Sad Song

Made some popcorn, and broke out my & Z's guitars. Started playing her preschool graduation song ("Working on the Railroad"). She gets agitated. "Excuse me! Can you stop?". She wants to make up a song, so she says, "It goes like 'Adios amigos. We'll see you later.". So I start playing some random minor key progression, knit my brows and start singing. She looks vaguely concerned, "Is this a sad song?"

I say, I suppose so, and start playing again, really hamming it up this time. Suddenly, I hear sobs. She's crying uncontrollably.

I pick her up and hug her, patting her back. "It's okay, it's okay. Let's sing a happy song..."

"About popcorn."

We agree.

Old Song

S & I just reminiscing about Z, and a trip at age two in Colorado. She was talking, and was able to put together simple sentences. We were all driving back from Monarch Pass when suddenly she blurted out a long elaborate string of syllables. She kept repeating it for about an hour. Couldn't make out exactly what it was, and it sounded almost like she was channelling Homer. We kept making wild guesses at what this cryptic poem meant. Finally, I asked, "Are you saying 'Up is the sky / Down is the earth / Here are my friends / Happy lunch'?"

"La."

Reimagining her future

Ian and I were driving out to Amy and Alexei's new place in Del Ray when Zola noticed some scaffolding near the highway. She asked what it was for and I explained that it was likely for the people who were working on fixing the highway. Before that day, she would often preface her remarks about the future with, "When I'm a big mama ...".

This time, she asked a bunch of questions about different jobs that people have. Then she asked me which jobs I've had. I described a few of them.

Zola then said very firmly, "I think I'd like to have some different jobs before I am a mama!"

Unusual pick-up line

Zola at Ryan's birthday: Ryan, you have the warmest legs.

Swimming with the sharks

Zola at bedtime: Mama, you can't leave.

Me: Why not?

Zola: Because my fishy bed is a boat and the water below us has sharks in it.

Me: Oh, no! Well, thanks for warning me. I promise to be very careful.

Zola: No, Mama! It's very sharky!

Cahoots

Zola, sitting at dinner table, laughing: Mama, hey, Mama!

Me: Yes, Zola?

Zola: You know what? Doc Hudson and Sally are in cahoots!

-- repeated throughout dinner, with Zola laughing harder each time --

I'm a liberal, too!

Zola on the way home from school: Mama, does everybody like Obama?

Me: No.

Zola: Why not?

Me: Well, that's a good question. Politics are funny. It is all about people's belief systems and what they value. So while one person may not like the President, another person really will.
[Pause]
Me con't: Some people are conservative and some are liberal.

Zola: Are you a liberal?

Me: Yes, I am.

Zola: Me, too! I'm a liberal, Mama!