"Avila stuck out her tongue! Hee hee, like I do when something is really hard, like traditional dance."
Getting up next to me and sighing in a rather dramatic way so I ask, "What's wrong? Do your shoes hurt?" (Because they were too small, but she insisted.)
Looking at me as if I am complete disbelief that her mother could be so simple minded, "Your shoes can't hurt."
"Yes, you're right, do your feet hurt?"
"Noooo, my foot hurts."
About every other day there is huge battle about buckling up in the van, she insist that only I can do it and it becomes a huge battle of wills between, well everyone. After Mass recently she was insisting her way and I was not going to give in because crawl two rows back while being nine months pregnant was not happening. After several minutes of back and forth I sternly said she must buckle up!
To which she replied, "NEVER!" in such a Hollywood fashion that the entire van erupted in laughter and tears. Needless to say she did not appreciate our reaction.
It's 34 degrees outside and Gia told her to put a jacket on before going outside and in the most inconsequential way responded, "OK, whatever." (There was no disrespect, just um okay I'll do that.)
Eleanor is so very, very Constance...she talks all the time. So one night while we are cuddling and I am fighting the head bobs, I make those, "uh huh, and oh really, and is that so" remarks and then she says, "Mommy, I'm not talking to you, I'm just talking." Relieved I rolled over and fell asleep with her rehashing her day with the most patience guardian angel of all time.
"I am not going to be a human being, I am going to be a horse. That way I am not a sister or a daughter." Told to me after she and Annie had a fight.
Eleanor is our little conundrum, She is 80, 16 and 3 all at once. She is super sweet and unintentionally sassy, and shy and bold. She is always hot, and wears dresses, unless its bedtime and then it's no pj's at all. More tears have been shed this winter over outer wear than all tears combined in our household over clothes. She used to insisted on a bow to bed as well, but has out grown that and no is very intentional on how her is to be fixed, but you only get one shot so make it count.
Somehow even though she is so stinken stubborn and makes for really long days, I find myself chuckling and just loving her and her ways all the more.
