Thursday, November 10, 2011

Conversations with Sabrina - Growing

While giving Andrea a bath I told her:

Liv: I'm going to water you now cause you're my plant. Grow plant grow.
Andrea: It's not working at all.
Liv: That's cause you have no leaves! We should color your hair green to make it look like leaves.
Andrea: NOOOOO. I love my hair. I love my skin color. I love me tummy. I don't want to change myself.

Awwwwww. Must document this and show it to her when she's around 16 and wants to put a tattoo on her nose or something

Friday, November 4, 2011

Tomorrow is Coming

Dear Sabrina Banana,

We've always had our bedtime routine. You can be sure that when it's 9pm, it's time to sleep. This routine was challenged when I went back to grad school as I would normally be home past 9 and you would try to wait up for me. Now, when I would tell you that it's time to sleep you would always ask why. And I would always respond by simply telling you that it's 9pm.

In the past, saying it's 9pm was enough. Now, you would still follow BUT you would start showing me your ever dramatic sad face. I would then say something like:

Liv: Do you know what the day is going to be tomorrow?
Andrea: Friday?
Liv: And what are we going to do tomorrow?
Andrea: (you will name the activity we have planned)
Liv: How can we do those fun things if you don't sleep now?/How can it be tomorrow if you don't sleep?

This technique has worked for months. Normally, you'd be all excited about going to sleep so that you can do the fun things we have for the next day. Yesterday, you decided to call my bluff and you said:

Andrea: I will just let Jane (your nanny) sleep tonight. I will stay awake.

I had to laugh. That was creative, I'll give you that. But no can do kiddo...you still have to sleep.

Love you,

Momma

Booby Trap

Dear Sabrina Banana,

Last Monday, out of nowhere, you asked your dad. what Booby Traps are. He explained a bit but admittedly, it is a bit hard to explain what those are!

I decided to ask you to embrace me as I was laying on the bed. Then I wrapped my arms and legs around you and said:

Liv: This is a booby trap! You're stuck here forever!
Andrea: NOOOOO. Why?
Liv: So I can embrace you and tickle you forever and ever and ever.
Andrea: (Giggling) No, let me go. I want to be free.
Liv: I'm sorry, you'll never be free.
Andrea: I can get free
Liv: Nope, you'll be here till you're 83 years old.
Andrea: That's forever!

And, you wiggled, and you squirmed, and you got free. That is how you learned about booby traps, and our new nightly trap and tickle tradition was born.

Love you,

Momma

Lessons in Geography

Dear Sabrina Banana,

Two Sundays ago we had this conversation. 

Sabrina: Mommy have you seen a kangaroo before?
Liv: Yup, gramma and I went to Australia when I was a little girl.
Sabrina: What country did you go to?
Liv: Australia
Sabrina: That's not a country! That's a continent!
Liv: No it's both a country and a continent.

It took a few more minutes of discussion to convince you of this fact but eventually, you conceded. I loved how you argued with me. I think that's precious. I also love that you remembered what your teacher told you in class. 

I found out during a conference with your teacher that you have discussed these countries: China, Philippnes, Japan, Italy and France. She said she's surprised because you're the only one in class who remembers all the details discussed. I proved that when I started asking you about the countries! I realized this was something you're interested in so I decided to capitalize on it. 

Last Sunday, you started asking me about the United States and I promised you that I'll make a presentation for you so that we can learn about it. Why did I do this? For so many reasons:
  1. I want to teach you about geography and culture
  2. I want to see how much of what I teach you will be retained
  3. Because after I present to you, I am going to ask you to "teach" daddy 
  4. Because I know this will whet your curiosity and you'll want to learn about other countries after this (and yes, this has already happened) 
  5. I will eventually teach you how to make your own presentation and how to find things yourself. 
The result of this presentation was so funny. I posted most of what happened in FB and I'll just copy-paste them here:

So I just finished my presentation for Andrea. She generally liked it but commented that I forgot to put pictures of Disneyworld on the slide which focuses on things we can see in the US (like the statue of liberty and Niagara falls). 
She particularly liked the slide where I posted the photo of the continent of North America. She said "Oh wow, it's near Canada and Mexico". She then exclaimed that she's so happy her grandmother lives near Mexico because Dora lives in Mexico. 2 hours after:

Andrea: Mommy, mommy I just remembered. Justin Bieber lives in Canada?
Liv: Really? Who told you that?
Andrea: The teachers from Junior Nursery Seals (NOTE: This is not her section, not even her grade level. Why these teachers talk to her about Justin Bieber is beyond me)
Liv: Oh wow.
Andrea: Do you know him? He sang "Baby, baby oh"

Oh dear God. We're learning Geography based on pop artists and cartoon characters.

Andrea: Mommy, mommy I just remembered. Justin Bieber lives in Canada?Liv: Really? Who told you that?Andrea: The teachers from Junior Nursery Seals (NOTE: This is not her section, not even her grade level. Why these teachers talk to her about Justin Bieber is beyond me)Liv: Oh wow. Andrea: Do you know him? He sang "Baby, baby oh"
Oh dear God. We're learning Geography based on pop artists and cartoon characters.

And it continues: 

Andrea: What do the 13 stripes in the American flag mean?Liv: Before, the entire country was part of UK (translation: was under the British) and there were 13 groups (colonies) who worked together and told the British "No we don't want to be part of your country. We want to be our own country?"Andrea: But why? United Kingdom is sooo nice.

Hahaha. Euro-snob? Not really, you just really like the United Kingdom because they have a queen! So today, we're going to learn about the UK. Truth be told, I'm going to be learning with you as I don't know much about the UK..

Love, 

Momma