Cute Things...

I just wanted to jot down a few of the cute things Brecken has said lately. You know how it is... kids say cute things all the time and you just know you'll remember because it was so cute. And then you don't write it down and a week later you're saying to yourself "What was that funny thing she said last week?"

Now I realize that some of these things will only be funny and cute to me, but I want it written down just the same. Anyway... with that being said...

#28

Just before one of our Grantsville trips Brecken says to me "Oh! I am so excited to see Uncle Daniel!!!!!" followed by much squealing.

For those of you who know Brecken and know Daniel... this is big. Really big. She then continues "I used to not like Daniel very much. But then one day, he bought me a root beer float. And now it's all changed."

Yes. She's shallow. And I'm sorry Dan. Hopefully moving up to "favorite" status can make up for all the ill treatment. But smooth move on the root beer float.

#27

So we have this little bag of treats on the counter. And I'm sure you can imagine that it's a constant temptation to little miss four year old here (I know. put it up already). Every once in a while when she asks... I say yes. The following occurred on one such occasion

Brecken: Haha!! Yes?? (reaches for the bag of candy but stops mid-candy-gettage) Wait Mom. Don't look at me.

Me: (right. like I'm going to follow such instructions) Why don't you want me to look at you?

Brecken: Just don't.

Me: (continued stare at Brecken)

Brecken: (nervous laughter) umm... Abra-Cadabra! (reaches, instead of into the bag, but into her pocket) Look mom! I'm magic! I made the candy go from the counter into my pocket!

Me: (poor little four year old... still believes in magic) Brecken. Did you get into the candy earlier and put one in your pocket?

Brecken: Huh-uh, I'm magic.

Me: Brecken, honey, you need to tell me the truth.

Brecken: I did. I'm magic.

Me: (a bit sternly at this point) Brecken, I'm going to give you one more chance to tell me the truth. Did you get into the candy and put one in your pocket?

Brecken: No. Didn't you hear me say abra-cadabra? I'm magic.

Me: Brecken. I know you are telling me a lie, and I'm very disappointed.

Brecken: (in complete astonishment) haha! You knew I was lying?? HOW? Are you magic??

I learned something that day: Apparently I am a little too convincing when I make the quarter disappear. It leaves one in no doubt that magic is real.

#26

This was Brecken's dinner prayer one night...

"Dear Heavenly Father. I've never been to Disneyland. Could you tell my mom and dad that I would really like to go. I would love to see the princesses there. Could you please tell them to take me there?..."

And then she closed her prayer. No blessing on the food of course :) Ah the cutie.

#25

One night after family prayer...

Brecken: Now it's time for my invisible prayer.

Russ: Your what prayer?

Brecken: My invisible prayer.

(I believe the word she was looking for was individual)

And a few weeks later...

Brecken: Now it's time for my invujial... my invadijal... my indijival... What kind of prayer is it?

We've since resorted to calling it Personal Prayer. :)

#24

For three or four nights Brecken had asked me to sing her the Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly song (it's a big hit around here). Then one night she said "I know how. I want to sing it"

This was her version:

I know and old lady who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed a fly. I think she'll die.

I know and old lady who swallowed a spider. It wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.

I know and old lady who swallowed a bird how.... (pause)... (looking to me for the nod of approval) absurd... to swallow a bird. (clearly it this didn't make sense to her)

I know an old lady who swallowed a cat. Imagine that! to swallow a cat!

I know an old lady who swallowed a dog. How... (pause)... absog to swallow a dog.

I know an old lady who swallowed a... human... How.... absuman to swallow a human...

I know an old lady who swallowed a cow. How absow to swallow a cow.

I know an old lady who swallowed a horse. She died of course.

So she forgot a few words and improvised... I was very impressed... and humored :)

***post edit***

Just to clear up any confusion: I do not sing that the old lady swallowed a human. That was strictly Brecken's version. That song would probably not have been a big hit with me had the old lady been a cannibal. Not that swallowing cats and dogs is much better... but still.

#23

After asking Brecken what woke her up in the middle of the night she said (on the verge of crying)

"I had a bad dream! I had a dream that I was at a campfire and some mean witches came, and they made us golden diamonds, well that wasn't bad, that was good, and they had band-aids on their backs, and they tried to pull them off, and then they flew away on their brooms, and then some ghosts came, and they only liked kids, and we were kids so they like us, but then we grew up and we weren't kids, so they didn't like us, and then they tried to kill us, so I woke up!"

I wish I could say I was the loving, sympathetic mother who hugged and comforted... But before I could do that I had to laugh. I couldn't help myself. And then of course the hugging and the comforting etc.

#22

The other day I had asked Brecken to put something on a shelf. She threw it up and it landed perfectly. With a little pride she said "I am such a good thringer!" Of course I had to question her. So I asked "A good what?" To which she replied so matter-of-factly "Thringer. You know. Throw. Things. I throw things. I'm a good thringer."

And of course all I could do was laugh. Her logic... I guess if we can combine words like is and not and get isn't, then why not throw and thing and get thring? Makes sense to me :)

#21

While Russ, Brecken, and I sat on the couch I was trying to hint to Russ that I had a treat for Brecken. Trying being the key word- I made the mistake of using pig latin.

Me: You know... ife-lay aver-say

Russ: (blank, confused stare)

Me: Ife-lay aver-say

Russ: (still confused) What?

Brecken: You know, dad. The hard, round candies that have a hole in the middle.

I guess I can always bust out pig latin when I want to tell Brecken something I don't want Russ to know :).... oh well.

#20...

Brecken: (to Taylor) You're such a funny boy!
Me: Brecken Taylor is a girl. You know that.
Brecken: Well, she will be a girl. Right now she's just pretending because she's really a boy.
Me: What? No, she is a girl.
Brecken: Well, she has boy hair. When she's older her hair will be longer and she can be a real girl.

No, I did not explain the difference. Besides, when a stubborn four year old has made up her mind... there's no point in arguing.

#19...

Back on her birthday Uncle Derek called Brecken. This is an excerpt from their conversation:

Derek: What are you doing for your birthday?
Brecken: I'm having a party.
Derek: A party? Cool. Who is coming over?
Brecken: My friends. There's forty of them.
Derek: Forty??
Brecken: Wait. Is forty a lot?
Derek: Yeah forty is a ton.
Brecken: Then there are forty. I have a ton of friends.

#18...

Brecken has had a list of things she wants to do... swim lessons, ballet lessons, preschool (etc.) One day I was talking to her and said she probably couldn't do all of them. Of course she needed an explanation. So I told her that they all cost money and we couldn't do everything. After this she was quiet. Apparently she had been mulling it over all day because the first thing she said to Russ when he came home was:

"Dad, do you have tons of money?" Having no idea where this had come from he said "Tons of money?" To which she replied "Yeah. Tons of money. 'Cause I want to do everything. Ballet. Preschool. So do you have tons of money?"

Oh, funny girl.

#17...

Today Brecken was eating grapenuts for breakfast and the following occured:
Brecken: Mom what lay grapenuts?
Me: What what grapenuts?
Brecken: No, what lain grapenuts? Lain
Me: What grapenuts?
Brecken: No, layed. What layed grapenuts?
Me: Do you mean: Who made grapenuts?
Brecken: No. What lay grapenuts?? LAY! What animal? Like chickens lay eggs. What animal lay grapenuts?
Me: (through lots of laughter) OH!!!!!! LAY!!!!!

And then of course I had some explaining to do. :) The mind of four year olds... too funny.

Cute thing #16...

One night I absentmindedly put mustard on Brecken's plate with her corndog. She does not like mustard. She continued to whine and groan and play the end-of-the-world-card (you know three year olds) so I tried to reason with her...

Me: Brecken, why are you acting this way?
Brecken: (in a very whiny voice) Because I don't like mustard!
Me: Do you have to dip your corndog in the mustard?
Brecken: (hesitates) Well, no.
Me: (thinking I've made my point) Well then is it bothering you?
Brecken: Yes.
Me: How is it bothering you?
Brecken: It's... (glares at the mustard on her plate)... teasing me.

Ah three year olds... :)

Cute Thing #15...

Brecken has been having a recurring nightmare about a "Mr. Green-eyes" as she calls him. Trying to get to the source of it all...
Me: Brecken where did Mr. Green-eyes come from?
Brecken: Meanland
Russ: (bursts into laughter)
Brecken: (giving him a cold stare) I'm serious dad. I'm not making this up.

**post edit** we've since watched the movie Bolt with Brecken and now realize where the green eyed man comes from... and it's not Meanland :)

Cute Thing #14...

Me: Brecken, look! An eyelash on my finger! Do you want to make a wish and blow it off? (you've all heard of this right?)
Brecken: (as if reciting poetry) I wish that my heart would fly on the wind with the stars and go into the big blue ocean.
Me: (um.... ok....)
Brecken: (blows... waits ten seconds... gasps) My wish just came true!!

Cute Thing #13...

Me: Ok, I'll be done in just a minute
Brecken: What means "a minute"?
Me: A minute is 60 seconds.
Brecken: What means "60"?
Me: It's a number. If you count to 60 that's how many seconds there are in a minute.
Brecken. What means "seconds"?
Me: Well... (how to explain to a three year old?) I'll be done in a little bit
Brecken: What means "bit"?

hahaha... oh the questions never stop. Oh, and I know her question phrasing skills need tweaked a bit... We'll get to that later.

Cute thing #12...

Brecken: My favorite colors are: Pink. Purple. Gold (this is not news, she says this about 10 times a day)
Me: Wow. Those are pretty colors.
Brecken: What are your favorite colors?
Me: Hmmm.... I like blue... and silver.
Brecken: (somewhat disgusted) Silver?
Me: Yep.
Brecken: (offering me redemption) Do you like silver or gold?
Me: Silver
Brecken: No say gold. Do you like silver or gold?
Me: Silver
Brecken: No say gold. Do you like silver or gold?
Me: Silver.
Brecken: Say gold. Do you like silver or gold?
Me: (realizing this really isn't going to end until I concede) Gold.
Brecken: (in total surprise) Ha! You like gold??? So do I! You're just like me!

Cute thing #11...

Brecken: Mom, what's faith?
Me: Faith is when you believe in Jesus Christ.
Brecken: I faith. I believe in Jesus Christ.

Wow. What a precious girl. My sweet little Brecken!

Cute thing #10...

One night while Taylor was playing with a toy lamb...

Russ: Look how much she loves this little lamb.
Brecken. Ha ha! She loves it??
Russ: Yep. Isn't it cute?
Brecken: (to the tune of sittin in a tree... oh, come on you all know it) Taylor and the lamb sittin' in a tree. H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P.

Hahaha... I guess when you're in love, you practice the alphabet :)

Cute thing # 9...

While I was making dinner one night Brecken wanted to see what I was stirring on the stove so she asked me to hold her. I told her I couldn't because I had to stir... and it was hot. She then said:

"I don't like being so small! I know. I know. I'm growing so fast. You can't believe it. But right now, I'm not big enough."

Poor little girl... She is growing too fast. And I can't believe it.

Cute Thing #8...

"I'm making a tea party in my room!!! It has dolls, and animals, and necklaces... All NICE of things!"

Kind and nice mean pretty much the same thing... right? :)

Cute thing #7...

One day Brecken was playing with Taylor when Taylor abruptly burst into tears. I quickly ran to Taylor, picked her up and asked Brecken what happened. She informed me that she had pinched Taylor. Needless to say I was shocked (one, that she had pinched her, and two, that she had told me she pinched her). After asking Brecken why she would do that she replied:

"Well. My body was saying I want to pinch her. My mind kept telling me that I shouldn't... but my whole body just wanted to. My mind kept saying no, but then my body just did it."

Well. Huh. I guess you could say the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.

Cute Thing #6...

Brecken: Mom, do you know everything?
Me: (tempted to say yes, but... I played it safe) No, not everything.
Brecken: How did you know I was in dad's office? (I had found her in there getting into stuff she wasn't supposed to)
Me: Well sometimes as you get bigger you just know more things.
Brecken: Does daddy know?
Me: Know what?
Brecken: Anything?

I love it. She wonders if I know everything, and wants to know if daddy knows anything. Those are the questions I ask myself sometimes (hahahaha)

Cute Thing #5...

Brecken: Mom, I am more beautiful than anyone.
Me: You are pretty hon, but it's not nice to say that you are prettier than other people.
Brecken: But I am.
Me: Well you are pretty, but let's not say that you are prettier than other people. Ok?
Brecken: Why?
Me: It's just not very nice. How would it make you feel if I said that I was prettier than you?
Brecken: Sad... but... I'm prettier than you.

Clearly self esteem is not going to be the problem with Brecken.

Cute thing #4...

While I was cleaning the shower one day Taylor started crying so I asked Brecken if she could go sing to her to help her stop crying (which normally they both love). This is what I overheard:

Taylor: (crying)

Brecken: (singing) Twinkle twinkle little star...

Taylor: (still crying)

Brecken: (in a stern voice) Look. I'm Brecken. You're Taylor. I'm your big sister. You're my little sister. You have to do what I say. You have to stop crying right now. I am tired of having to sing to you. Do you understand me??

Taylor: (silent)

Ok... So it really wasn't cute... per se... but it did make me laugh. I really hope this isn't a foreshadow of their relationship growing up... sigh...

Cute thing #3...

One morning after Brecken had climbed into bed with us in the middle of the night...

Me: Brecken, what woke you up last night? Why did you come into bed with us?

Brecken: Oh. Color woke me up (Color is the name of the stuffed bear she sleeps with).

Me: Color did?

Brecken: Yeah he said (in a high pitched voice) "Brecken wake up. I want to go sleep with your mom and dad. Lets go." (and now in her own voice) So I had to come so Color wouldn't be scared.

Cute thing #2...

Brecken had just said something pretty angrily to me and realized she was about to get in trouble...

Brecken: (nervous laughter) No, no, no.... I wasn't talking to you, mom.

Me: You weren't?

Brecken: No, I was talking to me!

Me: (silent, yet unconvinced)

Brecken: (continuing on with the facade) Oh! Brecken! You just make me so mad! (punches forehead) Stop doing that!..... See I was talking to her... me.

Cute thing #1...

Brecken: (pointing to a toy cat) Mom, who gave me this cat?
Me: Santa Clause brought that for you.
Brecken: (smiling) Oh. I just love Santa. He's my best... (pause).... Christmas guy. (she must have decided friend wasn't quite the right word for Santa)

Oh, I love my Brecken!!