Story Time

Laynee's favorite thing (well, next to Go, Diego, Go!, Princesses, crowns, dresses and Olive the Kitty) is to have stories either read or told to her. She'll curl up in our laps (or not) and wrap her blankie just so, and ask us ever so sweetly, "Mom and Dad? You tell me a story?" Ahhh. Sweet thing! How can we resist? So we start the story only to find out she has her own idea of how the story should go. And every time it's the same. I have the whole story and every variation of the story committed to memory. I can say it forwards, backwards, upside-down and sideways.

Laynee is, by far, our most independent, energetic, girly, sensitive child yet. Have I mentioned this before? Once (today, in fact) she dumped about 6 cupfuls of cat food into the turtle tank. Because they were hungry. I think she may have added a tiny bit of turtle food in there somewhere, but I wouldn't know for sure because I couldn't even see the turtles let alone another food item through the hunks of cat food floating on the surface of the water.

How, you may ask, did she get away with it when I, Emily the Mom, should be watching her every move? Ummm, hello! Welcome to the world of Mothering the Three Year Old. When I realized that I hadn't heard from her in a while, I went looking for her. There she was, standing over the turtles whispering to them, "Hurry and eat before Mommy comes!" When she looked up at me, all I had to do was put my hands on my hips and say in a low-ish sort of voice, "Layneeee." Immediately she burst into tears. "But, but, but, but, the turtles Mom. They were sick."

And if they weren't then, they are now.

"I needed to feed them. They love it so much."

Hiding under the floating dock does not, to me, translate into actions of love.

"Olive shared her food."

And you had nothing to do with it, eh?

"I'm so sorry, turtles. I just want to hold you. I just want you to eat. You don't need to die, now."

And that was it. She sobbed through the whole shpeel. My work there was done. Well, after I made her scoop it all out with a sieve.

On to the topic of this post. Laynee has her own ideas when it comes to most things in life, and this story is no exception. This is how you tell Laynee a story.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far far away--

There was a Princess named Laynee Belle!

There was a Princess named Laynee Belle. And this Princess--

Had a green and a yellow purse!

This Princess had a green and a yellow purse. Inside her green purse and yellow purse--

There was a really really pretty dress! And it was green!

She kept a beautiful dress that was green. One day when she--

Went outside and she saw a dragon! and a squirrel! and a turkey! and she shoot them! BANG! And then the dragon ate her! And she died. The End.

Now you know.