It it embarrassing how long it has been. I think about writing here and have something to write about, and then I'm just swept up in life and something new happens so quickly I forget what I wanted to say.
And so on.
But today Cassidy revealed to me this humor and intelligence in a new way that just kind of floored me.
She called from the kitchen table where she was eating these asian noodles:
Mommy! I'm on fire!
"You're on fire?" I say.
"Yeah, I'm on fire. Somebody quick better come save me."
"I'll save you!" I go over to her and start fanning with my hands.
"You better get some water," she says.
I wave and spit a raspberry, spraying faint spit spray.
"No!" she says. "Water from the pipes!"
"Well, I sort of used water. I sprayed water from my mouth."
"NO!" she says with a little huff.
A few beats go by.
"Mommy! Please! Get me a glass of water! I'm thirsty!"
Couldn't just say in the beginning Mommy could you please get me a glass of water?
She is such a hoot. And not quite as easy as in the past. Something shifted at 4 which is more independent, more self amused, more wheels churning, less affection, less tolerance for affection not on her terms, and lots of big ideas.
"Let's make our own Candyland on a big piece of paper."
"Let's decorate our whole house for Valemtimes day." (yes. Val-em-times day.)
"Let's take down all the Christmas decorations." (preceding decorating for Valemtimes)
Sometimes she makes me a little sad, too - Just in a way that makes me unsure how to respond. If we draw together (which she often wants to) and she sees that my drawings are "better" than hers, she gets discouraged. Today I counted out 45 crayons (yes it's a big tub, magic markers in there too), and 4 crayons for her and said "this is how much practice I've had drawing. This (the 4) is how much practice you've had drawing.
Her solution? To trade drawings and add too mine, and I take hers and add to hers.
"Mommy Cassidy artwork."
What's true is that half of what comes out of her mouth is note worthy. Either because it's hysterical or hysterically simple but so perceptive or because it's just so perceptive. And now we've added clever.
Cassidy, when I looked it up, is meant to mean "clever girl" in it's Irish roots.
I think she's living up to her name.
