Empathy

Reagan has always been our "sensitive child".  She is the only one of our children that seems to get her feelings hurt when Rob or I are upset, she is able to tell when someone is sad and in need of a hug.  Instead of retreating when Mommy's in a bad mood, she wants to move closer, and sit on my lap (this is not always appreciated, as it should be). 

Last night, we had a family movie that probably wasn't the most age-appropriate for Little Miss, but the rest of the family was engrossed, and she actually DID pay attention to it:  "All Is Lost" with Robert Redford.  He is the sole character,  a man on a sailboat lost at sea, and the film has maybe a handful of words in the entire thing.  I was shocked that all three kids hung on every scene of this silent journey for the full movie.  They were engrossed.  At the end (spoiler alert), Robert Redford burned his own lifeboat as a last-ditch effort to get the attention of a passing ship, and then let go of his lifeboat when it seems apparent that the effort failed.  Reagan started BAWLING.  Not "trickle of a tear down the cheek", but body-shaking, "from the gut" wails.  She was truly heart broken that the main character who she had been rooting for was drowning.  Poor thing.  It was really too adult of a movie for her to watch - but in this day and age of violence, sex, and drugs as entertainment, a movie about one man pitting his determination and intellect against nature in a bid for survival seemed to have at least a positive message.  It took me a good 10 minutes to calm her down - even after she saw that Robert Redford's scheme worked, and he WAS saved. 

The boys, when they were about 6 or so, teared up at "Where the Wild Things Are", and it was the first and only time that I've seen them cry for someone else besides themselves (well, or each other, but that's essentially the same thing.)  Reagan takes that empathy to a whole new level, and even though it caused her a lot of undue distress, it is reassuring to me that she has the capacity to care deeply for the wellbeing of another human being.      Empathy is becoming lost in our world, but it lives on in the heart of our little girl.  Thank goodness.  That gives me hope.

What is This???

Reagan comes running out of my bathroom.... with a Tampax.

Reagan: "MOM! What is this?"
Mom: "It's for mommies."
Reagan "Yeah, but what IS it?"
Mom: "Some day when you're a mommy, you'll use them, too."
Reagan (frustrated) : " BUT WHAT IS IT?!?!?!"
Mom: "Uhhhhh.... kinda like a Band-Aid."
Reagan: "Like a Band-aid?  Like when you hurt your finger and stuff?"
Mom: "Sort of."
Reagan (turning to leave, muttering under her breath): "That doesn't look like any Band-Aid I've ever seen......"

The Pedicure

I was painting the little Miss' nails this morning, but noticed that they needed a good trimming first.

Reagan: "Mom, you don't have to cut my big toe toenail.  They can grow long, and it doesn't matter, because it will just fit into the pointy toe of my cowgirl boots!"

She's got a point.  Eventually those nails will just take on the shape of whatever container they're in - and lately, they're in pink cowgirl boots an awful lot.

Disgusting

Reagan came in to the kitchen this morning nearly gagging.

Reagan: "Fergie just licked my mouth!  EWWWW!"
Colby: "She's kissing you."
Reagan: "No she's not."
Colby: "You must not like kisses, because that's how a dog kisses."
Reagan: "No, she LICKED me.  She didn't kiss me."
Mom: "Yes, that's how a dog kisses, Reagan.  By licking."
Reagan: "Well, it's DISGUSTING."
Mom:  hee hee hee
Reagan: "It's NOT FUNNY!!!  IT'S DISGUSTING!!"

Yes, it is. 

Brain Burp

Reagan crawled into bed with me this morning.

"Mom, I want those flat things for breakfast."
"Flat?"
"You know.  You put syrup on them?"
"Dutch Baby?"
"No!  They're like waffles kind of?"
"Pannukakkua?"
"No!  They're round!"

Uhhhhhhhh.... PANCAKES???
"Yes.  Pancakes.  Can we have pancakes for breakfast?"

She forgot the word pancake?  The thing she asks for breakfast every.single.day???

Confirmation

Well, I did it.  I jumped off the cliff.  Tired of the wasted hours and the negative feelings (I didn't WANT to know that much about some people!!)... I deleted my Facebook account.  My family is in shock!  "What?  You're always on Facebook!" says Quinn.  Exactly.  That's not how I want him to remember his mother.  There are lots of things I want to do that involve creating, rather than passive voyeurism, and it's time I gave them top priority.

Reagan, upon successful deletion of the account (which isn't an easy thing to do, by the way), leaned over and whispered to me.

"You made a good choice, Mom."

This made me smile.

Yes.  I made a good choice.

Preach It Sistah....

Reagan crawled into bed with me on this blustery, below zero Monday.

Reagan: "Mooooooooom."
Mom: "Yes Reagan?"
Reagan: "I'm tired of the snow."
Mom: "Me, too."
Reagan: "It's so cold.  I'm tired of the cold."
Mom: "Me, too."
Reagan: "It takes so long to get snow clothes on.  You can't go outside and play."
Mom: "Exactly."
Reagan: "I miss spring."
Mom: "Me, too."
Reagan: "In springtime, you can go outside and walk on the grass with no shoes."
Mom:  "I love that."
Reagan: "My wish is that spring will come.  I love spring.  I love Easter.  What's your wish?"
Mom: "I wish everyone would stay warm."
Reagan: "Houses are cold.  Everyone needs to stay near their fire place."
Mom: "Yes."

But at some point, I'm going to have to get out of bed and get to work.  Oh, how I dread that thought on a day like today!!!