such a classic girl

dear elodie, 

it has now been a year since you have worn pants. still no pockets. always tights. although yesterday your tights had a hole in them and you said "did you know i didn't even worry about my hole today? i'm not going to worry about the hole mama." you love fairies, horses, dumbo, winnie the pooh, and riding your bike. 

you are so sweet to your little sister. every morning you say "hi, hi frankie. my sister. i love you, you're so cute." and call her "frenchie" and "frankie gaga." you will let her hold your animals up until the point where she puts it into her mouth, which is a lot these days.

you help me sweep and set the table. you help put clothes in the washer, measure the liquid, and start the load of laundry. your biggest setback is that your mama forgets how much you can and want to do. i need to remember more often.

lately you ask me to spell the lyrics of songs to you and you will write them down on a piece of paper. my favorite is "you are my sumshime."

i love to just sit and listen to you*. i am in awe of all that you know and all that you are trying to figure out. 

we spend a lot of time saying prayers. you tell me all of the things that you love and are thankful for and then it's my turn. then you like to steal some of the things i say and then tell me it's my turn again. all i know is that grandma is getting a lot of love lately. 

right now you are loving food! when you like something a lot you say "mmmm mama, this is so delicious. do you want to taste it?"

you just spent some time with your cousins and i got to really see how small you still are. i remember them so clearly when they were your age and now they swing you up and put you on their shoulders or sit behind you and slowly brush your hair. i am grateful that they love you and you love them. 

you are one of the friendliest people i know. you run up to anyone you know and give them a huge smile, call out their name, and give them a hug. i am tearing up as i type this because i can see you do this in my head. oh my dear girl, you are growing so well. so clever. so thoughtful. a beautiful mass of potential energy that feeds me day in and day out with your world view. 

*things you say:

my first name is rainbow, my second name is tree, and my eighth name is leaf.

i can't wait to be a parent when i grow up.

thank you for the high five. fist bump, fist bump." (to francesca)

the freeway has none houses right? zero houses.

brahms died. me: who? E: brahms. ummm symphony number one. he died. he's teacher william's friend.

mama, your cheek smells like quiche.

my favorite, in the whole wide world, is egg salad.

my heart is humping so much faster than usual.

i'm so thirsty i could drink a dining room table.

all people were babies. some people are still babies. frankie is still a baby. one day you'll be an old gramma but you'll still be happy

I'm practicing not having water in my room.

in the morning owls eat supper and go to sleep right?

my name is not poppa gaga, my name is elodie gaga.

you know what? mashed potatoes are made of potatoes.

i just read millions of books.

for real life, I am not joking!

you say "pardon me" before almost every sentence!

i can see africa in these sunglasses... for real, for real life!

One time I had avocado for lunch and it didn't make me grow. it doesn't make you grow.

do you know tooth fairies live inside whistles?

guess what's my favorite lunch in the whole world? what? ice cream! and pirate booties. that's all I want. is that ok?

i'm gonna stay upside down until I'm eighteen six nine.

The world is bigger than eagle rock right?

poppa I love you. you're a part of my heart.

i want you to wrap me like a little baby and throw me on the bed.

i think she's toofing. (teething)

can plants see pictures?

i love you more than 100,000 fireflies.

a song that makes me think of you lately...

"they may say 'those were the days', but in a way, you know for us these are the days. yes for us these are the days, and you know you're my girl. such a classic girl. such a classic girl."

these lyrics ring in my mind whenever i start to think about money, about how tired i am, about what i'm not accomplishing. for us these are the days. now. we are youthful. we have no illnesses. we can dream. create. travel. make new friends. make old friends. these are the days. 

i love you my classic girl.