Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Bitter End of Summer

Eighteen posts in August isn't too bad. Except when you say you're going to do 31. Then it's kinda bad. I feel twinges of guilt about it, but I'm trying to let it go. I think I need to find a theme I'm more inspired by if I do NaBloPoMo again.

I think Jarrah is exhausted by the idea of starting kindergarten. Or something. She's been yawning copiously in the afternoons, even though she's off camp and all she's expected to do is play with friends, watch TV and accompany me on errands. Apparently, that is too taxing. I took her to the mall today for lunch ("just us girls, right, Mommy?") and to see Nanny McPhee, which I totally loved. How much do I love anything British? A lot, that's how much. And stuff that is circa WWI is a plus. Luckily, Jarrah seemed riveted, too. Maybe it was the lollies and Nerds I'd stashed in my purse. ("I'M READY FOR MY LOLLIPOP!" she said, all subtlety, "I HOPE IT'S THE KIND WITH THE BUBBLEGUM!")

Afterward, she pointed to a stand selling "Pillow Pals" (stuffed animals you can sleep on, apparently) and instructed me to get her one, and when I said no way, she cried and stamped her foot.

"Excuse me? I just took you to lunch and a movie, got you candy and offered to buy you new shoes for school. But I'm some sort of villain because I don't say sure! to your impulse buys?" She hates when I do that, and usually yells "STOP TALKING! STOP INTERRUPTING ME!" I tried to explain that I'd actually be a bad mom if I just bought her everything she saw. That wasn't flying with her, either.

On the way to the car, I relented a bit and said "If there's something special you want, maybe we can go get it after your first week of school, to celebrate starting kindergarten." Gotta love this response:

"By then I will forget what I wanted. You'll have to remind me."

"See how you must not really want it if I'm going to have to remind you?"

That was also totally unconvincing. I don't know why I bother, really. When we got home, she said she was going to lie down for a spell. Five minutes later, I peeked into her room and she's fast asleep, naked, with her mouth wide open.

Maybe it's just exhausting to spend the day with me.

14 comments:

Logical Libby said...

Pillow pals creep me out. You basically disembowel the animal and sleep on it, and then put it back together in the morning and pretend nothing happened.

Not cool.

Stephanie said...

Whaaat, she's gong to lie down for a spell???? Highly suspect behavior...

Myrnie said...

Are Pillow Pals like....Popples? Because Popples were pretty rad when I was a kid ;)

Type (little) a aka Michele said...

Sabrina has 2 Pillow Pets. And acts just like this. It irks me when her day is ruined because we can't play the skill crane at the movie theater.

Mary said...

Joy loves her pillow pet! It's been one toy she uses a lot! And, when the commercial comes on, she rushes to go get hers! It is a pink pig!!!

oxoxo

Mary

Samantha said...

Okay! I can see I hit a nerve with these Pillow Pets.

Perhaps that will have to be the "congrats on kindergarten!" gift. ;)

Stephanie said...

Nathan is a walking advertisement for pillow pets..."and it's guaranteed for 60 days; we have 42 more days of guarantee left..."

We used the lure of the pillow pet for good behavior for most of the summer. He couldn't have been prouder when he marked the last box of his chart and knew a trip to Toys R Us was in store for him that afternoon.

Now of course he wants something in return for all good deeds--money or presents, he's not particular.

Samantha said...

Okay, what's the @#$%&* attraction with these pillow pets? Do they have crack in them? :)

Are they expensive? And why am I actually feeling sheepish and GUILTY now? :)

Anonymous said...

I'm just so jealous that you can go to the movies with your little girl -- I have to wait a couple of years for this still... The idea of being able to sit quietly together for 2 hours just sounds fantastic. xx Lix

Jen said...

LOL. And I've never heard of a pillow pet. I have a feeling that is not going to last much longer. :-)

Samantha said...

@Lix: We started training Jarrah to go to the movies at 14 months. Really, I think the reason she has such good theater manners is because we just kept at it. In the early days, we'd need to walk around the lobby a couple times, but now she totally gets it and can even watch the credits! :)

Stephanie said...

$19.99 at Toys R Us, but be sure to call first, they usually run out quickly...or on line at www.pillowpets.com

There can be no guilt about the pillow pet, otherwise, we are sunk for sure!

Mrs. Chapman's 2nd Grade Class said...

If you think she's tired now, just wait until the first week of kindergarten! Remind me, is her kinder an all day program?

Heather - The Wanna-be Super Mom said...

OK I hate those pillow pals. I was thoroughly freaked out by them when I saw a woman of say her late 30's begging her boyfriend for one at bed bath and beyond. Since then...less of a fan than I would have been under normal circumstances. jarrah passed out naked in the middle of the afternoon...now that is priceless.