Conversations with Sabrina: Of Giants, Evil Robots and Secret Code Names

While reading the book "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" Sabrina and I came across a giant named Rumblebuffin. We both found this name adorable so I started saying that since her dad is so tall we can call him Mr. Rumblebuffin, I will be Mrs. Rumblebuffin and Sabrina will be Rumblebuffin Jr. We called these our "top secret" code names. I did this just for fun but Sabrina wouldn't have any of it unless there's a reason. So I told her:

Liv: What if, there's an evil robot who looks just like me and you need to find out who your real mom is. So you have to ask us "What's your secret name?" and the one who can give you the correct answer is your real mom.
Sabrina: Please (in a very bored way as if I'm talking nonsense) why don't I just throw water on both of you and the one who gets broken is the evil robot.
Liv: Yeah, that's a better plan.

Conversations with Sabrina -- Tummies

Mom, why do you have a big tummy even if you're not pregnant?

OUCH!

From the Mouth of Babes

One of the things I started doing was asking my daughter how I can improve as a parent. I wrote about the practice in my other blog. (Click to go to the blog post)

Here is what happened:

Every couple of months, I sit down with Sabrina and ask her how I can be a better mom to her or what I can improve as mother. She takes this to heart and today i asked her the same question:

 Liv: Sabrina how can I improve as your mom? 
Sabrina: I think you should try to have a better attitude?
Liv: (really? my daughter is telling me I have a bad attitude? Is this really happening?) Okay, what do you mean by i should have a better attitude? What does that look like? 
Sabrina: I think you should forgive people faster! Like remember when it took you so long to forgive Dad even when he said sorry? 

How humbling!! This incident happened over three months ago. What happened was, I was talking to Ruy about something and then he received a text message. He then spaced out and started replying to the message on his phone (which took about one to two minutes), then he put his phone away and was quiet for around 5 minutes before asking why I was so quiet and if something was wrong. I was so pissed that I kept quiet. Then he kept bugging me and I finally told him that he was so rude and that he actually forgot we were in the middle of a conversation. I felt very justified about being offended. I felt even more justified at not being forgiving right away even after he apologized. Sabrina was in the car with us when it happened (and no, no shouting or cursing was going on. It was a very quiet and civilized discussion despite my irritation) and I didn't realize she was watching what I was doing. She soon butted in and said I should be more forgiving. YIKES. It took me five minutes to accept Ruy's apology and Sabrina still couldn't forget it. I apologized again to Sabrina yesterday and told her I'd try to be more forgiving.

We don't often realize what our kids see in us. And more importantly, we don't get to choose what they remember when they see us. It's a wonderful reminder to be more mindful of how we act around our kids.

Of Love and Cheese Breads

Dear Sabrina Banana,

You have grown so much in such a little time that your dad and I would just look in wonder as we listen to the things you say. 

You get especially animated when you come from Sunday school. Last Sunday, after Sunday school you started talking about a little friend of yours who wasn't happy with something he received. 

"He should be glad for what he's got.", you said with so much conviction and certainty. You then went on to say that he needs to have a thankful heart in order for him to have a happy heart. 

Dad and I giggled as we listened to you. We know you were reciting lyrics of a song. That made it funny. But behind the humor, I was beaming with pride because you were understanding the message of the song. Not only that, you were able to diagnose the root or the heart issue of your friend. 

You asked us why we were laughing and I said we were just happy and enjoying listening to you talk as we were surprised  you knew so many things. What you said then surprised us...

"I know a lot because I grew up with my mom and dad loving Jesus like I love cheese bread"

Wow.  Like you love cheese bread? That's a whole lotta love!

Love ya, 

Mom

Conversations with Sabrina -- Home

Liv: Honey, you know what your home is in my heart!
Andrea: Huh, why? Did you eat my house?

Conversations with Sabrina-- God and French Fries

Today's lesson: God made me and I will live for him. After a long conversation...

Liv: Who in the bible lived for God? 
Andrea: Not Eve, not Cain. Abel did!
Liv: How come?
Andrea: Because he gave his best when he offered to God.
Liv: Who else.
Andrea:Noah cause he was different. He was nice when everyone around him was mean. 
Liv: Right, so when you're in Mc Donald's playing at the play place and everyone's being mean what should you do?
Andrea: I'll tell them to stop being hurtful.
Liv: Exactly. You don't do things just because everyone else around you is doing it.
Andrea: I have a question
Liv: What?
Andrea: When I'm in Mc. Donald's in the play place where will you be?
Liv: What do you mean?
Andrea: Will you be there buying french fries for me?

From God to food....it always ends up this way.

Conversations with Sabrina - Love and Marriage

Andrea's been bugging me about anniversaries...after the nth question ...

Andrea: What's an anniversary?
Liv: It's the birthday of your marriage
Andrea: But you and daddy don't have marriage, you have love!

Ano daw?

Conversations with Sabrina - Crunchy Deers

Andrea: Mom did the hunter eat the mommy of Bambi?
Liv: Maybe
Andrea: Are deers yummy?
Liv: Some people think so
Andrea: I will never eat them because of their horns!
Liv: Okay
Andrea: Unless the horns are crunchy

Conversations with Sabrina - Richness

Andrea: Mom, what's rich?
Liv: It's when you have everything you need and you're happy
Andrea: Am I rich?
Liv: Do you have everything you need?
Andrea: Yes
Liv: are you happy?
Andrea: YES!!!! I'm rich! I'm rich!

Conversations with Sabrina - Great Great Great Parents

Andrea: Is Nanay my grandmother too? 
Liv: Nope, she's your great-grandmother.
Andrea: Why?
Liv: Cause she's the mother of Gramma, your grandmother.
(silence)
Andrea: You're a great mother mommy...

The fact that she turned 5 today is already making me cry...add statements like this and I'm reduced to mush.

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