Maruschak Mommy

Here is a picture of Allison with some high school students at Jonathan and Melissa’s (my cousins and godchildren!)graduation party.

Allison just made herself at home with these kids and I think they took her in as their mascot.  So cute! 

When we got back to the hotel…

ALLISON:  When we go back tomorrow I am going to ask my friends for their address.
ME:  Maybe should should ask them for their names instead?
ALLISON:  Oh.  I’ll ask them their names.  And I’ll ask them their address, too, because I want to go visit them.

A couple months ago Allison and I had a long conversation about how she doesn’t ever want to go to boarding school or college.  In fact, she informed me that she wants to live at home forever.  In the room that she shares with Carter.  And she doesn’t want me to change anything about her bed, comforter or any of the bedroom decor.  When she gets married and has children, all of them will also live in the bedroom with her and Carter.

Today, Allison informed me that she doesn’t want to drive a car when she gets bigger.  Ever.  She wants me and Daddy to drive her everywhere she needs to go…forever.  She finally agreed that it would be OK for Carter to drive her places when he gets older, but only if he can learn to drive “not too fast”.

ALLISON (while “cleaning” the kitchen floor):  When I clean it, it will be clean!

ALLISON (while still cleaning the kitchen floor):  I’m going in the path that I’m going in.

ALLISON:  My tummy hurts.

ME:  Are you sick?  Too sick to go to Peter Piper Pizza for lunch?

ALLISON:  No.  Not too sick for that, but I might be too sick after.

“Mom, there’s a toothbrush on TV.  You sort of brush your front teeth side-to-side, then you push a button and it goes back [e.g. to get the back teeth].  It’s called REACH!”

 Boy, those marketing folks at Johnson & Johnson sure know how to sell an idea to my 4-year-old!!

After about a year of talking about it, Allison has finally gotten her very own Snuggie!  Nana bought it for her.  (And Carter got one, too!)  Here’s a picture of Allison wearing her Snuggie in the car just moments after she and Nana bought it!

Last night we had dinner at Red Robin (…Yum!) and Allison and Carter each got a balloon on the way out.  Their reward for being good.  So, on the way home, Allison started wondering…

ALLISON:  How do balloons fly away if they are in the house?
ME:  They can’t fly away if they are in the house.  Balloons can only fly away if they are outside.
ALLISON:  Then where do balloons go when they are in the house?

Uh-oh.  Now we’ve been caught by the inquiring mind of a little girl…

ME (giggling slightly):  Well, when the balloons get old or when you make too much noise with them and Mommy and Daddy get tired of the noise, after you and Carter go to bed we throw them in the garbage.
ALLISON (after a minute):  I don’t want you to throw this one in the garbage.

I assured her that she could play with it all day the next day and then we’ll see…

That little brain never stops thinking and it’s getting harder for us parents to get away with anything!

What a wonderful honor and privilege it is to be called, “Mom.” 

When I was pregnant with Allison I dreamed about being called, “Mommy.” 
When she was an infant I looked forward to the first time she would speak my name… “Mama!”  
And my heart smiled the first time she called me “Mom.” 
Then I was surprised when she called me “Mother” for two days straight before returning to “Mom.”
Now, I am thinking that I would really appreciate the name “Mom” more if she didn’t use it to start every sentence… all day long… every day.

“Mom… did we eat lunch, yet?”
“Mom… did you see that?”
“Mom… what are you talking about?”
“Mom… look at this.”
“Mom… if you do this or that, then you would…blah, blah, blah…”

“Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…  Mom…”