Compliments From A 3 Year Old

At night Dotty gets really chatty when she is trying to fight off sleep. She talks about a lot of random things.

Sea lions, Mulan, flowers, Mrs. Hall, Cooper Gee, Nana's car, Daddy's nose, Memaw's apartment, and so forth and so on...

There is really no rhyme or reason to any of it. She just rambles. Sometimes I have a hard time not laughing...sometimes I have a hard time not demanding she stop talking and go to sleep...usually I just listen quietly.

Last night we were face to face on her pillow. Dotty's eyes had already closed several times for several seconds. I was just about to close my own eyes when I felt Dotty's little hand on my face.

Dotty said, "Mommy, you are so beautiful."
Me "Thank you...so are you."
Dotty "And Mommy you are so kind and so much fun and you have pretty eyes..."
Me "Ohhh..thank you sweetheart. You make me feel so good. I love you."
Dotty "I love you too Mommy. And you know what else?"
Me "What?"
Dotty "You have stinky breath."
Then Dotty's eyes shut and she was sound asleep.

Now being the great mother that I am...I kissed my sweet baby girl on the cheek...and went to brush my teeth...again.

Dotty's Favorite People

This morning I told Dotty that Nana would be picking her up from school. Then she would be staying the night with Nana and Papaw. The next day Nana would be taking Dotty to play with Kathy and Gary.

Dotty was so excited! She jumped up on the bed and said, "Yea! Those are my favorite people!"

A Gift for Memaw...

Dotty likes to give people "parting gifts" when they leave our house. Sometimes it is one of her toys, sometimes a book, maybe a necklace (hopefully one of hers and not one of mine), every so often it is food or a drink. Many times people just smile and then slip the items back to me without Dotty noticing. Once or twice a kid has been the recipient of a "gift" and those are usually gone forever...so I have to keep a close eye on Dotty as she walks around pondering what would be a nice gift to give in that situation.

Last night Memaw was getting ready to leave and Dotty handed her a wedding picture of Jake and Keri to give to Jake, a picture of Presley when she was about 3 years old to give to Presley, and then she found a picture of my mom and dad taken on a cruise they went on...she gave that to Memaw.

Needless to say my mom was less than thrilled...but she faked it well. She thanked Dotty for such a nice gift and then later on casually put all three pictures back in their original spots.

I thought the whole thing was quite funny but a part of me was very proud of my parents. Even though they are no longer married we do birthday parties and holidays together...Dad, Mom, Jake, Keri, Presley, Dotty, and me...everyone in one place at one time. So far, while Presley and Dotty know that Memaw and Papa don't live in the same house, they don't really understand why yet. And to them Memaw and Papa love each other just like we all love each other...as a family.

I know divorces can be ugly. Feelings can get hurt. People can leave the courthouse and never go within 100 yards of each other ever again. My parents are not like that. Tony and I are not like that. The reason we all get along and behave well...especially in front of Dotty and Presley is for two reasons I believe.

#1 We do it for the girls. We don't want them to see fighting and tension. That will only hurt the girls.

#2 We do it for ourselves. We don't want to be fighting all the time. We don't want to have tension in our lives. We don't want to hurt each other.

The best gift we can give the girls (and in turn ourselves) is a loving family. We may not be traditional but we are, in fact, family.

Hugs Unlimited...

Dotty will on occasion tell me she is all out of kisses...or that she only has a few left and she is saving them for...fill in the blank...usually Daddy or Memaw.

Yesterday we met Julie in Henrietta because we had picked up Payton from Tony. Julie went to kiss Dotty goodbye and Dotty told her she could have only one because she was out of kisses. Payton thus was out of luck.

However, Dotty told Payton she had a hug to give him. She then informed all of us that, while she at times does run out of kisses, she never runs out of hugs.

Good to know.

Working for the Water Bottle

Last night Dotty and I went to visit Presley's soccer practice. I try to keep Dotty busy on Thursdays because at that point in the week she is really missing Tony and so I try to find activities to make the time pass by faster.

We got to practice and about 10 little 5/6 year old girls were running around...some were playing soccer...some were just playing. After a few minutes they got to have a water break.

Presley came over to drink out of her bright pink water bottle. Dotty, of course, then wanted a water bottle too. I had a sprite in the car but no water bottle. Bad Mom I know.

I told Dotty that the water bottles were only for the girls who were playing soccer. My child is like most kids...she looks for loopholes.

After a few minutes of pacing back and forth beside the water bottle, Dotty headed over and snagged a soccer ball from the ones to the side of the field. She asked if I would kick the ball with her.

After about 3 kicks...Dotty wiped her forehead, let out a loud sigh, and then proclaimed..."I need a drink from Presley's water bottle."

Jake caved and let her have one.

We went back to kicking the ball. Two kicks this time and then the declaration of needing a drink. She just went and got the bottle without waiting on the okay from anyone. Kicking again...this time we made it to about 5 kicks and she started to head to the bottle. I called a Time Out on that one.

I told Dotty that Presley was really running hard (well she really wasn't...she was one of the girls that was doing more "playing" that actual soccer...but she was out there) and we needed to save some for Presley.

That went over well. We ended up leaving soon after. Next practice, game, or any outside activity we attend I will make sure to have a water bottle...hopefully the exact same one as Presley!

Twirling

There are moments in Dotty's life that take me back to my childhood. I love them and they make me sad all at the same time. More than anything though I am glad I have those memories and I am glad Dotty (in some ways at least) takes after me.

Last night Dotty put on her "Tangled" nightgown that is very long and flowy. I was already laying on her bed getting ready to call it a night and Dotty stood in the floor beside the bed and started to turn...then she did it again...and again...and again.

She was twirling.

All at once I went back in time to my Grandma's living room. I was in a new dress (made by Tony's grandma Mary McGhee) that was a pink and white gingham dress with a white pinafore...and I was twirling.

That was the only way I knew whether or not I liked the dress...it all depended on how well it twirled. To this day I still from time to time put on a dress and twirl around in it. My prom dress my senior year was a good "twirling" dress...and I loved it for mainly that reason...at 18 years old I still loved to twirl. I don't wear many dresses anymore but if I do have a flowy one one for some occasion you can bet money on it...I still twirl around for a few turns in my bedroom.

Dotty gets her love of twirling from me (thank goodness she doesn't get it from Tony...we might have issues then). Last night, even though it was past her bed time, I let Dotty twirl until she got dizzy. I sat there smiling and only a few tears came to my eyes.

I am sure her Great-Grandma Montz was smiling too...another generation will continue to love a dress simply for how well it "twirls".

No Snoring Allowed...

Last night I got home late from a meeting. Memaw was babysitting and, of course, Dotty was still awake. After Memaw left, it took a while to get Dotty to wind down for bed. When she finally got all snuggled up next to me, she and I were almost nose to nose on the pillow.

I was laying there looking at my sweet, beautiful baby girl who looked so angelic in the glow of the night light with her eyes shut and her breath softly hitting my face (good thing she remembered to brush her teeth).

As I was just about to close my eyes and go to sleep, Dotty's eyes opened just a bit and she whispered to me in a soft but serious voice "And don't snore Momma."

I burst out laughing.

It took another 10 minutes to get her to calm down again. Finally, at close to 10pm, (way past both our bedtimes) she was sound asleep...and she was the one snoring...just for the record.