The Aspiring Writer

Since Evie mastered the skill of writing, she likes to write a lot. Lists, reminders, notes, Valentines, cards, letters - you name it, she’ll write it. This has been lovely because sometimes she uses this as a tool to communicate in lieu of actual words. I especially appreciate this in the mornings when, instead of being woken up to hear the minute details of her demands for the morning, I wake up to scraps of paper on my face:

Another thing that has come out of Evie's newfound love for writing has been her willingness to reflect. When she's upset, she will sometimes disappear for a few minutes and then come back with notes explaining what was bothering her. This series shows that she felt her brother was being mean to her after building her a fort, which upset her, causing her to be mean back. For one second.

So you start acting mean to me and you just built me a fort...
I am sosososososososososo sory that I was mean that one sekant I love you.

Sometimes she offers friendly reminders to us as well, in written form. When her brother recently promised to teach her something, he seems to have been lagging (in her opinion). Apparently, the first note worked, so she was inspired to offer a follow-up to show her appreciation.  

Her brother and I aren't the only ones to benefit from Evie's writing. Hours are spent making cards and posters, stapling self-made 'books' and zines, and creating to-do lists. Overall, it has become a very useful tool. 

The other day Paulie was on the phone with the internet company - again - and was frustrated. Evie came up to him and tried whispering something, but he couldn't understand her and pointed to the phone with a 'sorry' shrug of apology. A few minutes later, she tried again. He assumed she wanted a snack, so he ruffled her hair and whispered "just a minute, kiddo." She walked away again.

Finally she came back, with this:

How sweet is that?! Paulie was so touched by her kindness that when he finally hung up the phone after a mind-boggling internet-connection-related phone call and found the next note she'd written for him, all he could do was laugh...

...and make her a snack.

Snack Attack

I've been trying to beat Paulie and his son Finn to grocery shopping because I buy food, whereas they buy snacks and entire pallets of canned black beans. I did this week's shop and within hours Finn came up to me and asked if I could take him with me the next time I grocery shopped. "I need more snacks," he told me.

"There are apples!" I said this very enthusiastically, because I haven't yet learned that teenagers can't be tricked with voice inflection the way little kids can. "I don't like those apples." "There are two kinds!" "Yeah I don't like either of those." "Okay. There are dried apricots!" "I hate dried apricots." "Uh huh. Well, there's some yogurt. And some grapes. And...there's all kinds of stuff." "Yeah but I want chips!"

I've never been much of a snacker. Once a month or so I make a meal out of chips and salsa, but I don't really think that counts, because it is strictly for the purpose of satisfying an intense hormonal need and if I don't get my salt quota the PMS monster will wake me up from sleep and harass me about why I didn't feed it it's chips and salsa that day. Why, hm?! WHY?! Such a nag.

So yeah, I tend not to buy snacks. I buy fruits and vegetables and pasta and things that, when put together, make a meal that isn't a burrito.

Later that night we were all hanging out around the table, and I excitedly observed that, having not been provided with chips, he was snacking on the grapes I'd put out earlier like they were the new Chip. I gave myself an imaginary high-five.


But hey, I don't want to be one of those mean people who denies a kid chips - when you want some chips you want some chips, amiright?!

So I made him some kale chips. *high five!*

Delicious kale chips

He sees the kale chips

He loves the kale chips

My work here is done.