My cousin Amy’s daughter, Selena Kate, was in town from Louisiana this week, and we met her at Bubba’s on Wednesday morning for a cousin play date. HG refers to her as a ‘baby’ and is always surprised at how big she has gotten. Of course, Miss Bossy Bess wanted to 'help’ her do everything, but SK is quite opinionated herself. I think HG got a taste of her own medicine as SK shrugged her off. :)
I serve on the board for Girls Inc. of Memphis, and I left her with Granddaddy and Spiffer recently while I went to their Celebration Luncheon. I was trying to explain to her that it was a fundraiser for girls to give them a little extra support and encouragement. She said, “They only have one money?” Then she walked over to the table, grabbed a quarter, handed it to me, and said, “Well, take this to them, Mama.”
I asked her, “What are you doing, HG?” “Just being crazy, Mama!”
One night, she left the tops off of some markers. In the morning, when she found them, she said, “No way to put more juice in it? I died it?!”
One morning in an effort to get her out the door and to Grandma’s, I gave her a horsey back ride to the car. When we got there, she pretended to give me a carrot and told me, “Good job, horsey!” I acted like I was panting and then said, “Wait, do horses pant?” She responded, “Yes, they have tongues. They graze too. Like cows.”
I overheard her talking to her toys the other day… “Boys! Be quiet when I’m talking to that lady, ok?…Are you listening to me? Ok, good…Boys! Do I need to tell you again?!”
I said to her, “Can I just eat you up?” She said, “No, I made out of skin!!”
She appeared in our doorway one night at midnight. “Sorry I come to your room, Mommy. I just want to visit.”
I’ve been trying to say “OMG” instead of “Oh my goodness.” Apparently, she still understands what it means and applies it regularly as she’s started spitting out “OMG” at all the right (and embarrassing) moments.
After the Sleeping Beauty show the other night, she kissed the picture of Aurora on the program and exclaimed, “Mama, she didn’t wake up!?!”
We have some kids’ body wash in our shower that is shaped like roll on deodorant. As we took a shower the other night, she put it under her arms and kept saying she was putting on ‘yogurt’ like Daddy. Took me a minute to realize she was saying ‘deodorant’!
As we sat the kitchen table today, she told me that there was a big fairy up in the clouds outside that makes you a wish from Jesus.
And when she went to mass with Grandma and Peggy last night, she kept hearing Jesus mentioned. Halfway through mass, she turned to Grandma and said, “So where is Jesus anyway, Grandma?”
John took the day off on Friday, and he came with us to dance class. Man, she really showed out for him and had no nerves, just big smiles and lots of cooperation. She actually put her hand in the middle for the team cheer, ‘Sprinkles!!,’ and also put her hands on shoulders for the choo choo train during gymnastics- exactly what we’ve been talking to her about! She gave Miss Heather a little push back on the bars, but Miss Heather negotiated with her, asking me to bring in Lovey. Once he was on the scene, she gave it a try and then danced with glee when she got Lovey in her hands. Crazy girl!
Stretching
Notice her Lovey-happy dance at the end
On one of the hottest Fourth of Julys that I can remember, we skipped out on the neighborhood parade but headed down to the neighborhood park for jumpy fun and fellowship. Helen Grace and Mariella had a blast jumping and sipping on Capri Suns, and HG was mesmerized by her baby twin sisters, Amelia and Isla.
We headed to Grandma’s for lunch and lounging, and Bubba, Granddaddy, and Spiffer came over late afternoon. Since Helen Grace spent most of the day in either a swim suit or a diaper, I’m sure she’d consider the holiday a big success. She played in the sand box with her grandmamas, chased her daddy in the sprinkler, napped in Grandma’s bed, pigged out on homemade ice cream and cookie cake, submitted quite unhappily to a bath, watched the fireworks on tv, and led a rising patriotic march around the den with Grandma, Peggy, and Spiffer. I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time. Can’t miss the video at the end of this post.
We had planned on ending the great day with fireworks at the park, but she was ready to go home since she had seen them on tv. Maybe next year she’ll finally get to see them live!
One night last week, John noticed that a new house was going up in our neighborhood, so we set out after dinner to check it out.
As a child, I spent most of my Sundays riding around with my parents and walking through houses under construction, and I drew countless floor plans and built them out of shoe boxes. I nearly went to MSU for architecture, but I chickened out when I saw the cots in the architecture school and heard how they watched the football games from the roof of the building.
But it seems that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Helen Grace LOVED walking through the new house. She would run from room to room, trying to guess what room it was, and she loved standing in the spots for the fireplace and bathtub and imagining them. As we walked back home, she kept saying how she wanted to be an ‘architect’ and build ‘construction sites’ and any structure we passed. She’s still talking about it and wants to walk down there to check out the progress, and I’d love for her fire for this to continue!
Last week was Helen Grace’s first experience with swim lessons. We signed her up with Miss Gwin’s Swim School in Olive Branch for a two-week session of group lessons (Mon-Thurs, 5:30-6:30), and I liked that she lets the parents stay but on the other side of the yard. She has a ton of helpers which lets her lead age specific groups, and since there was only one other three year old, she spends a lot of one-on-one time with each child.
On Monday, she was excited about seeing new friends, but when it came time for the kids to walk over to the pool, she attached herself to my leg. One of the teenage helpers pulled her off of me, picked her up, and walked to the other side of the yard. She freaked out for a minute but soon calmed down. She was 50/50 with being interested in getting in the water. Sometimes, she would eagerly go to Miss Gwin and get in the pool, and other times she fussed while she picked her up and got her wet. Overall though, she was really happy afterward and so proud of herself. I asked her if she liked it… “Yes!” Did she like Miss Gwin… “Yes!” Did she want to come back the next day… “Yes! I was just a bit whiny.” Hilarious!
On Tuesday, she went easily with the other kids over to the pool (thank goodness), and at first, she went willingly to Miss Gwin to get in the pool. Soon though, I heard her start whimpering and “I want my lovey!!!!” And it didn’t stop. I let her cry for about 20 minutes, and finally, the mama bear in me had to go over there. It took me forever to get her to calm down- “Miss Gwin put me in the pool!! Whaaaaa!” Well, that’s kind of the point of swim lessons, but that wasn’t what she wanted to hear. I finally convinced her to sit down on the side of the pool and watch the other kids for the rest of the class. She was ecstatic when it was time to go and she could finally get her hands on lovey.
Wednesday was July 4th, so we went back to class on Thursday. I had been giving her a pep talk for days, and I was thankful that the first part of the class was a safety video inside. Only half an hour of pool time! Unfortunately though, she refused to get in the pool at all. She sat on the side and watched, but she barely even got wet.
Today, as John and I were prepping her for Monday’s class, she said, “I tired of swim class.” We’re hoping a little Gracie Bleu bribery will do the trick!
