She's four and she's a talker

Oh my, the things that Josie thinks of.....this was all yesterday.

• She created a "spa" in her room and invited me to be her first customer.  I did (after I was assured that the "soap" and "water" she was referring to was indeed pretend.  It was, clearly, because "water in my bedroom is not appropriate.").  She cleaned my glasses and gave me a face massage.  During the face massage, she needed to give me a shot right in the middle of my forehead.  Pretty sure my daughter is recommending that I get Botox.
• She has a new imaginary friend. Todo has been replaced by Pancake.  (We've been told that in Josie language, Pancake does not mean the same thing as in English.)  Pancake apparently lives in Spanish Harlem.  He is a house painter.  He painted our house and then moved to New York City.  I am beginning to fear for her future.....falling for vagabond house painters and such.
• When coloring she frequently states, "Whew! This is hard work.  I need to give my hand a rest."
• We need to put her hair into braids when Daddy comes home from his business trip because "I look really cute with braids."
• Everything is said very earnestly with direct eye contact and appropriate head tilts and nods.  As in "Marshall, when you are an adult you need to try soft-boiled eggs again because you might like them."

Yesterday reminded me that I need to stop and listen to these kids everyday.  Which seems obvious, but when you are together 24/7 with almost no other outlets, it is easy to forget. We'll get back to this another time, but in Ålesund, because ALL the kids are in school or barnhage from about age 1 and up, there are very few....or rather none that I have found during the summer....activities that are not connected to school.  Thus, it's the three of us together all the time until school starts in August.  You have no idea how much you appreciate swimming lessons and playgroups and the like until they aren't there anymore.

Thus, it is difficult to remember to enjoy these moments all the time.  Because my kids really are wonderful (even if we are the loudest family this side of the Atlantic.)