First thing this morning:
"Mom, can you foresee a possibility of my ever having actual hips?"
.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Velociraptor
Caroline was walking around the house practicing her 'roar'.
Except it didn't sound like a roar.
"Caroline, it sounds like you're throwing up."
"No it doesn't!"
"Yes, it does."
She rolls her eyes, "Yeah, but it sounds like I'm throwing up AWESOME NOISE!"
Except it didn't sound like a roar.
"Caroline, it sounds like you're throwing up."
"No it doesn't!"
"Yes, it does."
She rolls her eyes, "Yeah, but it sounds like I'm throwing up AWESOME NOISE!"
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Difference
So Bin Laden is dead.
I told Caroline the news this morning after she woke up and, despite her being pretty familiar already with the players and events of the war that has lasted her entire life, this led to our summing up together, for converation's sake, the history behind the action taken by our brave special forces yesterday.
At the end of our discussion and summary, I asked her how she felt about this event. Her answer made me sit down and shut up.
"Mom, I'm glad he's gone and I know we had to do it and I'm glad he can't ever hurt anyone else. But I still don't think I will ever like the idea of celebrating and dancing and cheering over someone's death. Even his death. I'm just sad he lived a bad life and hurt so many people."
I feel humbled by her lack of hate. She is a better person than I am. Her entire life has been lived under the shadow of this war. Her father's employment has everything to do with it. She sees hate and fear and glorification of vengeance on a daily basis in our community. She regularly hears applause at the idea of retribution and I admit I haven't been innocent of this myself. And yet, she has managed to maintain her own ideas of what is right; she still recognizes the difference between a pragmatic resolve to end evil action and just plain bloodlust.
I can't believe this kid is ten.
I told Caroline the news this morning after she woke up and, despite her being pretty familiar already with the players and events of the war that has lasted her entire life, this led to our summing up together, for converation's sake, the history behind the action taken by our brave special forces yesterday.
At the end of our discussion and summary, I asked her how she felt about this event. Her answer made me sit down and shut up.
"Mom, I'm glad he's gone and I know we had to do it and I'm glad he can't ever hurt anyone else. But I still don't think I will ever like the idea of celebrating and dancing and cheering over someone's death. Even his death. I'm just sad he lived a bad life and hurt so many people."
I feel humbled by her lack of hate. She is a better person than I am. Her entire life has been lived under the shadow of this war. Her father's employment has everything to do with it. She sees hate and fear and glorification of vengeance on a daily basis in our community. She regularly hears applause at the idea of retribution and I admit I haven't been innocent of this myself. And yet, she has managed to maintain her own ideas of what is right; she still recognizes the difference between a pragmatic resolve to end evil action and just plain bloodlust.
I can't believe this kid is ten.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Looking Forward to the Day She Doesn't Have to Color In the Lines
Sometimes I let Caroline skip school and instead bring her to school with me. She loves UNM, I love hanging out with her, and my professors always make her welcome. It's a treat we indulge in once in awhile.
Yesterday, between my morning and afternoon classes I took her for lunch at the Student Union. We bought our food and went outside to sit at the tables in the plaza so we could soak up the sun and listen to the music; there is always music at UNM, sometimes guitar players or a capella singers and sometimes an actual DJ playing for some charity or other. This time the music was provided by a DJ from the Queer-Straight Alliance. They were drawing attention to one of their favorite causes of late: anti-bullying. So, as one can imagine, the plaza was filled with loud, bass-heavy club beats and techno, and there were a lot of colorfully dressed, colorful-haired dancers dancing in unison all over the plaza and trying to pull passersby in to dance with them. It was a good time, in short, and very entertaining.
But I'm used to seeing this. It's rare to walk on my campus and not hear music of some sort, or to hear speakers on megaphones drawing attention to this or that social or political issue. I don't think much of it anymore, other than to think how fortunate I am to go to such a colorful and relaxed school where the majority of the students are concerned about the world at large.
Caroline isn't used to it, though. She took one look at the dancers with their feathers, beads, short-shorts and exuberant attitudes and said, "Mom, your school isn't ANYTHING like mine. You're like free-range chickens!"
"Free-range chickens?"
"Yes! At my school, we can practically hear the scraping of the metal blades that are coming to grind up the chicks that put a foot out of line!"
Sometimes she surprises me with her astute observations, and I couldn't be more pleased that she's not fooled into thinking that elementary school is how all of her life should be. A willing-conformist, this kid is not.
Yesterday, between my morning and afternoon classes I took her for lunch at the Student Union. We bought our food and went outside to sit at the tables in the plaza so we could soak up the sun and listen to the music; there is always music at UNM, sometimes guitar players or a capella singers and sometimes an actual DJ playing for some charity or other. This time the music was provided by a DJ from the Queer-Straight Alliance. They were drawing attention to one of their favorite causes of late: anti-bullying. So, as one can imagine, the plaza was filled with loud, bass-heavy club beats and techno, and there were a lot of colorfully dressed, colorful-haired dancers dancing in unison all over the plaza and trying to pull passersby in to dance with them. It was a good time, in short, and very entertaining.
But I'm used to seeing this. It's rare to walk on my campus and not hear music of some sort, or to hear speakers on megaphones drawing attention to this or that social or political issue. I don't think much of it anymore, other than to think how fortunate I am to go to such a colorful and relaxed school where the majority of the students are concerned about the world at large.
Caroline isn't used to it, though. She took one look at the dancers with their feathers, beads, short-shorts and exuberant attitudes and said, "Mom, your school isn't ANYTHING like mine. You're like free-range chickens!"
"Free-range chickens?"
"Yes! At my school, we can practically hear the scraping of the metal blades that are coming to grind up the chicks that put a foot out of line!"
Sometimes she surprises me with her astute observations, and I couldn't be more pleased that she's not fooled into thinking that elementary school is how all of her life should be. A willing-conformist, this kid is not.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Exception To Her Eloquence
"Mom? Did you take my glass? I wasn't finished yet. I think you forgot your etickety."
"My 'etickety'? What's etickety?"
"You know, ETICKETY! That book you always say you're going to send Mrs. Brodmerkel because she's rude."
"Ooooh...ETIQUETTE."
"Well, it LOOKS like ETICKETY."
"My 'etickety'? What's etickety?"
"You know, ETICKETY! That book you always say you're going to send Mrs. Brodmerkel because she's rude."
"Ooooh...ETIQUETTE."
"Well, it LOOKS like ETICKETY."
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Today She Realizes Moms Don't Know EVERYTHING
"Mom, I read an article on this sheep that was cloned. Her name was Dolly. Mom? Why did they have to clone a sheep named DOLLY? That's a silly name! Why couldn't it be a sheep named BOB?"
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Circle of Life
This morning around six, Calvin and I woke up to the sound of howling, terror-stricken crying.
"Oooooowww ooohh oowww!" Over and over and over......
We immediately thought, "Caroline!" and we flew out of bed, hearts pounding, sprinting in the direction of her room to rescue her from whatever in hell was ripping her limbs out of their sockets.
But as I passed our bedroom window, something caught my eye and I turned my head just long enough to see what it was.
We had a coyote in our back yard, not 15 feet from the window, tearing the hell out of ....SOMEthing...
That's when I put the breaks on Calvin. Caroline, having woken to the same clamor was already moving and close on the heels of our cowardly cat who was fleeing toward the safety of Calvin's pillow.
It didn't take but a second to enlighten all of us (except the cat, who was unhinged and a goner) on what had been howling and had now ceased the unholy caterwauling. The unfortunate creature was now in the backyard being ripped to shreds by a ferociously hungry coyote.
We watched in fascination for a long time as the coyote finished every little scrap of the hare, including the bones. Did you know that rabbits and hares cry and scream loudly when they're about to die?
As of now the coyote has gone, having nimbly lept back over the wall. The only evidence that there was a chase, a struggle, a snuffing and a feast is the few sad little tufts of fur blowing forlornly about the yard.
This was an opportune time to remind Caroline of how nature works. She took it well when reminded that coyotes have babies that need feeding, too.
And as for myself and Calvin...this served as a reminder that we actually do live in the southwest. The snow days, dead cacti, and subzero temperatures had begun to erase that knowledge from our minds.
Calvin was quick enough to grab the point-and-shoot but the photos of the coyote are barely discernable. I will post what I can salvage, soon.
"Oooooowww ooohh oowww!" Over and over and over......
We immediately thought, "Caroline!" and we flew out of bed, hearts pounding, sprinting in the direction of her room to rescue her from whatever in hell was ripping her limbs out of their sockets.
But as I passed our bedroom window, something caught my eye and I turned my head just long enough to see what it was.
We had a coyote in our back yard, not 15 feet from the window, tearing the hell out of ....SOMEthing...
That's when I put the breaks on Calvin. Caroline, having woken to the same clamor was already moving and close on the heels of our cowardly cat who was fleeing toward the safety of Calvin's pillow.
It didn't take but a second to enlighten all of us (except the cat, who was unhinged and a goner) on what had been howling and had now ceased the unholy caterwauling. The unfortunate creature was now in the backyard being ripped to shreds by a ferociously hungry coyote.
We watched in fascination for a long time as the coyote finished every little scrap of the hare, including the bones. Did you know that rabbits and hares cry and scream loudly when they're about to die?
As of now the coyote has gone, having nimbly lept back over the wall. The only evidence that there was a chase, a struggle, a snuffing and a feast is the few sad little tufts of fur blowing forlornly about the yard.
This was an opportune time to remind Caroline of how nature works. She took it well when reminded that coyotes have babies that need feeding, too.
And as for myself and Calvin...this served as a reminder that we actually do live in the southwest. The snow days, dead cacti, and subzero temperatures had begun to erase that knowledge from our minds.
Calvin was quick enough to grab the point-and-shoot but the photos of the coyote are barely discernable. I will post what I can salvage, soon.
Monday, January 24, 2011
I'll Take Him In XS.
"Mom, Ryan Reynolds is cute. I wish he came in my size." --Caroline, after spotting the actor on the cover of a magazine in the store.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
I Thought I Got Rid O'That Guy.
Caroline is following me through the commissary, close on my tail, refusing to come around where I can see her.
She says she's my conscience.
My conscience giggles a lot.
She says she's my conscience.
My conscience giggles a lot.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Genie Heard Me!
Today, Caroline came in from her weekly hike with her dad, and as she was taking off her coat said, “Mom, I’m beginning to understand the benefits of taking a nap and I’m growing very fond of them.”
My fellow parents, try not to be too jealous.
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