30 April 2008

29 April 2008

Growth spurt

Ella - When am I going to be as big as you?
Me - Well, both your mum and your dad started growing late. We were both quite small when we were in primary school and started growing tall only in high school. So I think you'll probably be the same. You'll only start growing tall when you go to high school, the school for really big kids.
Ella - So let's go there.

26 April 2008

D'uh moment #78

Me - Oh Ella, just look at your filthy face.
Ella - I can't look at my face, you know mum.

23 April 2008

Questions from the back of the bike

Question: Mum, when are we going to die?
Answer: Not for a long, long time. Most people die when they are very old. Older even than D and she's 75. Some people die when they are younger, but not many.

Question: Mum, why do you always say "dude"?
Answer: I don't! Do I? [Then I realised that I'd just said something like "Go on dude, are you going to go or not?"] Oh, I do when I'm grumbling and grizzling about cars on the road, don't I? I would never call someone I know that, so I suppose it's not nice of me to say that to people in cars.

Question: Mum, what's Tibet?
Answer: [In summary] China and Tibet are countries and the people from China stole Tibet from the people who lived in Tibet.
Question: Why did they steal their beds?

21 April 2008

Little big things



It's a posting frenzy today!!!

I just bought and downloaded the new version of From Little Things Big Things Grow recorded by Get Up. Once I hit play, Ella was drawn to the computer like a moth to a light globe. She first asked me if it was "Jim Butler". She still remembers that we missed John Butler's version of the song at the national apology event! Which is when I first sang the song for her.

(I do regret not wiping her face after that spaggetti and meatballs!)

Autumn outing

20 April 2008

The war of the torches

They erected the fencing along a major Canberra road in preparation for the Olympic torch relay in Canberra this Thursday.

I automatically made a comment about it when we drove past and of course Ella wanted to know what I said and why. So I spent a good 15 minutes trying to explain her:
the Olympics:
Me - It's a big contest in which people from all the countries in the world jump and run and swim and whoever wins gets a medal.
Ella - What does a medal do?
Me - Nothing. It just looks pretty and you can hang it round your neck, like a necklace.

and the torch:
Me - It's a stick with fire at the end. And some men and women will run through the streets with it. It's been all around the world, through different countries. And when it gets to China, they will light a big fire with it and that will be the start of the Olympic games.
Ella - Can we touch the torch?
Me - No we can't touch it. It would burn us! That's why we'll have to stay behind the fences.

I gave myself a pat on the back for resisting when I found myself about to start explaining to her about the pro-Tibet and pro-China protesters that will be present.

That night we were watching tv and happened to see an ad for the army. Ella asked me what they were doing, so I launched into an explanation of what the army is.

Me - When there's a storm and there's water in the street, the army will come and help. But they also fight. When people from another country try to hurt us, they'll fight with them so they cannot hurt us. (It felt wrong to say this, but what else could I say?)
Ella - Do they use fire?
Me - Yes, they use guns. It's called war and it's a really bad thing, but it happens.

About an hour later she told me this really confusing tale that featured torches, thunder and fire and I eventually concluded that she seemed to think that the torch relay would be about men and women fighting in the streets with fire. Which would be a whole lot more exciting than the event will be in reality. (Well, I hope a repeat of the chaos some other countries experienced won't prove her right!!!)

I think I got the message through to her that the torch relay and war are two completely separate things (fingers crossed anyway, haha), but I won't be surprised if daycare asks me what I have been teaching my child. And if I do end up taking her to the torch relay, she is bound to be very dissapointed!

16 April 2008

Sisterhood

When we approached daycare this morning, the first thing I saw was a bright green digger digging trenches in the fenced off area that will once become the new baby room. Pretty exciting stuff for a toddler and - to be totally honest - for a 38yo mother of a toddler.

We did the usual putting lunch box/bag/coat away whilst discussing the colour of the digger (Ella: "That's my favourite colour!") and the appearance and disapearance of a second digger.

Then we joined the other girls (3-4yos, the 'big' girls) who were sitting on a row of little chairs about a metre from the fence, facing the construction site. I tied back Ella's hair while I chatted to the girls.
"Hey, this is just like watching television, isn't it?"
[To C who appeared - beaming - with a purple fluffy coat and matching hat] "Wow, look at you!".
One of the girls commented "You look nice and warm, C" and stroked the very furry coat.

Reluctantly I abandoned the conversation with my confident little sisters and I left while Ella ran off to get a ball like the ones the other girls were holding. It's important to fit in! When I looked back I saw the 6 girls sit there, on the first row watching the show and they looked so powerful and so perfect. Like an impressionist's painting of womanhood.

I'm finding it hard to describe. I really need that camera phone!

13 April 2008

Two good reasons to get a camera phone

Last Friday I picked Ella up from daycare and she was argueing with her best friend over who would get to pick up the beetle they'd found. I walked past them and went to sign the time-sheet when I suddenly heard Ella scream. I pulled open the door and there she stood crying with a massive bite mark on her arm, just under the elbow. I'd never seen a bite mark like that. It looked so gruesome. The indents from the teeth must've been a couple of mms deep! I was sure it was going to bruise, but 3 minutes and an icepack later, all that was left was a slightly red circle. Wish I'd had a camera to document the initial damage though.

[Also to film best friend coming in with a very glum face to apologise, Ella's spontaneous "that's alright!" after which she continued by conveying her excitement about the icepack to best friend who was for once lost for words.]

The other kodak moment was when Ella yelled for me after I'd just gone out to the backyard and on my return to the loungeroom I discovered she'd slipped behind the couch and was stuck between the wall and the back of the couch, only just preventing herself from dissapearing into the abyss completely by hanging on with her arms over the back. I glanced at my camera on my desk, but it didn't have the batteries in it and I didn't want to let her hang there for that much longer. Instead I just started laughing as I grabbed hold of her, apologising to Ella with a "but it looks so funny" and getting an indignant "it's NOT funny, mum" in reply.

I should get her to re-enact the pose for the camera, only I've already threatened to leave her there if she every gets herself in that position again.

01 April 2008

A day in the life of a superhero

Ella - You can be Spiderman and I'll be Batman.
Me - OK.
Ella - Spiderman?
Me - Yes Batman?
Ella - I'm eating an apple.
Me - Nice. [Silence] And what are you going to do then?
Ella - I'm going to climb up a wall.
Me - No, it's Spiderman who climbs up walls. Batman can fly. Like a bat.
Ella - Does he fly?
Me - Yes, he flies. He's not very good at climbing walls, I think.
Ella - Now you can be Batman and I'll be Spiderman.
Me - Ok.
Ella - Batman?
Me - Yes Spiderman?
Ella - I love you!
Me [laughing] - I love you too, Spiderman.
Ella - Now I'm going to climb up the wall.