Monaloca

It may sound cliche, but three-year-olds say the funniest things. They’re fully verbal yet have a tenuous grasp on reality, time, and the the world beyond what’s in front of them at any given moment. I love watching Melina’s sense of logic unfold as she tries to make sense of her environment.

Not long after she turned three, I started posting some of her funny sayings on Facebook. And then I realized Facebook posts are ephemeral, and I should probably keep these somewhere a little more permanent.

So here we go, Melina at her most Melina for the past seven months, all copied directly from my Facebook status updates.

3.14.11
Melina caught bragging to her classmates: “My baby stands up all by herself!”

Winter 2011
Melina counts to 20 and beyond with ease. But she has a conscious aversion to the number 13, and instead deliberately counts “11, 12, 14, 14, 15…”

2.16.11
Dinnertime lesson in logic and humanity from my preschooler…
Kai: My mom’s neighbor is crazy. She doesn’t know what year it is and knocks and the wrong people’s doors.
Melina: What’s her name?
Kai: (thoughtful pause) I have no idea.
Melina: Why don’t you ask her?

1.15.11
Our latest existential conversation…
M: Where was I [when you were a kid]?
Me: You weren’t born yet.
M: But where are babies before they’re born?
Me: They don’t exist yet.
M: But where *are* they?
Me: Ummmm….

1.8.11
Melina on starting kid-only swim lessons tomorrow: “Who’s going to hold me up? I don’t want to be a mermaid under the sea.”

1.4.11
M: Mama, when can I take Nalani for show and tell?
Me: How about on Monday?
M: Ok. But she’s gonna cry when I put her in my cubby.

1.6.10
We decked our house out with Christmas over the weekend. Now the first thing Melina asks each morning: “Is it Christmas yet?”

(I then explained the difference between Christmas and Christmas time. When Daddy said it was Christmas she promptly corrected him: NO, Daddy, it’s Christmas TIME)

11.25.10
Kai (7): I’m thankful for the earth and two families.
Melina (3): I’m thankful for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and turkey.

11.14.10
Melina two days ago: “Who made me? Who made my fingers, my toes?”
Me: “Mommy and Daddy made you.”
Melina last night: “Why are you my mommy and daddy?”
Can’t wait to see where this leads and when.

10.15.10
Melina, our little fairy princess, had decided to be a pig for Halloween “because piggies are pink and I like pink.”

10.12.10
Joey: Oh shit.
Melina (3): Daddy, don’t say shit.

9.14.10
Melina is learning to write her name one letter at a time. Appropriately, she’s now at “ME”

8.18.10
All three kids are asleep in their single shared room for the first time. I wonder how long it’ll last.
(And ironically we made an offer on our new bigger house less than a week later! Offer accepted 8.23.10.)

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