Wednesday, January 26, 2011

This Is Not Normal

I don't think my two year old is a normal two year old. I mean, in some ways she is. But in other ways, notsomuch.

Take for example, the other night. Scott and I were in her room after her bath... just sort of hanging out and playing. It was 7:45... so right around normal bedtime. Moana insisted on cleaning up her room. She wanted every princess dress and all her magic wands put in her princess trunk. She wanted her clothes from the day in her hamper and all the toys put away as well. Scott and I just sort of looked at each other in awe as she went about picking everything up by herself. I swear to you, we did not even ask her to do this. And then, then, she started singing The Clean Up Song. Clean up clean up everybody clean up...

Let me just tell you that our daycare lady is worth her weight in gold because obviously she was the one who instilled this desire for tidiness in our little princess. I promise you it was not me.

Think that's amazing? Wait for it. So then Moana says to me, "Mama go downstairs now please?" I thought she was asking me if she could go downstairs so I said, "No Moana. It's bedtime. We're not going downstairs now." But she repeated herself so sweetly. "Mama go downstairs now please?" Ok, I can repeat myself too... so I did. Then she said it again. It occurred to me that maybe she was actually asking me to leave her room? Could it possibly be? So I asked her, "Are you asking me to leave your room?" She said, "Yes. Mama go downstairs now please." Then she pointed to Scott. "Daddy go too."

Ok then. I was completely flabbergasted but Scott and I just looked at each other and did what our bossy independent little daughter asked us to do. She got right in bed and went to sleep.

So today after I picked her up from daycare she started asking for ice cream. Hmmmm. I don't really need this to become a habit but at the same time she eats healthy 90% of the time so a bit of ice cream once/week isn't going to kill anyone... so what the heck. Coldstone Creamery, we're baaaack. Moana went running in there squealing like a little piglet in a mud puddle. In good news, that place is empty at 4:30 in the afternoon on a Wednesday so no worries if she's dancing and twirling and squealing while pointing to the picture of the ice cream cone on the wall. ICE CREAM YOU SCREAM SOMEBODY WAS JUST SO HAPPY! Anyway, she ate the majority of a small ice cream. Normal enough I suppose.

But then we went shopping at Safeway. I was buying spinach and kale and broccoli and all the stuff that is safe to reside in our house. And guess who insisted on eating some of that raw broccoli? Yep. Mint ice cream with brownies followed by dessert of raw broccoli. I am not making this up. She then insisted on eating the leaf. What? The leaf? Yes. She wanted to eat the kale. Raw kale. I kid you not.

You know what else is not normal? Swimming 1300 meters with your feet tied together. Using paddles. But no pull buoy. I have more to say about this but that's for another post that is still brewing in my head. For now, a picture of the scene of the crime. Nice pool, huh? So what if there are no pace clocks and no lane lines. It's a mile from my house. And it's free. And the view is not too shabby.

This actually is pretty normal on my side of the island... I had to stop to take that picture the other day when I was riding.

What? This is not your normal turn around point of your weekday ride?


Ok, one more pic here... for Beth who is stuck inside on her trainer for like 8 hours every weekend. Now THAT is not normal... ;)

14 comments:

Beth said...

Oh the pictures - the PICTURES!!!! LOOOOOVE!! I'm just about to hop on my trainer right now. Instead, I think today I will ride in Hawaii... :) Thanks Michelle!!

1300 yds band swimming with NO buoy??? Oh ouch. That is some sort of evil!!

And by the way, Moana is the best. Her and I could get along well - I like Coldstone and I also like me a neat room. :)

Nitsirk said...

Jack likes to put things away too. He won't sit down to dinner until all his matchbox cars are back in the bin. Thank you daycare.
That pool is awesome. I would forgo lanelines and a clock for that anyday. There isn't a single long course pool in the state of Maine. Very few outdoor pools either. You are a lucky lady.

Kim said...

oh moana. she is one of a kind! man i wish i could swim/bike/run outside. beautiful pictures!

Anonymous said...

WOW!! All I can say is, enjoy it while it lasts. My mom said I was a model daughter until I turned 3 :-)

Bands & paddles? Ha. Yes, after accidentally trying it once I'm in a bit of awe of anyone who can actually do it!

Unknown said...

Yeah, I remember her singing that little song and cleaning up one night when I was putting her to bed! Sadly, I didn't know the song! What a dollbaby she is!

Molly said...

I think oldest kids/singlets mature faster! She's going to be a hoot at all ages.

I won't tell you how many yards my coach has made me do paddles with the ankle band before. But I've done it a lot.

cherelli said...

Oh, such cruel pictures....
Moana sounds very grown up already!! Wonder how many years she'll sing the Cleaning song til she cottons on to the fact she is actually "cleaning up"???

Running and living said...

My son is the same way, but only at school. He actually told me at some point that "We don't throw tantrums at school or other people's houses, mom!". Yup!
Enjoy the beautiful weather. We got more snow today!

Teresa said...

Your band swimming mileage is getting up there!! yeah! Oh the sites are so amazing too!
xoxo

Kiet said...

1300, paddles, band and no buoy? You got me. But reading this just got me really motivated, I'll get back to you.

Lizzie said...

This is seriously the funniest Moana post - love it! Maybe she's saving any trouble for her teens? :) She is just too much. Great that you're recording all of this for her!

Rebecca DeWire said...

Kids are so funny at this age. That is nice that Moana is into organization. I know other kids who are like that, but unfortunately Elena isn't one of them.

I am really interested in the band swimming. I hope you write more about this.

Regina said...

I hope for you sake she stays 'abnormal'. My bubble of abnormality was eventually broken and now he whines when it is time to clean, demands ice cream and resist broccoli, which he used to LOVE.

That paddles and band thing today? Major 'drag'. ba dum ching! I'm here every Thursday!

N.D. said...

I love this post and love the Moana stories!