Politics with Julia

It probably doesn't come as a surprise that the kids and I have a lot of political discussions.  The most recent one was a perfect example of how literal Julia really is.

Katie and I were discussing how terrible it would be for this country if Donald Trump was elected.  It started off as a real discussion about real issues but then Katie jokingly said, "The most awful thing would be if he enacted a law that said we must all wear our hair like he does."  We laughed...and went on with the conversation.

Fast forward to a few days later when Julia comes into my office and says to me, "Mom, if Donald Trump is elected, can we please move to England?"  When I asked her why she didn't like the idea of Trump being president, she said, "Because of the hair thing.  He has awful hair!  If he makes that stupid rule we will need to leave immediately."  She was dead serious.  She thought the rule could become reality despite it being a ridiculous and, she completely missed the "social que" (laughter indicating the humor).

I mean honestly, as long as she is on board with Trump as President being a bad idea, the reasoning really doesn't matter, right?  And let's face it...his hair is awful!

A Recent Status Update

Em and Julia were having a little spat. They were pretty much over it when shortly after, I had a discussion with Ryun about a Dr.'s appointment Emily has Tuesday. Out of nowhere, Julia, who may I remind you, is only 6 years old said, "Yeah Emily, well I hope they take your voice box out!" What?!?! It was seriously one of the funniest/most sarcastic/perfectly timed things she has ever said....and oh so "Ryun" of her.   After I stopped crying from laughing so hard, When I asked where she had learned about voice boxes, she replied in a very matter of fact tone, "The Little Mermaid."

Seriously, this girl never misses a beat!

It;s A Literal Life

Ryun (to me):  I killed my hand fixing the alternator in the truck today.

Julia:  Really Dad? If your hand is dead then how come it is still moving?
 

Julia and What Today Means To Her

Today being Martin Luther Day, I am reminded of a couple of examples from last year when Julia took the stories of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks to heart.

When discussing Dr. Martin Luther King at school, one of the parent volunteers asked Julia what she thought Dr. King's dream was. Julia pondered the question for a minute and answered, "I bet his dream was that he was white...then he never would have gotten shot."

Later that same day, she got on the bus and told the driver (who had the bus set up so kindergarten students sat up front)  that because of Dr. King, Rosa Parks and Mrs. S (Julia's teacher last year), she could sit wherever she wanted on the bus.

Just a couple more examples of "Julia Logic."

Silly Ladybug

Last night, shortly after Julia had gone to bed, I heard a blood curdling scream, followed by crying come from her room.  I ran out of the office to see what had happened, expecting to find, I don't know, maybe a missing limb or something.  Instead, I found her sitting up in bed, crying with a look of sheer terror on her face.  When I asked what was wrong, she said, "There was a hard bug...and it was in my hair!"  Whatever it was had vacated her head (we discovered that it was a lady bug that we found on her bed a few minutes later)so I hugged her, told her it was ok and tried, in vain, to settle her down.  Nothing was working to calm her...she was seriously scared, and no explanation of anything was working.  Julia being Julia had many, many questions about the whole thing .  How did it get in the house?  Why are bugs attracted to light?  Should I shut off my aquarium?  Should we shut off the hall light?  Are slugs attracted to light because slugs rhymes with bugs (No, I am not kidding, she really said that)?  How did I finally get her to settle down enough to go back to sleep?  Observe the picture below taken a few nights ago with my phone camera:

I told her that the one that landed in her hair must have thought that her ladybug Pillow Pet was a real lady bug and they were going to hang out.  After basically a good twenty minutes of crying, questioning, and me playing a live version of an encyclopedia on bugs, this explanation elicited this response from Julia, followed shortly by her peacefully falling asleep: "That ladybug is so silly!  Didn't he know that my Pillow Pet was too big to be a real lady bug?"

Seriously, I love that kid!

I was reminded yesterday...

...of a funny story from way back when Katherine was about five or so.

Yesterday, Emily was watching a show on Animal Planet (I think) about crocodiles, alligators and reptiles in general. She loves watching those kinds of shows. Very often I will find her watching Discovery, Animal Planet or the History Channel. She's fascinated by it all and similar to Ryun, absorbs the information like a sponge. Ask her how to survive stranded in the woods? She'll know. Stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere? if Emily is with you, have no fear...she'll either find a way to get you home or find a way to make the conditions livable. Chat with her about what has been found on archaeological digs and what it means historically and she'll know that too. Need to write a report on sharks...no need to go to the library...just ask Emily. When I say sponge...I am not kidding. Between her and Ryun, they know the most obscure and random things...things you would never think you need to know...until you do.

Anyway, Emily watching the show about reptiles reminded me of the time I called Ryun on the way home from somewhere and asked him to"stir the crock." Katherine, who was with me in the car said (and yes, she was dead serious), "Mom, are we really having a crocodile for dinner? That is so cool!"

Overheard AtThe Dinner Table

Emily: Dad, why are you so frustrated?

Julia: He's a man...he is always frustrated.

Julia is 6 years old and has already developed quite the insight in to the male mind.

Watch out world (males in particular)...here she comes! : )

Literal Julia At Her Best

My sister to Julia: "I have a cookie here with your name on it."

Cue Julia, who immediately burst in to tears after looking at the cookie and discovering, that it did not actually have her name written on it.

Seriously, that happened.

Historic Moment In The Ellis Household

Ryun? Has finally decided to pass off to our children his beloved transformers and legos that he has saved since childhood.

This is undoubtedly a moment of epic proportions so please...take note.

I'm Blaming Ryun

Me: "Julia, please go put the drum stick away. We are only allowed to use that when we are playing Band Hero."

Julia: "But Mom, I am pretending it is a gun."

Me: "Julia we don't pretend things are guns. Guns are not toys."

Julia: "But Mom, I am playing Adam 12, what's the problem?"

Julia...

...has been saying a lot of blog worthy things lately.

Today she asked me if "rotten food" was poisonous. I said that it could be. She asked if you could die from eating it. I said that you could. Before I had the chance to elaborate and explain how it would have to be a really severe case of food poisoning for someone to die, she said, "No you can't because I just ate this banana that had a rotten brown part on it and I didn't die." She said it very matter of fact like, which is typical for her but something about it just struck me as funny.

Conversation With Julia

Me: "Holy Sun Batman!" (said while driving today with the sun shining head on in to the windshield).

Julia: "Mom Batman lives in darkness because hello, he's a bat. So why did you say "Holy Sun Batman?"

Literal Much?

Julia (to her teacher): "Apparently my family is going on a vacation this weekend and staying at a hotel and they never told me until this morning!"

Julia's teacher: "Oh...so they left you in the dark?"

Julia: "Oh no, there will be lights there."

Ha!

Speaking of, off to continue packing for the weekend (which is the MA PTA's 100th Birthday and Convention).

Just Because

I have been reading through my archives a lot lately. I love remembering stories I have told and thoughts I have had. I mentioned recently on Facebook that my blog has on occasion served as a reference. Often, if I am having trouble remembering when something happened, I can go back through the archives and figure it out. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to go back and see what I was thinking or doing roughly a year ago today. Not a lot of blogging happened in March of 2009 but, I did come up with this funny story regarding Emily and her math test.

October of 2010 will mark 9 years of blogging for me...9 years of my life documented here and in other incarnations of My Life In Words. While I have taken some lengthy breaks (I think the longest of which was 4 months) I can't ever imagine not blogging. This truly as been a wonderful outlet, and one I can not imagine my life without.

Over Dinner

Tonight's dinner table conversation -

Katherine (in a joking manner after being silly): What would life be like with out me?

Emily: Normal.

Katherine: Yeah, but normal is boring!

I love my Katherine! : )

Funny

There has been a lot of talk about things of a political nature in this house lately. Between the local political scene (with the override question and selectman's race) to the recent passage of the health care bill (YUCK), we (well, ok I) have had a lot to say. Emily (SHOCKER) has been pretty vocal about the issues as well. The girls and I were having a discussion tonight about what we would do if we were President. Julia was the first to answer and said this: "I would save the world, but only if it was about to end." Very logical to a five year old...if it isn't about to end, what would need to be saved?

Email From Julia's Teacher

"We were talking about Rosa Parks and how before Rosa Parks if you were black you had to sit at the back of the bus and give up your seat to a white person. We also have a yellow bus and we put our pictures on it to show that anyone can sit where ever they want. WELL - Julia told her bus driver Terri that because of Dr King and Rosa Parks SHE can sit anywhere she wants and does not have to sit in the front. We are making a class dream book and she told me that her dream was that everyone would laugh a lot at least once a day. She even drew a picture of mom tickling her. Just thought I would share. She made the bus driver's day - and of course she makes mine everyday."

Really? There are no words.

If Only It Was That Easy!

Julia: "Mom, when did I get my skin?"

Me: "Before you were born."

Julia: "So, when I was in there(pointing to my stomach)?"

Me: "Yes."

Julia: "Yeah, and then you went to a magic circus tent and the person said, "ABRACADABRA, ALAKAZOO GET THAT BABY OUT OF SHARON'S BELLY." Then I was alive!"

Funny

"Oh my God, my hip hurts from all of this laughing." Julia, this morning after I tickled her a lot. Too cute.

No Thanks!

Me to Julia (after she walked right past me this morning without so much as a glance): "Please come here for a minute...I need a "good morning" hug!"

Julia: "Um, no thanks, I don't need one."