I was trying to pay attention and make sense of what she was saying, but it was just SOOO early. I asked her if I could record her and play it later. LoL. It took her a few minutes, but she got it all out and what I was left with was a story about how each of these things depend on the other. In this version she left out the part of how the herbivores spread seeds by eating plants and then pooping. LoL.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Life Cycle by Dharma
I had only been up for a few minutes when Dharma started talking (and talking and talking and talking) about something involving plants, herbivores, (and herbivore poop spreading plant seeds) carnivores and an Allosaurus.
I was trying to pay attention and make sense of what she was saying, but it was just SOOO early. I asked her if I could record her and play it later. LoL. It took her a few minutes, but she got it all out and what I was left with was a story about how each of these things depend on the other. In this version she left out the part of how the herbivores spread seeds by eating plants and then pooping. LoL.
I was trying to pay attention and make sense of what she was saying, but it was just SOOO early. I asked her if I could record her and play it later. LoL. It took her a few minutes, but she got it all out and what I was left with was a story about how each of these things depend on the other. In this version she left out the part of how the herbivores spread seeds by eating plants and then pooping. LoL.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Giant bugs, giant pigs, and lies on the Metra
It was a larger than usual weekend, filled with larger than usual things. Saturday we went to Morton Arboretum and saw the giant bug sculptures. They were kind of cool...for bugs.
Sunday I took the girls downtown on the train. Dharma had never been on the Metra, and after her last experience with public transportation, I admit I was a little concerned. She did good, though. On the way in she was watched out the window a lot and did not bother anyone around us. We got onto the bus to head down to Millenium Park once we arrived downtown. Other than saying (out loud) that the woman across the aisle from us was sitting in a childs seat she behaved pretty well.
She enjoyed the big silver bean, but she enjoyed Crown Fountain even more. I let her run around and play in the water for quite a while down there because she was having so much fun. When we were looking at the Tanuki exhibit (these giant pig/alien/bear like creatures with noticeable breasts) Dharma had no shame in pointing out the "features" of each. She also saw a father and his two teenaged daughters sitting off tot he side by themselves having what appeared to be an in depth conversation. Dharma joined in. She just walked over and sat down with them and concentrated on the conversation, before joining in. Of course they thought this was hilarious.
Then it came time to get back to the station and take the train home. Which we missed and had to wait 2 hours for the next one. The girls and I got dinner there and hung out for a while. When we got on the train, Dharma wanted to sit on the upper level this time. A young girl (17, 18, 19 maybe) sat down next to her. The seats are like movie theater seats in that they flop up if you are not sitting in it. Dharma tried to lay down and the seat her head was on kept closing, so the girl asked her if Dharma wanted her to hold it down. This turned it into a game. And a new friend!
Dharma spent the trip talking with this girl. At one point I heard Dharma talking about a rabbit and I asked "Did she tell you we have a rabbit?" The girl said "Yes. And a lizard." We do not have a rabbit NOR do we have a lizard. The girls family and friends were sitting across the aisle, and by the time we reached their stop they were all listening to Dharma's stories and laughing. There was a couple woman on the lower level who I noticed were also looking up and listening to Dharma and laughing when she said something funny.
A rabbit. And a lizard. Really?
Sunday I took the girls downtown on the train. Dharma had never been on the Metra, and after her last experience with public transportation, I admit I was a little concerned. She did good, though. On the way in she was watched out the window a lot and did not bother anyone around us. We got onto the bus to head down to Millenium Park once we arrived downtown. Other than saying (out loud) that the woman across the aisle from us was sitting in a childs seat she behaved pretty well.
She enjoyed the big silver bean, but she enjoyed Crown Fountain even more. I let her run around and play in the water for quite a while down there because she was having so much fun. When we were looking at the Tanuki exhibit (these giant pig/alien/bear like creatures with noticeable breasts) Dharma had no shame in pointing out the "features" of each. She also saw a father and his two teenaged daughters sitting off tot he side by themselves having what appeared to be an in depth conversation. Dharma joined in. She just walked over and sat down with them and concentrated on the conversation, before joining in. Of course they thought this was hilarious.
Then it came time to get back to the station and take the train home. Which we missed and had to wait 2 hours for the next one. The girls and I got dinner there and hung out for a while. When we got on the train, Dharma wanted to sit on the upper level this time. A young girl (17, 18, 19 maybe) sat down next to her. The seats are like movie theater seats in that they flop up if you are not sitting in it. Dharma tried to lay down and the seat her head was on kept closing, so the girl asked her if Dharma wanted her to hold it down. This turned it into a game. And a new friend!
Dharma spent the trip talking with this girl. At one point I heard Dharma talking about a rabbit and I asked "Did she tell you we have a rabbit?" The girl said "Yes. And a lizard." We do not have a rabbit NOR do we have a lizard. The girls family and friends were sitting across the aisle, and by the time we reached their stop they were all listening to Dharma's stories and laughing. There was a couple woman on the lower level who I noticed were also looking up and listening to Dharma and laughing when she said something funny.
A rabbit. And a lizard. Really?
Monday, August 19, 2013
Meeting the new teacher
We went to Dharma's school tonight to drop off supplies and meet her teacher. Dharma, who is usually so charismatic and friendly toward strangers was an absolute bear! She had a mild tantrum when it came time to take a picture of her with her teacher, was upset that she needed to walk around the classroom and put her things away, and was none too happy when it was time to go and she had to stop looking at the fish in the pond (Yes, her classroom has a large tiled pond).
I was mildly embarrassed at first, but then I thought, "Her teacher may as well get to know the moody side of Dharma now, instead of thinking she is always the fun-loving, witty child most people think she is."
Even with her being irritable, she managed to find her hook for her backpack, her cubby hole and make a name tag and set it on the table next to a girl she has already met a few times because her older sister was in Mackenzie's Girl Scout Troop. (I apologize to her mom in advance, they have a family of 5 wonderfully behaved, lovely girls and I hate to think my child may taint that.)
I feel better after meeting her teacher. I admit I was a little worried because this is her first year here and the previous K teacher (who is now teaching 1st grade I think) was absolutely incredible! I loved seeing the loving, yet firm, control she had over her class each year. This new teacher seems very friendly and I am looking forward to this year now, which officially starts on Wednesday.
I was mildly embarrassed at first, but then I thought, "Her teacher may as well get to know the moody side of Dharma now, instead of thinking she is always the fun-loving, witty child most people think she is."
Even with her being irritable, she managed to find her hook for her backpack, her cubby hole and make a name tag and set it on the table next to a girl she has already met a few times because her older sister was in Mackenzie's Girl Scout Troop. (I apologize to her mom in advance, they have a family of 5 wonderfully behaved, lovely girls and I hate to think my child may taint that.)
I feel better after meeting her teacher. I admit I was a little worried because this is her first year here and the previous K teacher (who is now teaching 1st grade I think) was absolutely incredible! I loved seeing the loving, yet firm, control she had over her class each year. This new teacher seems very friendly and I am looking forward to this year now, which officially starts on Wednesday.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Sheila, Dharma's new friend
People gravitate to this child. I don't know why or how. They always have. Since she was a baby. She was not exceptionally cute as a baby or anything. She was not advanced and doing parlor tricks at an early age. She was just a baby like any other baby. She smelled funny, she ate gross food, she slobbered, she was just a baby. But people liked her.
As she got older, people liked her more. She is overwhelming to some people because she doesn't shut down. Ever. She talks like everyday is her last day to talk and if she does not say everything today, she'll never have another chance to say it - which can be good or bad, depending on the day. Dharma makes friends everywhere she goes. People will stop and talk to her and ask her what she thinks about things. Strangers will stop and ask her opinion on everything from clothes they are thinking of buying to gifts they are looking to buy for others.
Tonight was no exception. We were at the store smelling candles and a lady next to us picked one up which Dharma asked to smell. Dharma did not approve and suggested a different one, which the woman then bought.
We got the to car and I was putting the groceries in the back. I always put Dharma in the car so she does not wander off, but tonight I did not for some reason. She walked around the cart, toward the aisle. Not out into the aisle, but enough that I yelled at her and the car that was coming stopped because the woman thought Dharma was going to walk out in front of her car. It just happened that the woman parked right next to us. When she got out of her car, I made Dharma walk around to her and apologize for making her think that Dharma was going to run out in front of her.
Dharma started crying that she was getting in trouble and telling the lady how sorry she was and that she would never do it again. The woman, who we later learned is named Sheila, talked to Dharma for about 10 minutes there. They talked about listening to her mom, cleaning her room, Dharma just turning 5....everything. Dharma was still kind of upset, and Sheila asked if she gave Dharma something, would Dharma stop crying. When Sheila reached into her purse, I thought she was going to give Dharma a sucker or a piece of gum. Sheila is a letter carrier, and was wearing her USPS uniform (making her a good stranger, by the way) so I thought maybe she even had a cool stamp in her purse or something.
Sheila gave Dharma $4! I told her she really did not need to do that, and it was fine, but she insisted. Her son is 24 and just got married so Sheila said it made her feel good to make a baby happy since her baby is not her baby anymore. She made Dharma's whole week!
As she got older, people liked her more. She is overwhelming to some people because she doesn't shut down. Ever. She talks like everyday is her last day to talk and if she does not say everything today, she'll never have another chance to say it - which can be good or bad, depending on the day. Dharma makes friends everywhere she goes. People will stop and talk to her and ask her what she thinks about things. Strangers will stop and ask her opinion on everything from clothes they are thinking of buying to gifts they are looking to buy for others.
Tonight was no exception. We were at the store smelling candles and a lady next to us picked one up which Dharma asked to smell. Dharma did not approve and suggested a different one, which the woman then bought.
We got the to car and I was putting the groceries in the back. I always put Dharma in the car so she does not wander off, but tonight I did not for some reason. She walked around the cart, toward the aisle. Not out into the aisle, but enough that I yelled at her and the car that was coming stopped because the woman thought Dharma was going to walk out in front of her car. It just happened that the woman parked right next to us. When she got out of her car, I made Dharma walk around to her and apologize for making her think that Dharma was going to run out in front of her.
Dharma started crying that she was getting in trouble and telling the lady how sorry she was and that she would never do it again. The woman, who we later learned is named Sheila, talked to Dharma for about 10 minutes there. They talked about listening to her mom, cleaning her room, Dharma just turning 5....everything. Dharma was still kind of upset, and Sheila asked if she gave Dharma something, would Dharma stop crying. When Sheila reached into her purse, I thought she was going to give Dharma a sucker or a piece of gum. Sheila is a letter carrier, and was wearing her USPS uniform (making her a good stranger, by the way) so I thought maybe she even had a cool stamp in her purse or something.
Sheila gave Dharma $4! I told her she really did not need to do that, and it was fine, but she insisted. Her son is 24 and just got married so Sheila said it made her feel good to make a baby happy since her baby is not her baby anymore. She made Dharma's whole week!
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