“Mummy, when can I get a new backpack?”
We were in the car, on our way to run a few errands, just us girls. I glanced over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of Julia in her booster seat. I’d pulled her hair into two pigtails that morning, tied them with her heart-shaped Strawberry Shortcake baubles. The frames of her glasses glinted in the sunlight and her hair bounced as she talked.
“Well, school’s almost over, so this summer we’ll go shopping and get you a new backpack for next year, for Jardin,” I said. (Jardin is Kindergarten at Julia’s school; it translates to “garden”.)
“Can I get a wheelie one? I really want a wheelie one,” she said, on the verge of whining.
“Sure, sweetie,” I said, turning to smile at her. “You know, we could get you one of each if you wanted. You can use a wheelie one when there’s no snow on the ground, and a regular backpack when there is. How about that? Then you'll have some variety.”
“Variety? What’s that?”
“Choice,” I said. “It means you have more to choose from. You’ll have two kinds of backpacks, so you’ll have a variety,” I explained. “And it’s always fun to have a variety of something.”
She was quiet for a few minutes, and then, per her request, I turned the music up (Radiohead’s In Rainbows; a fucking brilliant album). We were just about at our first stop when she piped up again.
“Mummy,” she stated, all matter-of-fact. “I want to get a Cinderella backpack and a Strawberry Shortcake backpack. And a princess one too. And…”
“Julia,” I laughed, pulling into a parking space. “You only need two, hon. One of each, okay? That’s plenty.”
“No, no, Mummy,” she said emphatically, unbuckling her seatbelt. “I need more than two.”
I yanked on the emergency brake, tossed my keys in my purse and turned to look at her. “More than two? What for, love?”
She smiled coyly at me. “Variety,” she said.
39 Comments, Comment or Ping
Ah, she’s quick, that one! :)
May 20th, 2008
Uh oh, she is too clever. That one is going to be trouble for sure ; )
How do they get so smart, so fast?
May 20th, 2008
set you right up, didn’t she?
May 20th, 2008
Argh, those darned kids who listen! I love the juxtaposition between your lovely little banter with your lovely little two, and the really fucken good music!
May 20th, 2008
oh boy are YOU in trouble!
Too cute, though.
May 20th, 2008
I see maaaany pairs of shoes in her future!
May 20th, 2008
heh. i see the future in your girl.
May 20th, 2008
A girl after my own heart. She is a genius, that one.
May 20th, 2008
yep. she got you good.
May 20th, 2008
Such a smartie, that little girl! Requesting you turn up a great band AND turning your words around on you. The force is strong in that one!! :)
May 20th, 2008
are you sure that she and my emily aren’t in cahoots??
(brilliant album. SOOOO brilliant)
May 20th, 2008
Smart one.
Look what you started. She will never forget. ;) I need a variety of summer sandals MOM!!! I need a variety of jeans MOM!!!
LOL.
May 20th, 2008
I have 4 backpacks. You really do need a variety.
May 20th, 2008
I feel that way about coats from Value Village.
May 20th, 2008
You gotta quit teaching your kids big words like variety………
really though, I love how she tried to use it for her personal gain. Never fails to amaze me how smart they can be!
May 20th, 2008
HAAAA! Got you.
:)
May 20th, 2008
Funny that word came up in our house this weekend, too. But I think it might have been about food…
Myself, I need a variety of shoes.
May 20th, 2008
I guess tomorrow’s word for the day should be, “superfluous”.
May 20th, 2008
I mean really, what were you thinking introducing a 5 year old girl to the phrase variety? Wouldn’t it be easier to just teach her how to steal your car? I mean, if grey hairs are what you’re after….
May 20th, 2008
You will never get anything past that one. Seriously, she’s got you with that one Mom.
May 20th, 2008
I had no idea Strawberry Shortcake was still around until I read this. She – well, not really her, but someone dressed up as her – came to my 4th birthday, and it was heaven. I think I want a Strawberry Shortcake backpack, too! I guess I, too, need some variety.
May 20th, 2008
Shows she’s paying attention!
May 20th, 2008
that strawberry shortcake is mighty retro. good girl.
May 20th, 2008
You are so going to regret teaching her that when she’s a teenager!
May 20th, 2008
i love that kid.
she wins at life.
;)
May 21st, 2008
so cuuuuuuute!
May 21st, 2008
She laid a pit-trap for you, and in you walked.
Sucka.
May 21st, 2008
You walked right into that one, kiddo! She’s brilliant!
May 21st, 2008
Those things always come back to bite you in the ass, don’t they? ;)
May 21st, 2008
Damn. Kids these days learn fast..
May 21st, 2008
Ha! Julia is just priceless. And that’s a nice life motto, right there. :)
May 21st, 2008
Good girl, lol.
Just wait until she discovers shoes. ;-)
May 21st, 2008
That is one smart cookie….
May 22nd, 2008
Uh boy.
Also…my baby girl is starting kindergarten in the fall too. My backpack talk is yet to come. :)
May 22nd, 2008
Damn. Who would’ve guessed that would come back to bite you?
As I say about Mme L’s moves all the time, “Smooooooooth.”
May 22nd, 2008
I so hate it when they get smart on ya.
May 22nd, 2008
Ah, how can you NOT get her one of each now? LOL! :)
May 22nd, 2008
She is learning fast :)
May 22nd, 2008
Variety is the spice of life, girlfriend. ;)
May 27th, 2008
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