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Wed, Oct 31, 2007 10:00 PM
Today was an "interesting" Halloween. Katie kicked it off with great enthusiasm, rising a little after 6 and chattering away about the events that were ahead. But by the time 9:30--and the Elbow Lane parade--rolled around, she was in sad spirits. Steve, Danielle, and I watched as she halfheartedly trudged through the parade wearing her bridal ensemble (plus the red turtleneck I sent her to school in--and did not intend for her to wear with her costume; oh well).

By the end of the parade, she was in TEARS begging to come home with us. We compromised and told her she'd have to stay for as long as it took me to volunteer at the book fair, which meant she attended the Halloween party and then participated in some outdoor play.

When we got home, she seemed fine, playing independently for much of the day while Steve and I worked. But once 5:00 rolled around, she started crashing--and crashing hard. I took her with me to pick up pizzas and she zonked out within a few minutes. When she woke up about a half hour later, it was time to get into her costume, but she was NOT about to go along with that.

Instead, she cried, she flailed, she writhed, and she simply refused to go near her frou-frou dress. At first she said she didn't want to trick-or-treat at all, but then she reneged on that. She wanted to go out in her shorts and tank top. We told her "No costume, no trick-or-treating." Even that didn't force her hand with the dress, so instead, we compromised again. She wore tights, a leotard, and soft slippers; in other words, she was an impromptu ballerina.

Even then, she was whining and crying--loudly--as the other children started to make the rounds. I tried taking her to a house or two, and it was a disaster. At one house, the mom was kind enough to come out and hand her a bag of M&Ms. Katie shook her head violently and cried, "NOOOO!" So we went back home.

After awhile, she decided to try again with Steve. That time, she did a little bit better. When they came home, she asked to go with me, and after a familiar house or two, she was starting to hit her stride. Her mood broke when we played a "joke" on Steve by trick-or-treating at our own house. (Har-de-har.)

She hung out at home for a little while, and then Maddie's mom called to see how she was feeling. She had been talking to Maddie's dad, and they invited Katie to meet up with Maddie and Lauren, who were out together. By the time Steve and Katie came back from that round, she was on Cloud Nine and totally enthralled with the Halloween experience.

A few lessons learned:
1) Let Katie pick out her own costume next year, even if we have to (gasp!) pay for one.
2) Don't let Katie break her routine by coming home after the parade. She desperately needed her usual afternoon nap!
3) Meet up with neighborhood pals in advance to help her get in the spirit BEFORE it's time for trick-or-treating.

Of course, we could implement those plans and she'd find another way to foil us, I'm sure. She is stubborn with a capital "S" and has a mean streak a mile wide when the mood hits her.

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Thu, Oct 25, 2007 10:30 PM
Tonight was the annual Painting Pumpkins with Daddy event at Elbow Lane. Steve said he and Katie were the first father-child pair to arrive and the last to leave. He just had me laughing out loud as he recounted Katie's antics in between.

For starters, Steve lamented that Katie "NEVER sits still." Just like last year, she moved spots three times, dragging him along with her for each migration. He said she also busily hoarded the decorating goodies--returning repeatedly to the central supply station to get more stuff.

According to Steve, several of the dads were basically doing the pumpkin decorating. But every time HE tried to make a contribution on Katie's pumpkin (by adding eyebrows to its face, or twisting a pipe cleaner around the stem), she would immediately undo it. "I don't like dat!" she barked. (That's no shock; with Katie, it only counts when she does it "herdelp.")

Then, midway through the event, Katie traipsed into the bathroom, removed her pants and underwear, and sat on the toilet--without closing the door. I'm pretty sure that is standard operating procedure during the school day, but he insisted that he accompany her and that they close the door. Within a few seconds, he said it was clear that she was doing more than urinating--and that by the time she was finished, the smell was so bad he was literally embarrassed to open the door.

Steve insists that the other kids were NOT moving around incessantly or greedily stockpiling stickers or bossing their fathers around, but I have to believe at least SOME of them were; he was probably just too frazzled to notice! :-D

Comments:
Paw-Paw: Sounds like Katie's bathroom odors are somewhat like her mother's.

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Wed, Oct 24, 2007 12:30 PM
Here's some classic Katie "logic":

The other day, Katie was admiring my jewelry. "Earrring," she cooed as she gently touched one of mine.

"Would you like to have earrings some day?" I asked her.

Her eyes widened and she said, "Leah! Leah!"

"OK," I replied. "Maybe when you're five."

She furrowed her brow and said emphatically, "I all done wit' bree. I bibe NOW."

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Sun, Oct 21, 2007 8:30 PM
On Friday morning, Gran called and asked to speak with Katie. When I told Katie Gran wanted to talk with her, Katie said, "I can't."

"You can't?" I replied. "Why not?"

"'Cause," Katie said. She then paused briefly--but long enough to concoct her "explanation."

"I a mon-ter," she said matter-of-factly. "I ate Gran all gone."

* * * *

This afternoon Nay Nay and her daughter, Kristen, brought little Liam (he's just five weeks old!) over to meet us. As is always the case, Katie was jealous when I was holding him. But as soon as I handed him back to his mommy, she said, "Me hold him now?"

She did--and she couldn't have been happier than she was with that little guy on her lap. She was also in her glory "organizing" Kristen's diaper bag, "managing" his bottle and pacifier, and covering and uncovering him with burpcloths.

As for me, I couldn't believe how rusty I was with an infant! Considering how out of practice I was with a bottle, maybe I should try changing a diaper. It's been nearly 10 months since Katie has worn them, so I'm sure I'd be dense at that, too! Fortunately, Kristen is already a pro and Nay Nay is a longtime baby expert. In other words, Liam is in very, very good hands (i.e., not mine!). :-)

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Thu, Oct 11, 2007 9:30 AM
The other day we were out to dinner at the newly constructed Cheesecake Factory at Willow Grove Park Mall. As usual, Katie announced that she needed to go to the bathroom to change her baby's diaper. Always aware that she might actually need to go, too, I took her.

We found the changing table in the large, handicapped-accessible stall. It was a unique changing table--sleek stainless steel integrated into the wall. She was delighted. Meanwhile, I actually USED the toilet.

When I was finished with my business and she was done with baby's "diaper," I asked if she needed to go. She said yes, and added, "Lure loosing da big potty; I loosing da lil' potty." So I went to unlock the stall door and find a smaller one.

As I worked the lock, I realized it was extremely stiff, making it difficult for even me to unlock. So, I told Katie I would need to go IN with her to ensure that she wouldn't get stuck. To my surprise, she agreed without a debate. I should've known that was too good to be true.

Once we were inside, she had positively no interest in using the bathroom. She wanted only to prove me wrong. As she worked the lock independently, she looked at me and said, "Dee, Mommy? I did it by mydelp. I don't need djew." Then she walked out to wash her hands.

Now, if she's like this at three, what do I have to "look forward to" in another 10 years?!

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Wed, Oct 10, 2007 9:30 AM
A few recent soundbites from Katie:

* When Steve was away last week, Katie and I bought a three-pack of Little Mermaid panties at Target. Upon Steve's return home, she was very eager to show him the exciting new undergarment she was wearing. From across the room, she shouted, "Daddy, I have a 'brize on my 'gina!" Translation: "I have a surprise on my vagina!" (Not exactly how I would have put it, but she certainly got his attention.)

* While playing with her baby over the weekend, she handed the doll to me and said, "Lure da ditter. I gotta go to work!" In the same vein, upon waking to see me wearing slacks and a blazer, she mumured, "Why lure wearing dat?" Before I could answer, she said "Meeting?" and then asked hopefully, "Dee picking me up?!"

* And from the not-quite-grammatical department, some of her most frequent phrases include "I can't how to do that," "Here me comes," and "Where are at?"

Comments:
Sarah: Megan and I are sitting here laughing so hard it hurts!

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Mon, Oct 1, 2007 9:30 PM
Tonight we ended up at Wegmans for dinner, and Katie was in rare (or, rather, not-so-rare) form. For starters, Danielle had picked her up from school. This treat always puts Katie into an "I'm-so-cool-I-can't-stand-it" sort of mood. She demonstrated that mood when she changed out of her school clothes. When I saw Katie's new outfit--a hot-pink summer dress with white tights and hot-pink cowboy boots--I just assumed Danielle had picked it out for her. But Danielle said it was all Katie's doing.

With her sassy outfit complete, Katie was ready to accessorize. Accompanying us to Wegmans was one of Katie's "babies"... along with a purse for Katie (which included lip gloss, a cell phone, and three one-dollar bills fresh from Paw-Paw's Halloween card) AND a purse for the baby.

During dinner, Katie announced that she needed to use the bathroom. So she and I and the baby doll schlepped to the women's room. As is often the case, she first changed the baby's diaper on the changing table. She told me it was a poopy one, and judging by Katie's theatrical reaction, you probably smelled it from wherever you are. After about 15 minutes (which included the diaper change and Katie's own visit to a stall), we returned to our table.

We wrapped up our "dinner," and Steve went for a cup of coffee while she and I went to pick up two things from the grocery section. As I walked and Katie strutted through the bakery, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Just as serious as she could be, she said, "Hoad on! Dum-body callin'!" She proceeded to fish out her cell phone, flip it open, push a button, and say "Hiiiii!" while smiling and laughing. I told her to keep moving while she was talking, and she did--with utmost animation. (Keep in mind that her cell phone has no battery and no service. Nevertheless, she later informed me it was "Gwan" who called.)

After her important call ended, she started her own one-woman music review featuring the songs and dances from High School Musical. She would periodically fling herself on the ground in a dramatic dance move, and then get back up and carry on with her lyrics. Of course, she doesn't have them quite down. For example, instead of "No, no, no! Stick to the status quo!" Katie sings, "No, no, no! Tic-tac-toe!"

Correct lyrics or no, Katie definitely has a flair for the dramatic.

* * *

As I was sitting here re-reading this entry and replaying Katie's antics in my mind, it finally dawned on me. Katie is imitating the Sharpay Evans character from HSM. Her strut was JUST like Sharpay's... her over-the-top outfit was pure Sharpay... and her dramatic "stop-the-world-I'm-getting-a-call" moment fit the bill, too.

Maybe we need to watch more Sound of Music and less High School Musical. But with her personality, Katie would probably want to emulate Baroness Schraeder instead of Fraulein Maria!

Comments:
Katie H.: ROFLOL!! Sign her up for Childrens' Theatre! She's a natural!

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Mon, Oct 1, 2007 10:00 AM
Much like my brother is probably doomed, er, destined to have a kid who literally bounces off walls while shrieking like a monkey, I have been experiencing my own variety of parental payback courtesy of Katie:

* At the pool in Florida, Katie kept forgetting to walk by the pool. "Katie, please don't run," I said at one point. She paused only briefly to say, "I not running. I GIPPIN'!"

* At the Phillies game on Saturday night, I asked her if she was having fun at the ballgame. "We not at da ballgame," she said. "We at da ballPARK!"

* At the bagel shop, I asked her to stop banging her feet on the wooden bench. "I not bangin' my beet," she said, clear as a bell. "Dat my DJEWS!"

On top of those specific examples, she has routinely begun reading "rules" to us. Suppose I ask her for a sip of something she's drinking. She'll shake her head somberly and say, "Dat not bor djew. Dat bor little kids-iz." Then she'll take her pointer finger and run it across random text on the package and say, "Dee? Dat day, 'Own-y bor little kids-iz!'"

And believe you me, there is NO point in arguing with her about what it really says.

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