A Sad Day for Barbie

Charlotte was eager to tell me when I arrived home today about the death of her "favorite" Barbie.  After severe questioning of Emma and Cristina, she wasn't sure who broke the head off of the Belle Barbie, but she was pretty sure it was Cristina.  For the record, when it comes to anything, Emma and Charlotte blame it on Cristina. This brings us to dinner...

Charlotte: Today was a sad day.  Tonight, we are going to have a funeral for Belle.  Just her head is going to be at the funeral.

Me: That is pretty gross, Charlotte.

Charlotte: It is not.  She was my first Barbie and first Barbies are always special.

Me: She wasn't your first Barbie-

Emma: Yes, it was.  She got it for her birthday last year.

Me: No, it wasn't.  She had a Mulan Barbie before that.

Charlotte: Yeah, I had a Mulan Barbie and a Tiana Barbie.  So, this was my third Barbie and third Barbies are always special.

Emma: You just said first Barbies were always special.

Charlotte: Well, so are third Barbies.

Later tonight, Charlotte decided to hold the funeral for the Belle Barbie with just the head as promised.  She was/is keeping the head in a little wooden box.  As I indicated earlier, it is creepy.  Anyway, she is sitting on the floor in the living room singing, while holding the Belle Barbie head: "You were my best friend.  We did everything together, but now you're dead and all I have is your head."  Jasmine, Dolly, and My Little Pony were there to pay their respects.

Let's all have a moment of silence for Belle Barbie, whose head will reside indefinitely in a small box in Charlotte's bed.

Memorial Day

I meant to post this awhile back, but keep forgetting this little Memorial Day tidbit.

Emma: Why do you get off for Memorial Day anyway?

Me:  It is the day that we recognize and appreciate people that have fought for our country.  You know, like soldiers.  We have lots of family who were in the military.

Brian:  Yeah, like Uncle Jerry.  You know how I told you that Uncle Jerry was in the Army?

Emma: What army was he in?

Brian: The United States Army.

Emma: No, I mean like what army did he fight in? You know, was he in the Civil War?

Brian (to overcome with laughter to respond)

For Uncle Phil

Emma: So, Charlotte and Daddy really went to Six Flags?

Me: Yes.

Emma: They didn't use my ticket, did they?

Me: No, mommy's uncle gave them two free tickets to go.

Emma (shocked): You have an uncle who is still alive?

Me (laughing): Yes, I have lots of uncles who are still alive.  Nana's parents are still alive too.

Emma: What?  How old are they?

Me: 70-something.

Emma:  How old is your uncle anyway?

Me: Well, he's Nana's brother.  I think he is 49 or 50.

Emma: Well, when you are 50, your uncle is going to be dead.  There is no way he can live that long.

So, Phil, enjoy the next 15 years! Emma doesn't think you'll last much longer than that!

Sometimes...

Charlotte:  I found out what happened to my yo-yo.  Emma cut the string on it.

Me: Yeah, we'll that will mess it up for sure.

Charlotte: Emma and Cristina ruin everything for me.  Sometimes I just wish I was an only child with Ella.  (Big sigh.)  Then, I'd sleep on the top bunk and Ella could have the bottom bunk.  You know what?  I'd break the law too.  I'd let her on the top bunk if she wanted to.  Maybe one day.

Charlotte's Prayer

Dear God,
You are the best person in the whole world.  Thank you for giving us food to eat and a home.  A nice home, so that we can live longer than the animals and insects....because insects get stomped on and the animals get hunted and eaten for food or something.  I really care about the animals.
Amen.

Conversations

Conversations in our house are often hard to follow because of all the interruptions and each of the girls trying to jump in the conversation. I feel like a referee fielding questions from both sides of the court when talking with the girls. Take this conversation for example.

Emma: Is there a civil rights leader named Helen Keller who was deaf and blind?

Me: There was a woman named Helen Keller who was deaf and blind. I guess she might be considered a civil rights leader.

Charlotte: What does deaf and blind mean?

Me: Deaf means you can't hear and blind means you can't see.

Charlotte: Well, if you are blind, you can't really do anything.

Me: Well, some people who are blind use canes to help them get around.

Emma: Cocaine? I thought that was a drug?

Me: Not cocaine, canes - kind of like a stick.

Charlotte:  Like a man-made stick or one found in nature?

Me: They are usually man-made.

Emma: So was she a civil rights leader or not?  That's what I read in the book during math class.

Questions about God

My favorite time of day with the girls is bedtime...and, no, it's not because they are about to drift off to dreamland.  I love talking to them at night when there aren't any other distractions and I can hear what is on their little minds.  They ask some of the funniest and toughest questions when they are all tucked into bed at night.  These two questions popped up in the last few days.

Question One

Charlotte: If God lives in your heart and you are healthy and eat healthy food and your heart is beating really strong...(pause)...is he okay in there?

Me: (pause) Uh...

Charlotte: Yeah, I think he is okay in there.

Me: Yeah, I think so too.

Question Two

Me (reading Charlotte's pick of the night, Cinderella)

Emma (interrupting): I know this has nothing to do with what we are reading, but does God have a wife?  I mean some people say he does, but does he?

Me: I have no idea. It doesn't say anything in the Bible about God having a wife.

Emma: Well, some people have Bibles with crazy handwriting and it says he has a wife and funny hair.

Me: Okay, well, I don't know.