For 8 months now, Jenna has asked for gum. For 8 months, I've told her, "When you turn 4." The first time I told her this, it was during a trip home to Mississippi from San Antonio. It made sense, and for the moment, she quit asking.
But she never forgot.
Today, she turned 4, and asked for gum.
While opening up a pack, a friend of mine asked her, "Have you ever had gum before?"
Jenna answered: "No, I've never been 4 before."
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An October 2006 posting
(thank you Lisa for reminding me of this!!!)
October 20
Gum and other privileges
For quite some time, I've explained to Jenna that she can not have gum or candy (or whatever the hot-item-of-the-month is for a 3-year-old) until she turns 4. It sounded good. Sounded logical. Made sense to me, and it got me out of dealing with crying spells and tantrums.
Until.
Jenna and I took a trip to San Antonio last week, and on the way home, she started telling me that she was 4.
"No, you're not, sweetie. You're 3."
"I'm 4, mommy, I am, I am 4."
"No, you're 3. Unless I missed a year of your life somewhere, I'm pretty certain you are 3."
"I'm 4, mommy!"
"Jenna!"
Seriously, this went on for a good 20-30 minutes.
And I conceded to bring peace into the car.
"I'm 4, mommy!"
"Yes, baby, you are 4."
"Can I have some gum?"
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Jenna: When you come and pick me up from after-school care, and the girls go, "Jenna, your mom is here!! ... I wish they wouldn't do that." Me: Why? Jenna: Because I don't care.
Jan. 7, 2010
I talked to Jenna about stringing popcorn for the tree -- something I hoped she'd be interested in. When the weekend came, I asked, "Do you want to string popcorn this weekend?" And in her sweet, deadpan voice, she responded, "String them yourself."
Yeah, maybe next year.
Dec. 13, 2009
On Saturday, all I wanted to do was take a hot bath and relax. Car accident, strep, and my body was shot. So I'm in the bath, and 2 minutes later, Jenna comes in, sits on the edge of the tub, picks up a loofah and asks, "Do you want me to wash your back?" How do you say no to that? I sat there and said, "Jenna, thanks for taking such good care of me this week. "And she said, "Well ... it's what I do."
-- April 4, 2009
We walked out of a smoke-filled bowling alley (was there for a child's birthday party), when, in the parking lot, Jenna says, "It smelled like smoking crack in there!"
-- March 14, 2009, age 5
Pulling into a WalMart in an undesirable area in Montgomery, I offered strict instructions to Jenna to not leave my side and to hold my hand at all times. When we pulled into our parking space, I had already gotten out of the car when Jenna was still sitting in her car seat, belt buckled -- and it looked like she could care less. I raised my voice and asked her to get out of the car, and as we were walking to the front doors of the supercenter, she said, "Mommy, you're beautiful even when you get angry."
Nov. 2, 2008
Picking Jenna up from after-school care, I noticed she hadn't changed into her gymnastics outfit yet. She is changed into it every Monday so we can head straight to the YMCA after school. When I asked her why she hadn't changed yet, she answered:
"Because I'm not wearing panties."
"You're not?"
"Nope. I'm not."
And she was wearing a skirt.
Oct. 20, 2008
"Mom, I wish you were my age."
"Oh, thank you ... why do you say that?"
"Because then you can go to gymnastics class with me."
somedays, I could eat her up!
Sept. 22, 2008
"Mom, I made you something, but you can't have it until Mother's Day."
I said, "Great, Jenna, I can't wait for it."
She said, "When is Mother's Day?"
Sept. 10, 2008
"Mom, you're the (inaudible -- I thought she said 'neatest') mom!"
I said, "Oh, thanks, Jenna!"
"I said you're the weirdest mom, not something else!"
Jenna wrote on a school paper, "I can pail."
I asked her, "Why did you write that?"
She said, "It says, I can play."
I told her what it actually said, and she responded, "OH, I didn't know I could spell pail!"
"I can't wait to go to school today!" said Jenna, 1 minute after she woke up on the third morning of kindergarten.
About Us
- Raising Jenna
- United States
- Jenna: A 6-year-old full of wonder, love, spunk, smiles, knowledge, humor, sensitivity, laughter, tears, compassion.
Quotable
At the hospital with a temp that went DOWN to 102 degrees, Jenna was a little delirious. Doctor asked her, "Can you put a thermometer under you tongue?" And J looked at me. I said yes. She started taking off her sock, looking very puzzled. She thought the doctor said "toe."
Feb. 5, 2010
Jan. 7, 2010
I talked to Jenna about stringing popcorn for the tree -- something I hoped she'd be interested in. When the weekend came, I asked, "Do you want to string popcorn this weekend?" And in her sweet, deadpan voice, she responded, "String them yourself."
Yeah, maybe next year.
Dec. 13, 2009
On Saturday, all I wanted to do was take a hot bath and relax. Car accident, strep, and my body was shot. So I'm in the bath, and 2 minutes later, Jenna comes in, sits on the edge of the tub, picks up a loofah and asks, "Do you want me to wash your back?" How do you say no to that? I sat there and said, "Jenna, thanks for taking such good care of me this week. "And she said, "Well ... it's what I do."
-- April 4, 2009
We walked out of a smoke-filled bowling alley (was there for a child's birthday party), when, in the parking lot, Jenna says, "It smelled like smoking crack in there!"
-- March 14, 2009, age 5
Pulling into a WalMart in an undesirable area in Montgomery, I offered strict instructions to Jenna to not leave my side and to hold my hand at all times. When we pulled into our parking space, I had already gotten out of the car when Jenna was still sitting in her car seat, belt buckled -- and it looked like she could care less. I raised my voice and asked her to get out of the car, and as we were walking to the front doors of the supercenter, she said, "Mommy, you're beautiful even when you get angry."
Nov. 2, 2008
Picking Jenna up from after-school care, I noticed she hadn't changed into her gymnastics outfit yet. She is changed into it every Monday so we can head straight to the YMCA after school. When I asked her why she hadn't changed yet, she answered:
"Because I'm not wearing panties."
"You're not?"
"Nope. I'm not."
And she was wearing a skirt.
Oct. 20, 2008
"Mom, I wish you were my age."
"Oh, thank you ... why do you say that?"
"Because then you can go to gymnastics class with me."
somedays, I could eat her up!
Sept. 22, 2008
"Mom, I made you something, but you can't have it until Mother's Day."
I said, "Great, Jenna, I can't wait for it."
She said, "When is Mother's Day?"
Sept. 10, 2008
"Mom, you're the (inaudible -- I thought she said 'neatest') mom!"
I said, "Oh, thanks, Jenna!"
"I said you're the weirdest mom, not something else!"
Jenna wrote on a school paper, "I can pail."
I asked her, "Why did you write that?"
She said, "It says, I can play."
I told her what it actually said, and she responded, "OH, I didn't know I could spell pail!"
"I can't wait to go to school today!" said Jenna, 1 minute after she woke up on the third morning of kindergarten.
Jenna's music! Rock on!
1 comment:
I love this post!
Mom & I were just talking last night about the fact now that J's 4, MAYBE we should have sent a box with a variety of gums (bubble & otherwise) for her birthday.
Hey, there's always time when y'all are in town, right? ; )
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