stylist had snipped off that baby lock. I told Tess to take a look and on examination, she pronounced: "Now Drew has a NEW cutest spot!"

Tess has been talking quite a bit lately about hosting a party. She has established the dress code this way: "the girls need to have pretty dresses and high heels and the boys need to wear black shirts and ties."

Tess has picked up all the telephone skills she needs to succeed. She has all the intonations and mannerisms down pat. She will pace while speaking. It took several telephone calls, but she even waits for me to answer before saying "Hello." (Previously, I would pick up the receiver at work and hear "Hello, hello, hello" before I had a chance to speak.) When I say something that she doesn't hear or understand, she pretends to have heard or understood by responding, "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh." (That's my clue that she didn't understand what I just said.) The other day she put down the telephone to say something to Miriam. When she picked up the telephone again to speak to me, she resumed the conversation by saying "uh huh, uh huh, uh huh."

Tess' current wish list from Santa: a purple teddy bear, a big unicorn toy, and a drum.

While in the foyer with Drew during church, I pointed out to him a picture of Jesus. He got really excited and kept pointing to the picture every time I said, "Jesus." Three times he pointed and said "Deez." I remember Tess doing the same thing about when she was about a year old. I believe that there is still a little glimmer of heavenly memory at this age.

Sometimes now if I'm frustrated about something, Tess will say, "Mom, I know what you need." She'll then proceed to lift up my shirt in the back and give me a back scratch.

Tess still needs help cleaning herself after certain bathroom duties. Today I was gone, and Tess was not happy for Dad to help her in the bathroom because she didn't want him to see her bare bum. She told Ryan, "I need Mommy. Mommy's the best wiper EVER!"

Tonight Tess taught us the Spanish word for turkey: "turk-ola."

Tess has an imaginary friend that she likes to pretend to talk to on the phone when we're in the car. Her name is Skoodle Noodle and she has two kids that were sick and in the hospital and are now better and were babies but are now all grown up and are constantly having birthday parties. She used to live in Idaho but just moved to Woodbridge and they're living in a hotel. I only get to hear Tess' side of the conversation: "Oh yeah? Really? Hmmmmm. That's good. That's good. Oh no! NO! Really?!!!! That's not good news." Then Tess will fill me in on the details: "Skoodle Noodle's baby just ate a crayon and has to go to the hospital and get a shot." It's been a gripping saga. Really.

I love it when Tess asks for a favor: "Mom, you do me a fever?"

There's a Tae Kwon Do studio near our gym. Every time we walk past, Tess says, "Looks like they doing Karate Kid in there."

Tess likes playing on a toy piano that's part of the playplace at Chick-fil-a. Last time she had a meltdown because none of the other kids wanted to play "choir practice" with her.

Papa Murdock called to talk to Tess and left a phone message. When I told Tess that he called and that we should call him back she said, "OK, that sounds good. I got time for that."

As we were playing miniature golf, Tess suddenly hugged a sign indicating the hole number. I had no idea what she was doing. A few minutes later we approached hole 11 and I said, "Hole number 11 is my favorite, Tess." She replied, "Daddy, you should give the sign a hug."

Tess: "I can smell the flu mist up my nose. It smells strange."

Tess: "Daddy, Drew cried when he got a flu shot. He cried because he doesn't know how to say 'ow' yet."

As we prepared to go miniature golfing, Tess pulled out her black patent leather shoes she wears for church. I told her, "Tess, I think you should wear your sneakers instead." She grabbed her shoes and said, "These are my fast running shoes." She then pointed to her church shoes and said, "These are my slow running shoes."

When Tess learned that I (Ryan) had Friday off, Tess became excited and said, "Daddy gets to see what I do when he's not here."

Tess: "Daddy, Drew just blessed on me." ("Blessed" means "sneezed")

Tess and I were talking about Christmas yesterday. I asked her if she wanted to see Santa this year and she thought she would be a little too scared. I told her she could write Santa a letter instead, and she thought that was the funniest thing ever.
Tess: "Mom, how we do that? How Santa get a letter?"
Mom: "We put a stamp on it and mail it to the North Pole."
Tess: "Mom, that so silly!!!! There's no mailboxes at the North Pole! I see pictures of it! There's no mailboxes there!"
Tess: "Daddy, I show Drewie how I put on girl clothes....See, Drewie?...Drewie doesn't wear girl clothes 'cause he's a boy....Daddy, do you know how I know that Drewie's a boy?"
Dad, wondering where this conversation was heading: "No."
Tess (pointing to Drew's sleeper pajamas): "He's wearing blue."