Calling the Election

This evening, Olivia picked up her toy phone, flipped it open, and casually reported to no one in particular, “Yeah, Obama winned again.”

Bad Hare Day

The gingerbread man’s taunts must have really gotten to the rabbit because catching the cocky cookie was not enough – Thumper also tried to make a meal of the g-man before the fox could. Fortunately for the gingerbread man, Dr. Olivia was on hand to bandage him up.

Never Say Die

Before her nap today, Olivia mentioned that she and Kara had been playing doctor at school, and that Kara had said, "Let's pretend you died." Their teacher overheard this and explained that they don't talk about dying at school.

Beni: "Olivia, do you know what it means when someone or something dies?"

Olivia: "It means that you can’t work anymore. [slight pause] Why can’t Dr. King work anymore?"

Beni: "Because he died. And dying is something we talk about at home, isn’t it?"

Olivia: "Yes, we talk about it with privacy at home with Mommy and Daddy."

I Can’t Believe It's Not Butterfly

It may be that hope springs eternal, but it’s the onset of spring that springs hope after an eternal winter. The reemergence of life signals winter’s baton pass to spring. Recently, we’ve noticed the return of insects – multi-colored Asian lady beetles and wasps – around and in our home. Today we spotted a beautiful butterfly flapping her wings on a yoga mat in our living room.

The Barn Identity

Charlie & Lola, the indelible cartoon duo from across the pond, released an album last year. We’ve yet to get our hands on it, but I did manage to copy “The Bestest in the Barn” off of one of their DVDs. The song ended up as track number two on her birthday mix CD last summer but remains number one in her heart to this day.

The song features Lola with her friend Lotta; the two of them singing about their barnyard animals: the clever chicken, the super-duper moo-cow, and the perfect little piglet. The girls teach their animals to sing, dance, and play an instrument. (Click here for a clip of the music video.)

Our clever, super-duper, perfect little daughter has come up with her own music video, one in which she plays the role of the saxophone-playing chicken, gets her cow to improvise on air trombone, and lets her pig rock out on her guitar.

Thai Goes to the (Food) Runner

In what’s becoming a family Valentine’s Day tradition, we again picked up some Thai food to savor the flavors of pad thai, red curry, and basil fried rice from the comforts of our home. This year, we moved off the floor and invited G to join us in conviviality.

Ring-Around-the-Rosy, the Riveter

The children’s game in which kids sing and dance around in a circle captivated the attentions of A.J., Noah, Samantha, and Olivia for quite some time this afternoon.

In Her Art of Hearts

Our beloved loved decorating Valentine’s Day cards for her classmates, but didn’t much love our attempts at correcting her insistence of calling the occasion Valentime’s Day.

Chinese (Food) Checkers

Olivia rang in the Chinese New Year by preparing dumplings and inspecting the ones her mother made. The two of them attended an event put on by a local organization aimed at educating and entertaining those unfamiliar with the traditions and customs of the Chinese New Year.

Like Water for Chocolate

Neither the driving rain nor insufferable cold could keep us from participating in a chocolate-themed block party arranged by our downtown business association. We met up with G at our favorite bakery, where we warmed up by devouring spoonfuls of their divine chocolate soup.

Finger Paints

I fear that nail art is a gateway mall product to ear piercings.

Kids Say the Damnedest Things

“Your eyes look silly.”

“If you don’t eat meat, you’ll grow smaller and smaller.”

Comments directed at Olivia by two different kids at her preschool this week. Olivia responded to both gibes, just as I might even now had I been in her position, by crying her “silly” eyes out. Alas, while the teachers’ responses were appropriate and appreciated, we were left to pick up the broken spirit of our child, not to mention the broken pieces of our aching hearts.

Olive Foil

Our budding punster warmed my heart much like the oven our pizza with this classic knock-knock joke during dinner tonight:

Olivia: "Daddy…knock knock."

Me: "Who’s there?"

Olivia: "Olive."

Me: "Olive who?"

Olivia (giving me a big hug): "Olive you!"