The Brass Plates

Sarah's latest achievement is quoting the entire story of Nephi and the Brass Plates from the Book of Mormon reader. Even though I have heard it the same amount of time from reading it to her or listening to it in the car I am no where near able to do this. Kids are amazing in their abilities to absorb and memorize information.

She's says the funniest things

So today Sarah said some of the funniest things. On the way to Alan's graduation she leaned back to look at Grandma Paulsen and said, "Emmie's been having issues today." Have you ever heard a three-year old say that? It's hysterical. She proceded to tell my mom about how Emmie had a runny nose. I guess she picked up the issues thing from me talking to Alan. For whatever reason there are just some things I don't expect Sarah to pick up from my conversations. That was one of them. Then after graduation she was looking at Alan's cap. She looked it over a minute then pulled the folds of his robe out and commented, "Daddy you have a funny coat. Only Daddies can wear funny coats, ha." We told her when she grew up and graduated she could have a funny coat too. Next she saw a formal gathering and I suggested it might be a wedding. She said, "I need a wedding too." Yes you do Sarah, but not now or even in the next 20 years.

Measuring up

Sarah is a huge Mary Poppins fan! Whenever she gets to watch a movie it is Mary Poppins. Two days ago she found my cute little measuring tape. (I saw it at home depot and had to have it based on its cuteness factor. I just love babies.) So she goes around the house measuring everyone several times a minute and asking to be measured. Then she tells the person what they are. "Mommy you are twenty-twelve. It says you are sweet and cute." When we measure her we usually say, "Sarah Wessman, truly delightful and sweet." Or something similar. When she isn't measuring, or weighing people as she sometimes calls it, she is practicing jumping into pavement pictures. "Mommy, watch me jump. Want to jump with me into a picture?" All the rest of the time she is running in circles with her umbrella open claiming to be Mary Poppins. "Mommy, I am Mary Poppins. See me flying with my umbrella?"

Pink

After Sarah's bath yesterday she said, "Emmie's is the pink towel and mine is the blue towel." Then she said extremely wistfully, "I wish I could have a pink towel for my birthday."

Gardening

Today Sarah said, "Mom, let's go out and flower the garden." She likes to use her little shovel to help weed the gardens.

I like Daddy

While Alan was gone Sarah would ask about him, mostly at dinnertime when he is usually present. One day she asked where Daddy was. After my reply that he was still gone in California she said, "But I like Daddy, I do!" I'm glad she likes Alan.

Sweet Dreams

Twice now when Sarah has said her personal prayers she asks that she might have good dreams, and lovely dreams and sweet dreams.

Understanding

Tonight I was putting Sarah to bed and she was saying her prayers after a bit of reluctance on her part -- "I want Mommy to say them with me," she complained. Anyway, towards the end of her prayer she said, "And please bless Daddy so he can understand."

This was not a usual request she made in her prayers and I had no idea what she meant, so after she concluded the prayer I said, "Do you feel like I need to understand something?"

"Uh-huh."

"What do I need to understand?"

"About my toys." She gestured towards the stairs. "I have lots of toys downstairs." And with that she climbed in her bed, apparently satisfied.

Found!

I found Sarah's pants in her summertime drawer. You never know where things might end up when you ask a 3 year-old to put something away.

missing

Missing: One pair of pink pants. These pants are one of my favorites because they have lots of pockets. Also the bottoms zip off. The cuffs are currently zipped off and we have those but they are no good without the rest of the pants. A reward is being offered but I can't tell you what it is.

Cute things

Cute things Sarah said today:

1. I have an itches on my leg so I have to scratch them to get them out.
2. (Making this conversation between two of her toys.) Then the monkey said, "You stupid." and the fox says, "You not supposed to say stupid. You being naughty. You be nice." and the monkey says,'Okay. I not be naughty any more. I am nice now."
3. I'm just awake now! I have a happy nap. I have a good sleep.
4. (Yesterday) May I have some crackers? (I said no because it's dinnertime.) I suppose I need some fruit snacks then.
5. I just hide right here and you find me, kay?
6. (Yesterday) We were teasing Sarah about frying her up for dinner and she said, No we don't fry people! So Alan suggested boiling her and she said, "Okay. That a good idea."

Baby people

Today we were reading Mem Fox's "It's time for Bed." This book is delightful and goes like this: "It's time for bed little mouse little mouse, darkness is falling all over the house. It's time for bed little goose little goose, the stars are out and on the loose..." After reading it we then went through it again to name the baby animals. At the end is a little girl and so I asked Sarah what do we call a baby person. Without any pause she says, "Sweetheart." Amen to that.

Nasty pants

Yesterday morning Sarah was trying to get dressed. She started putting her pants on backwards and had to start over but in the process she got one of the pant legs inside-out. So she was becoming increasingly frustrated and when I came in to help she said in frustration, "These pants are being stupid and nasty!" I said, "I don't think that's a nice thing to call your pants." She paused a couple of seconds and then said in a normal little Sarah voice, "Yeah, my pants nice."

"Helping" Daddy

Alan caught the flu and was home from work today. Earlier this evening he went to lie down in bed and rest. While sitting here on the computer I heard the pitter patter of fast little Sarah feet running to and fro. Pretty soon she comes downstairs and informs me she is helping Daddy feel better. I go upstairs to find Alan tucked in with a whole slew of Sarah's dolls and stuffed animals. She has also dragged a blanket over him and last I saw she was running upstairs with one of her stories (one she has memorized) to read to him. What a lucky man!

Pumpkin Pumpkin...

At Halloween I taught Sarah a little song called "Pumpkin Pumpkin" which goes like this.
Pumpkin Pumpkin round and fat,
Turn into a jack-o-lantern just like that!
At the end of the last phrase the singer pulls a face. Sarah loves this and sings it regularly but of course she changes it regularly. Lately she has been singing, "Mommy Mommy round and fat, Turn into a jack-o-lantern just like that!" Finally I began to get a complex and suggested that it wasn't nice to call mommy fat and so now she sings, "Mommy mommy round and skinny, turn into a jack-o-lantern just like that!" I better get out and exercise.

Settle Down

Last night my parents were over to play games. We told them in front of Sarah that Sarah was such a big girl she could get her jammies on all by herself! Naturally they didn't believe such a story and Sarah was sent to show them just how big she really was. When she came back downstair in her jammies we all clapped and shouted, "Yeah for Sarah! She's such a big girl!" She grinned at us then got this very serious grown-up expression and said, "Settle down guys."

My tummy says...

Just now Sarah came into the room and said, "My tummy say her still hungry for dinner."
"Your tummy's still hungry for dinner?" I repeated. "Yes," she said, "My tummy says her still hungry for candy." I put her off and said I had to write that down and a few seconds later she said,"Your mommy tummy say I can't have any more candy, 'cause your mommy tummy say I have to wait for dinner." And then she left.

I wonder I am

Sarah has begun singing a new song called, "I Wonder (who) I am". It is kind of sung to the tune "I wonder as I wander out under the stars..." Only Sarah's version goes like this: "I wonder I am, I wonder I am. I am Sarah Girl (what Alan calls her), Angel (what Grandpa Paulsen calls her), Chat..terbug (what I call her), Sweetheart (what we all call her), I wonder I am...

She's a little young for an identity crisis wouldn't you say?

Are all 3 year olds this bossy?

Just now Sarah came into the office where Alan and I were. "Come on," she said to Alan, "You forgot to throw me up. Come on. Let's go to the kitchen and you throw me up 'cause you forgot." After a chuckle Alan went with her and dutifully fulfilled the "coming home routine" which involves chucking Sarah into the air several times followed by running around in circles. Sarah loves this but I wonder how long it will continue. Will she be 13 and still asking to be thrown up?

As Alan comes back down the stairs Sarah says, "Let's play hide-and-seek. Let's play "get you". Sit here. (She points to a spot on the floor then runs to the other side of the room turns around and charges Alan. Alan catches her up and tickles her, then chases her around the room. This is how to play "get you".) We are going to have to teach her not to boss us around, which by the way I've been trying to do, and to at least say please, which by the way we have also been teaching and which she sometimes remembers.

Sarah's thumb is amazing

This morning Sarah's thumb became caught in her pajamas. I asked, "Sarah, where is your thumb?"
She responded, "Right here. My fumb go 'woof woof' like Potter."
Now that's one amazing thumb!