To Be 5 (going on 25)

Sometimes the things that my daughter says and does come at me from left field. Usually, they are good for a little laughter.

The other morning, as we were driving to work and school late, I was trying to explain to her that when she went to kindergarten, she would have to be ready on time in order to catch the bus. I said, "Next year, when you go to kindergarten, you can't be late or you'll miss the bus." Her reply, "but, Mommy, I will go to kindergarten this year, not next year." She has a point, technically, she will go in 2012, which is this year. I just didn't think that a five year old would look at it that way - especially since it is still 9 months away!

Yesterday, on the way to work and school, we were talking about the evening before when her brother caused her to knock over a tray table holding drinks in the media room, where they were watching the Giants game with my husband. My son had earlier started to drink a Mountain Dew and when she came home and joined them, assumed that she could share it with him. So, I was telling her that if she is going to watch the game in the media room, she has to learn to sit still or she could just watch it upstairs with me next week. She asked if she would be allowed to have a soda. I started to explain to her that soda is something that you don't have very often, it is a nice treat but not something we have all the time. I told her "Mommy only has a soda every few weeks, if even that often". She paused for a moment and replied, "but you drink wine all the time". This caused me to pause for a few moments - as this was news to me because I generally only have wine after she is in bed and probably not even on a weekly basis. So, I had to know more. I asked, "what do you mean?" She replied, "you have it all the time when you have a party". Again, news to me, since we don't have many "parties". Gave me a good giggle at least.

Then, after swimming lessons, we were in the locker room getting her dressed. I am not sure where the conversation started, but after a few minutes she decided to loudly share, "Mommy you don't know anything". I replied, partially because there were two other young women in the locker room, "Oh no, you aren't even a teenager yet" - not sure she understood what I was saying, but the women got it and gave a giggle. Her response: "I know everything Mommy." Which, she said with a great big smile!

I am certainly in trouble with this one, she already has the spirit of a teenager and she's not even in grade school.