"But, We Didn't Eat At The Pancake Store."

Isn't it funny how children interpret things?  Amanda is really bright and super smart.  Last Saturday I had to go to Lewisville to get my 10,000 mile maintenance check on my car.  The appointment was at 9:00 a.m. and I had to leave the house pretty early.  I had given Amanda the option of staying home or going with me.  After going back and forth several times on what she wanted to do, she finally opted to go with me.

Next door to Lewisville VW is a Cracker Barrel.  When we arrived and got the car checked-in, I asked her if she wanted to go have pancakes for breakfast.  She said yes.  We walked over there and unfortunately the wait was pretty long so I made the command decision not to eat there.  Telling her we were leaving really upset her.  However, we she calmed down pretty quickly after I told her we would go to McDonalds and get something. 

We finally got the car, went to Micky D's, made it home and I layed down to nap.  Being three, Amanda doesn't want to nap so she and Mike drew and cut while I was napping.  That night after I dropped her off with Justin for his time, Mike was telling me about their time together.  He said that she told him all about our trip to the dealership.  How she wanted to go look at the cars, but I told her no because it was too hot outside to be walking around, how the guy gave her a football chocolate that I would only let her eat after she ate some chicken nuggets, but how we didn't eat at the pancake store.  I laughed, I said "I think she meant Cracker Barrel."  I can see how she thought it was a store. 

Isn't it funny what our children retain and then hold us accountable for?  Amanda can tell me about Sadie, the Siberian Husky Justin had when she was little.  She can tell me about our old house.  She reminds me constantly that she wants a playscape for the backyard.  She calls me out when I tell her I will do something and then don't do it or I forget to do it and she knows when we don't eat at the "pancake store." 

I would give her the world if I could.  I feel bad when I don't get her what she wants or I forget to do something for her.  Last week it was putting her "baby songs" back on the iPod so she could listen to them.  But what is funny, when I forget, and I tell her I am sorry, she is truly forgiving.  She says "Okay momma, can I listen to Johnny Cash, or Poker Face or Big Green Tractor?"  I turn the tune on....crank it up...and we jam together.  It really can't get any better than that.

Some Things I Don't Want to Forget.....

My Dearest Munchkin,

I just had to take some time and write to you.  It seems these blogs are informative of your doings, but I have not written one directly to you.  You are doing so many things these days that I am trying to encapsulate into my brain, but I find that I am having trouble remembering the things you do or say that make me laugh.

We are just a few short weeks of you starting pre-school.  This thought makes me happy and sad at the same time.  Happy because you are going to get to start school!  I loved school and my hope is that if I pass on one thing to you that it is a love for school and learning.  I am sad at the same time, because this means you are growing-up.  It is inevitable that you are going to grow, but it just seems like yesterday I was holding you in my arms for the very first time.  Time flies so quickly.

Currently, you are in the "Why" stage, you LOVE listening to Johnny Cash and "Big Iron", you are a hula-hooping pro, t-ball playing queen and a slip-n-slide junkie.  You don't want to eat these days.  However, I can put a donut in front of you and you will scarf it down.  But, when it comes to corn, lasagna, or something good for you, you don't want to have anything to do with it.  I am positive you will grow out of that. 

One of my favorite moments lately has been your insistence on being right all the time.  For example, Johnny Cash sings a song called "One Piece at a Time."  The song talks about building a Cadillac out of one piece at a time out of parts that were taken from a GM plant.  The song goes like this:

Johnny sings: "...the first year they had me puttin' wheels on Cadillac's."  One day, as we were driving to Danny's you were singing.  I noticed that you didn't say "Cadillac's" but "Gavalin's."  I turned the music down and asked you what you had said.  You said, "Momma he is saying Gavalin's."  I told you that was not what he was saying and that he was saying "Cadillac's."  However, you were so insistent that you were right, I couldn't bear myself to tell you that wasn't right.  You are still saying "Gavalin's."

I am sad when you leave us to go visit your Daddy.  I know he needs his time with you too, but I miss you when you are gone.  It is like the laughter minimizes significantly when you aren't there.  The best part of the week is getting you back.  When I haven't seen you for 4 days and you hug me so tight, tell me that you have missed me and that you love me, that is the best feeling in the world. 

I will cherish the time we have; like when we play t-ball, go to the park or pool, play golf and hit the ball into Mike's special pillow and we yell "GOAL" at the top of our lungs, when I tickle you, when you tickle me, playing doll house, coloring, watching you learn something new and listening to you laugh and seeing you smile.  You make my life worth living and you have so much space in my heart.

I am so thankful, despite everything that you daddy and I have been through, that God gave us you.  You are so special and you touch the hearts of everyone you meet! 

I Love You, more than I will ever be able to show you.

Momma