First Day of Kindergarten

Today was Elise's first big day at school. She was ready. I really wasn't.
On the way to school this morning, she told said, "Mom? I'm really going to be fine all day without you. Does that make you feel sad?"

I told her it made me proud and happy to know she'll be fine.

Honestly, I'll still hold my breath until she steps off the bus this afternoon.

Hungry puppy

Conversation overheard in the back seat between Elise and her puppy.

Puppy: Mommy, I'm hungry.
Elise: I'm sure you are. You did have a really busy day. What would you like to eat? Kibble?
Puppy: Just throw some cheese in my pie hole. I'll be fine.

Moving on...

With a heavy sigh and somber tone, Elise announced:
"Well Dad, I quit my job."

D: Oh yeah? What job was this?
E: Kindercare. I had my last day already.
D: Oh, THAT job.
E: Don't worry. I won't be home long. My new job starts soon - in about a week. I'll make new friends and learn lots of new things. It'll be just fine. You'll see.

And I'm sure it will.

That'll wake you up

Joe gets up before dawn for work. Many nights he "accidently" falls asleep before bedtime.
Last night he was laying on the couch, watching TV and dozing off.

All of a sudden, Elise runs into the room with a pillow yelling "This is what you get... FOR TRYING TO IGNORE ME!!!"

Then assaults him with a barrage of pillow hits.

Fruity Pepples are the devil

So, I went against my better judgment and bought a box of fruity pebbles. I saw a really cute fruity pebbles marshmallow treat made into an ice cream sandwich on Pinterest. It was a adorable. I was weak.
This morning my little morning grump rubbed her eyes, refused all hugs and kisses as she usually would do in morning and muttered quietly "I want breakfast".
M: What do you want?
E: Toast.
M: We're out of bread. We need to go to the store today.
E: Waffles.
M: No waffles either.
E: I guess I'll have cereal. Ooo! Do we still have fruity pebbles?
M: (reluctantly) Yes. Yes you may have fruity pebbles.

She sized up her first ever bowl of fruity pebbles saying "Smells great." Then with a laugh "Looks like a big bowl of garbage." She happily ate every last pebble.

Today was a really long day chalk full of bad behavior, sass mouth, "Go to your room" and tears.
The child is in bed. The fruity pebbles are way down at the bottom of the garbage.
They're pretty, they're gluten free, but apparently they are actually a bowl of garbage. Garbage that makes my kid insane.

I'm writing this down in hopes that I never forget.

Thoughts on tears

E: Sometimes when I laugh really hard I get tears in my eyes.
M: That's normal. It happens to everyone.
E: OK. Good. Sometimes it also happens when I cough really hard or don't want to swallow my food.
M: That's normal too. Tears happen for lots of reasons. When you're hurt, when you're sad, when you feel sick or tired... Some people even cry when they're really, really happy.
E: That's never happened to me.
M: Someday it will. When you're just so happy you don't know what to do, your eyes start to cry.
E: I bet that would happen if you got me a puppy.

Overheard in the family room

Dora: What is Boots holding? Can YOU tell me what Boots is holding?

Elise: What are you blind or something? He's standing right next to you.