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Some things Violet has said lately:

The other night, Violet and I were watching "White Christmas." There is a part where Bing Crosby is on the TV asking his war buddies to come to Vermont. Violet said, "I know why that TV is gray. Because It's cold."

Violet has a new job to water my house plants on Fridays. She was watering one and said, "Mommie, is it OK if this water is warm?"
"Yes," I said.
"This warm water will help the plant relax."

One day Violet said, "That's so gay."
"Violet, you shouldn't say that. What do you mean?" I said.
"I don't mean two boys who are dating....I mean the other thing it means," she says.
"You mean, "gay" like "happy?" I ask.
"Yeah, yeah...that is what I mean."

One day Violet said, "I know why Cy is moving to New York."
"Why?" I asked.
"To find a wife." She said.
"NO, I don't think he is trying to find a wife," I said.
"Why? Because he's gay?" She asked.
"No, I think he really likes women."
"No, I know he has some boyfriends." Violet insists.
"He has some friends that are boys, " I say.
"Yeah and he likes them, " she says.
"Yeah, but he doesn't like-em, like-em," I reply.

We think Violet might be allergic to wheat. One day she said to someone, "I'm allergic to wheat. I can't have beer. Only wine."

Also, a sleep update: We took Violet to a sleep specialist. The MD put her on a sleep restriction plan. She is now sleeping through the night pretty consistantly for the first time EVER. She has slept throught he night at least 7 times and goes to sleep much easier. It's been great.

This Christmas Violet wants, and is getting: A styling head, make-up, a dress up dress and 2 My Little Ponies. She wanted one of those power-wheels, but we vetoed that.

Last night, after we got out of the shower, Violet spit and it landed on her. (She loves to spit.) I said, "Violet quit spitting. You spit on yourself. That is disgusting."
Then she spit again.
"Quit spitting right now. STOP. Do you understand me?!" I said in my Mommie tone.
Violet said, "Mommie, I love you even though you yell at me."
I said, "I didn't yell at you. I am using a serious voice to discipline you."
In a voice just dripping with honey, Violet said, "I love you even though you are disciplining me. I could never HATE you. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever."
Then I just started laughing.
Violet said, "Mom, you're over-reacting."

Instant classics: age 4.5

1) A few weeks ago, Violet had a stomach bug. After throwing up, she said, "I got rid of my bug....but I think his brother is still in there."

2) A few days ago, we were all driving in the car. Violet asked, "How do you make water?" I said, "Well, you take 2 Hydrogens and an Oxygen." She said, "That's what Daddy said."

3) Today, while lying in bed, Violet said, "I want to get a pair of boots and a hundred packs of gum and put the gum on the bottom of the shoes and then walk on the ceiling."

4) Lately Violet has been inquiring about sex. (And of course, we have told her what it is.) But recently she asked, "Does it feel good for girls?" Oh Lord, ya'll pray for me for the teenage years. One caveat, this question followed an NPR story we were listening to about fake hymens that non-virgins can purchase in Arab countries. Violet must have REALLY been listening. She said, "What is sex?" and I told her (again) that it is when a man puts his penis in a vagina. She said, "I knew that."

5) Tonight, I brought several dishes down to the basement for family Movie night. As I was walking down the stairs, Violet said, "Dang....waitress!!!" She said it just how I imagine Chris Rock might say it.

Sweet Heart/Reading

Yesterday, when I got up to go to work at about 5 PM, I heard Violet's little feet run upstairs.
She jumped into the shower with me. She said, "Mommie, I love being around you. I'm so glad you married Daddy, because he is the best daddy in the whole world. And I'm so glad he married you because you are the best mommie in the whole world."

(I mean, come on....how is anybody suppose to go to work after that!!!!!)

Violet is such a great kid. Just a joy.

I've been working on sight words with Violet. She can now read these words:
I, me, dog, cat, car, look, play, run, yellow, funny, blue, big, go, the, and, a, like, have, we, little, see
I can arrange the flash cards into sentences and she can read them!!
i.e. We have a blue car. Or: I see a little yellow cat.

She is so amazing and so fun. We "play" school a lot. She loves it. So far so good for the home schooling! She's much happier and our lives are much less stressful than they were when we had to go to bed early, wake up early, drive across town, drop her off, pick her up, etc, etc. Now, we enjoy each other's company and enjoy learning and playing. They are one in the same.

Well, Good Morning to you too

This AM, when Violet woke up in my bed (of course), she said, "I hate to say this, but I just want to slap you in the face, but I'm not going to....isn't that good?"
What a way to start the day? It's not a very good indication of how the rest of the day might progress!

Then, when I asked her what she wanted to do, she said, "Go to Target." (that is a first, she NEVER wants to go.) I said, "I don't have any money." She said, "That's OK, we can just look around."

Obama

Tonight we watched Pres. Obama's speech re: health care reform. Violet asked, "Is Barack Obama smarter than Daddy?" John and I laughed. Then John replied, " Yeah, probably so."

She's had a little stomach bug the past two days. She's been very sweet. I love to kiss her sweet cheeks and nose. She's very snuggable.

Musicals

Last night, John and Violet and I watched OLIVER!, the musical. Violet asked (with surprise and enthusiasm), "Do they all know the same songs!?"
Then later, she asked, "Can they hear that music playing?" "Can they all hear it?"
How to explain a musical? Everyone just bursts into song and goes about as if it were the usual. Violet was quite perplexed!!

Tonight Violet and I took a stroll around the block. She said, "I wish we were driving to Owensboro. I like to be tired and whine." (Which is what she does in any car trip over 30 minutes.)

The night before last, I slept with Violet in her bed because I miss her so much!
She said, "What would happen if we didn't have space?"
I said, "I'm not sure. I think maybe all the people would float off the Earth because there wouldn't be any gravity."
She said, "It would be like swimming."
I said, "Maybe so."
Vi then asks..."What is below space?"
"I guess just more space, " I answered. (I promise I took Physics and Astronomy...just a tad rusty.)
"What's below that?"
"More space."
"What's below that?"
"More space."
"What's below that?" asks my tenacious kid.
"I don't know. I think it might be infinite."
Violet then says emphatically..."I know. I know. We'd fall onto a gas station."

And there you have it.


-----John was with Violet all today. I came home to Violet in a Zoro mask singing Bungalo Bill as she and John played it on the piano. She sang very loudly, "ALL THE CHILDREN SING....Hey, Bungalo Bill, what did you kill? Bungalo Bill."

Earlier today there was a big storm. John was going to get the mail and Violet said, "People shouldn't be going out and about."

Yesterday, when I was driving home from work, I called John on his cell. Violet answered. I said, "Hey, Violet!!! How are you doing? " She said, "How did you know it was me?" I said, "Because I recognized your voice." She replied, "But I was using my adult voice!!"


That night, I said, "Tomorrow is a Daddy day. I'll be at work all day." Violet said, "YEAHHH!!! I love Daddy days. They are my favorite!!!!" (She was so excitied!!)

Ahhh....life is good!

My little old soul

Yesterday at dinner Violet whispered: "Hey, I've got to tell you a secret. When I grow up to be a pretty girl and get married and have a baby, I'm going to still live with you. Then, when you get old, I'll take care of you. Then, when you die, I'll take care of your furniture."

diving board day

There must be something magical about age 4, because Violet has just been....different. She quit biting her nails, exactly 2 years to the day after I saw her do it the first time. (2nd birthday to 4th birthday.)
Today we went to her last swimming class. She went off the diving board all by herself. Mr. Matt was her teacher. Violet spent the next 2 hrs. and 45 minutes jumping off. Eventually, I joined her. She'd get on one diving board and I'd get on the one next to her and we'd go at the same time. My little shrimp! Jumping into the 11' deep end all by herself. She was really proud of herself. At least 5 people stopped me and asked how old she was. I'd make her take a break. I'd wrap her in two towels and snuggle her up on my lap in our umbrella chair. I gave her 50 cents and she went and bought BBQ potato chips all by herself. She came back, munched on them and watched everyone. She shared the chips with me.
When we got home, she and I hung out while John had band practice. I was reclining on the porch swing and reading while she was playing in the back yard. It was an unusually cool, breezy evening. PERFECT. Violet went and got pillows and blankets and snuggled in with me on the swing. I just wanted to freeze time.
Then, she went and took her first shower by herself while I cleaned the bathroom. Then, to further impress me, she brushed her teeth on her own and then announced, "I'm going to go clean my room." It was as if the more I was pleased with her, the more she wanted to please me. This has not happened to this magnitude before! She went into her room, dried her hair, hung up her towel got pj's on and began folding her clothes and putting them in their drawers!! Then she said, "I'm going to go do the dishes!" I did draw the line there and say that she had been awesome enough for one day.
Daddy read to her. Then, I bounced her to sleep on the couch. She was lying on top of me. Tears just streamed down my cheeks. The love I have for her is.....well, you mother's know. You can't say it. Only a lump in the throat comes up. I just want to absorb her into me. It's like we are one, but two bodies. I love John deeply, but it is a much different love for Violet. Almost like my DNA is tingling. It reminds me of Superman flying around Earth so fast to reverse it. I just picture all of this white light forming this web cocoon all around us until we melt into each other.
Good night Violet. I love you beyond words.

more stories

It's been awhile since I posted Violet's latest adorable sayings. Here are a few.

1) On the 4th of July, Violet saw our dentist, Dr. Brown (an African American woman) running in the 10K. Later that day she said, I wish I were black so that I could have a black baby and then I would name it Dr. Brown and it could grow up and be a doctor.

2) The other night, I was having trouble putting Violet to bed. She kept getting out. I lowered her all the way down to the red. (We have a chart with color levels. She has to be on Violet at night, (the best color of course) to have privileges the next day. I lowered her right down to the red and she didn't even care. That is when I know that we are in a power struggle and fighting won't help and taking away stuff she loves won't phase her a bit. So I stopped, I took a few more deep breaths, and said, "Stand up here on your bed. Take deep breaths. Now, tell me what you are feeling." Violet said through sobs, "I'm ...feeling...sadness in my heart." (It was so sweet I wanted to cry, but so funny, I wanted to laugh.) But I remained calm and said, "Why do you have sadness in your heart?" She said, "Because I can't sleep in your bed. I want to sleep in your bed FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER." And I said, "What about when you get married? Will your husband sleep in our bed, too?" She laughed. "And what if you have kids? Will they all sleep in my bed?!!! That will be too many people!! I"m going to get kicked in the head!!" She laughed and calmed down. I then told her she could be back up on the purple if she didn't get out of bed again. She did it!

3) About a month or so ago Violet said,"You're not my real mommie. I didn't come out of your uterus!" A couple of days later she said, "I didn't come from your uterus, I came from China." Now I've heard of adopted kids not claiming their adopted parents just to push their buttons. But, I've never heard of a biological child claiming to be adopted in order to hurt their parents feelings. Leave it to Violet!!!

4) One night in May, we were all sitting out by our camp fire in the back yard. John had just mowed and commented that my garden really looked great. Violet said, "Anne's garden looks better!"
First of all, "Who are you?" Second of all, "We haven't even been to Anne's house this spring so you don't even know what her garden looks like."
You little punk.

5) The other day, John was attempting to give Violet a time out because she was being a grump. John said, "What's going on? Why are you acting out?" Violet replied, "I just want to be free. I just want to do what I want to do."

6) Violet has been practicing some stand up comedy. I can't even write it down, it's just absurd. But, it is really, really funny.

7) The other day, I was on the phone with mom and Violet built a shrine to her brothers. She took a Catholic virgin Mary candle and a silver Buddhist lotus and her Haiti box and stacked them up. I she then propped her chair up in front of it. I heard her singing, "Erickson, Erickson, we love you. Lovekender, Lovekender, we miss you." She reapeated it over and over like a chant and had her little hands in prayer position. ....that one did make me cry!

Rainbows

Two days ago, Violet asked, "What do rainbows feel like?"
I said, "What do you think they feel like?"
Violet answered, "Like clouds."

(Awhile after I recovered from the cuteness factor, I explained
how you can't really feel a rainbow. It's never to early to explain
reality right?)

She then said, "maybe you could if you could get a really really tall
ladder."

(OK, so that was even cuter right?)

I then proceeded to explain that rainbows are just light and you can't touch light.
She said, "Why?" I then explained that it's like light shinning from a flash light.
You can't touch the beam of light.

I wish Violet and I could go on a little field trip to touch a rainbow.

night terrors & the Jackson 5

It's been 4 years now, that I have been trying to figure out Violet's sleep issues. She has rarely slept through the night. As an infant, it was every hour or 2 that she was up. This lasted well into the 18 month range. Now, she kicks, thrashes and cries out. So, I finally was trying to get to the bottom of her night terrors. I found MANY interesting connections.

First, and most appropriate for Violet, is a link between night terrors and childhood obstructive sleep apnea. John and his father wear CPAPs and John's Grandfather died of obstructive sleep Apnea. So, my best guess is that my kid can't breathe at night. That would explain the dark circles under her eyes. Many have said the night terrors immediately went away after having the tonsils and adenoids removed.

Also, kids with night terrors don't want to go to bed...for obvious reasons. She ALWAYS puts off bedtime. Fights it like the plague.

Third, there is some thinking that it's because they are overheated. Many kids sleep only in their underwear and don't want their feet tucked in. THAT'S MY KID TO A TEE! We can't keep pajamas or socks on her at all. We tried to swaddle her really tight when she was a baby, thinking that would help....we were roasting the poor kid!!! She'd always bust out like a little Hudini.

Fourth, general anxiety makes the night terrors worse. ie the stress of going to bed (check) School (check) and stressful days (check). Violet has also bitten her nails since just before her second birthday. She does it when she is anxious or bored. John said she is neruotic just like him.

So there we have it. I feel like a real great mom for figuring this all out about 3.5 years too late. I think what I'm going to do now is just try and keep a journal to pick up on patterns. Next step, take her in for a sleep study. I'm not going to mess around with the sleep apnea.


On a completely unrealated topic: Violet announced today when we were driving home listening to the Jackson 5 "I want you back "(?) (Stop the love you save may be your own...you're headin' for a danger zone) I'm not sure what the song is called. ...Violet says, "I want a band to play this song next to the doughnut place. And all the cars have to get out of the parking lot and park side by side on the street. And I will get up on that thing and dance in my bra and underwear and high heels when I'm a little bit bigger. Can we do that?"

I said, "whoa whoa whoa. Let me get this straight. Do you mean Dunkin' Doughnuts?"
"Yes. The parking lot next to it."
"You mean those condiminums at High on Rose?"
"Yes. That black building."
"And you want a band to play this song by the Jackson 5?"
"Yes."
"What band do you want to play it?"
"I want them to play it."
"And you want to dance up on what thing? The balcony?"
"What's a balcony?" (I point one out to her)
"No, no, no no no. Not a balcony. On that thing that has a letter cut out of it."
"You mean that silver sculpture that looks like an O with a chunk out of it?"
"Yes, yes yes. That sculpture!!"
"Ok, so you are telling me that you want the Jackson 5 to come to Lexington and play 'I want you back' (?) in the parking lot of High on Rose while you dance in a bra, underwear, and high heels ontop of a silver metal sculpture when you get older."
"Yes, yes yes. Can we do that when I get bigger?"
"Sure!"

Violet's violet bath

Today, Violet and I read about the healing properties of violets. We learnded that you can eat their flower and leaves. You can also make teas and use the leaves for a poultice. We made a violet infusion and poured it into her bath. We have so much more to learn about violets. Violet is telling me this last sentence should be: we have so much more to learn about boys. .... Well... that's true too.

More weird Violet stories

1) The other day, I was looking at an illustration of the internal organs in my anatomy book. I thought about explaining to her how Birdie (John's mom) had a colostomy bag and how that all works. Then, I decided that it was breakfast and I didn't want to get into all that this early!
Later that afternoon, Violet asked, "What was that thing right here on Birdie?" as she pointed to where Dawn had her stoma.
What's so weird about this is that Violet was 14 months old when Dawn moved in with us and I don't know that Violet ever saw her ostomy. However....perhaps Dawn did show it to her. Even then, Violet was 14 months old!!!! (do, do, do, do. Do, do do do....) Either this kid has a remarkable memory (possible) or she is psychic....

2) The other afternoon, I was walking around my garden teaching Violet about the different flowers that were coming up. We were playing school and I was the teacher. I said, "Students, who can find a Violet." Violet raised her hand and then showed me where several Violets were blooming. I told Violet how I named her after that flower. Then I started feeling a little emotional...you know, that overwhelming feeling of love that only a mother can know. Then, Violet hugged me around the neck and said, "I never want to lose you. I never want to lose you, Mama."
(Are you kidding me? Where did this kid come from?)

my little philospher

At dinner Violet asked, "Are we dreaming?" I said, "I don't know. I think this is real." Violet paused and then said, "People might be watching a movie of us.....a really long, long movie."
still 3 years old.

This kid...

Tonight we were eating soup and Violet said, "Guess where my food went?" And I said, "to your stomach!" and she said, "No, to my ra-ree-fra (urethra)."

Funny things

1) On the way to preschool today, Violet said, "Mommie, when I grow up can I use your coupons?" And I said, "Yes...but what do you need coupons for?"
She said, "For when I have blood."
And I said, "Oh...you mean tampons?"
Violet replied, "Yes, yes...tampons."
Me: "Yes, you can use my tampons when you grow up."

2) Mom said Violet couldn't find something. She was looking and looking for it. Finally, Violet said, "I bet the Grinch stole it."

3) Violet has dreams every night and tells us all about them. It's our entertainment every morning. She talks really loudly when she tells a dream. She really gets into it.

• One dream she had, she won "American Idol." She said she sang "Tomorrow" from Annie and the judges told her she was going to Hollywood!
• The other night, she dreamed that she had a "stove ring." I said, "what is a stove ring?" She said that it is like our stove, you could turn on a fire on it. (She acts out a clicking sound on her ring and mimics a little flame.) She said I called 9-1-1 because I didn't want her to have a dangerous ring.
• The saddest/funniest one is that she had an anxiety dream about preschool. She dreamed that she went there and couldn't find her cubby! She said a friend helped her look for it and her cubby was in the ball room. (Is that not just like a high school dream where you can't find your locker and then when you do, you don't remember the combination! How bad did I feel that my kid is having preschool anxiety dreams!
• She also dreamed that I found my shuffle. That day, I found it just where she said it was all along...behind her stage. YEAH!!
  

4) One night, I was rocking Violet to sleep. John was on the couch. Violet asked, "Why to boys like girls?" John said, "Because they are pretty and have curves and smell good." Then, John asked Violet, "Why do girls like boys?" Violet said, "Because they can take us to Goodwill."

5) Violet and I were in the bathtub and she was pouring water out of a cup onto me. She said, "Did that burn you?" And I said, "No." She said, "If it did, I would pour cold water on it." I asked, "Why do you think that would work? Why would cold water make something stop burning?" She answered, "Because it's electric."

6) Today at about sunset, Violet asked, "Why does China need the sun?"

7) One night, while rocking Violet, we somehow were talking about spinal cord injuries. I was explaining how once your back or neck is broken how someone could be paralyzed. I was basically going over the central nervous system and nerves and how they can't regenerate. And that once people are injured like that, they can't use their legs or arms again, ever. Violet asked, "Why?" And I said, "Because scientist haven't figured out how to fix it yet. Once a nerve is severed, it can't ever grow back together." She said, "I know how!!! (very excitedly) They can just sew them back together!" I said, "That's a really good idea. Maybe they haven't tried that yet."

8) One night, while rocking Violet to sleep, she said, "Mommie, I have a little penis." I said, "That is called a clitoris." She said, "No, it's like a little knob. It's a little penis. It's where my pee comes out." I said, "No, your pee doesn't come out there. It comes out of your urethra." "Then what is it for?" she asks. "It's to make you feel good while you are making a baby," I reply. She says, "Well, I still want to call mine my little penis."

9) In the tub the other night, Violet said, "Damn it, I forgot to get my shampoo at the grocery store." I then had to explain how we can't say cuss words. For months, she has been trying to say "Damn it", but I won't let her. Her way around it is to say, "Slam it" or "Bam it."

Truly content

The night before last, I Violet slept in her bed all night long!!! Hallelujah! We told her she could have anything she wanted. John said he would buy her ANYTHING! She said that she wanted to crack the eggs that morning for breakfast........Wow! I wouldn't have thought of that as a reward, but, whatever floats your boat.

Tonight, I was rocking her and gave her the same shpeel..."If you sleep in your bed all night long, you get ANYTHING you want. What is something you want?"
Violet answered, "Everything in my closet." I said, "Yes, but you already have everything in your closet. Do you want something new?"
Violet said, "Ohh....I already got something new. That time in Haiti, the lady of the orphanage (Marie) gave me a bracelet. That's new."

Christmas

We had a great Christmas with Violet. She got a stage for Christmas! Daddy built it and it is awesome. We have been getting all kinds of shows. It has been so fun to play with Violet while not in school. We have played and played and played. Man, she's awesome!