It’s The Book Of My Days, It’s The Book Of My Life

Thaïs will say and do anything to stay up past her bed-time. Last night, after I put on her pyjamas and got her ready for bed, she tried to have a conversation with one of her imaginary friends. She flipped open her toy cell phone and said, “Hello… hmm… yes. OK… bye.”

That was when I made the biggest mistake of my life. OK… the biggest mistake of that night… Asking her who she was talking to as I switched off the lights. Now, I’m giving you the abridged version. Our actual conversation went on much longer since my little darling has a tendency to repeat herself.

Thaïs: That’s my fwend.

Me: Oh. What’s your friend’s name?

Thaïs: Um… Anglesh.

Me: Is your friend a boy or a girl?

Thaïs: He’s a boy.

Me: I see… and where is he?

Thaïs: He’s… er… he’s far away.

Me: What’s he doing there?

Thaïs: He’s gone to find a sister baby.

Me: A sister baby?

Thaïs: Yes. For me to play with.

She opens up her phone again and has another inane conversation.

Me: Now what’s Anglesh saying?

Thaïs: Huh?! That was not Anglesh. That was my other fwend.

Me: Who?

Thaïs: Er… Dinglesh.

Me: Is Dinglesh a boy or a girl?

Thaïs: A boy.

Me: And what is Dinglesh doing?

Thaïs: He’s also looking for a sister baby for me.

Me: I see. And what are you going to do with all these sister babies?

Thaïs: I’ll play with them. Cricket and golf and batminton.

Me: Hmm… both sister babies… Don’t you want a brother baby?

Thaïs: No. I want sister babies. Wait. Don’t talk. My phone is winging.

After hanging up…

Thaïs: That was my other fwend.

Me: What’s his name?

Thaïs: Er… Inglesh.

Me: Does Inglesh speak English?

Thaïs: What?! What you saying, Tana? Don’t talk all yubbish!

Me: I’m not talking rubbish. What language are we speaking in right now?

Thaïs: I don’t know. Daddy, what er… wang-idge are we speaking?

Mario: English.

A pause…

Thaïs: No! That’s my fwend’s name!

Me: You told us your friend’s name was Inglesh.

Thaïs: OK… Sowwy!

Me: That’s OK. Have Anglesh and Dinglesh found your sister babies?

Thaïs: Not yet… I don’t know what they’re doing… Wasting my time…! Bloody swines…! Bassads…! I’m going to fire them!

Last night Thaïs slept in her cot for the first time in over a year. I finally decided it was time she made the shift, so I cleaned up the cot which hadn’t been used since she was about six months old, ‘dressed’ it up a bit with her favorite dolls and teddy bears, and tried to make it all sound like a new adventure. I was most surprised to find that it worked!

Thaïs: My bed… my special bed… It’s small… just for me… You’re too big, Tana. Your bum won’t fit…

(Around midnight. Thaïs is standing up in her cot.)

Me: OK… Lights out… Goodnight!

Thaïs: I want my bib…

I go look for her bib and give it to her.

Thaïs: Thank you Tana. Goo-night Tana. Goo-night Daddy.

(Around 5 am. Thaïs is standing up in her cot.)

Thaïs: Tana wake up… I’m wet… I made su-su…

I get out of bed to clean her up. Somehow, she has managed to wet the bed through her diaper. Since her bedding now had to be changed and I wasn’t in the mood to do that at 5 o’clock in the morning, I washed and changed her, and let her go back to sleep in our bed.

(Around 7 am. Thaïs is sitting up in bed.)

Thaïs: Tana wake up… I want my milk…

And so the day begins…

My little darling got punished yesterday. She messed up some settings on the computer, so was made to stand in the corner and face the wall for 5 minutes. Well, we started out with 5 minutes, but let her off the hook after 3.

Excuse the blurriness of the picture. I was in a hurry to click it before she suspected anything. I was expecting her to turn around any second. I didn’t think she’d actually face the corner for any length of time. Guess she was too scared to disobey!

My internet connection wasn’t working for a few days, hence the lack of activity on this blog… In any case, nothing interesting to blog about… just the usual… caught up with some housework… got some paperwork done… took Thaïs out cycling.. she fell down a couple of times and grazed her cheek and knees… took her out to play cricket with the boys…

Last night, however, she was in a rather naughty mood. Read on…

(It’s bedtime. Thaïs, as usual, is trying to stay awake as late as possible.)

Me: OK now… close your eyes and go to sleep.
Thaïs: Put on light. Can’t find ‘tebby’ bear.
Me: It’s right here. Now, close your eyes.
Thaïs: Baby finished milk. Get ‘thocolate’?
Me: No. You didn’t finish your dinner. Will you close your eyes and go to sleep?
Thaïs: OK. Goo-night Tana.
Me: Goodnight, darling.

(Thaïs starts tossing and turning and wriggling around on the bed. Finally ends up lying across my face)

Me: Will you take your bum off my face?
Thaïs (giggling): Smell it!
Me: OK… Enough now. close your eyes and go to sleep.
Thaïs: Ooh.. can’t do it. Can’t do it. Eyes not working…

(A little later)

Thaïs: Daddy flass asleep?
Me: Yes.
Thaïs: Tickle him???

We took Thaïs to her pediatrician yesterday. She just completed two, so was due her Typhoid shot. From the time we got to the clinic, she was very impatient to see the doctor. She kept trying to jump the queue, “Doctor, Doctor, see Doctor.”

While we were waiting outside, we happened to meet one of Mario’s friends who was also there with his son who was around Thaïs’ age and had some kind of viral infection. Suddenly this idiotic father tells his son to kiss Thaïs on her cheek. Can people really be so stupid? I should have stopped the kid before he got anywhere close to Thaïs.

Anyway, it was finally our turn to see the doc. Thaïs happily accepted the sweets the doctor gave her, little knowing what lay ahead. She stood up on the weighing scale and let the doctor check her with the stethoscope without any fuss — she was busy trying to unwrap one of the sweets. She did get a little uneasy when we made her lie down and tried her best to get up. But the doctor was ready with the injection and gave it to her in her left thigh. There was no reaction from Thaïs for about two seconds. Then, her eyes went as wide as saucers and there was such a look of shock and horror on her face, it was almost funny. She yelled, but only for a couple of seconds. The instant she got off the bed she was OK. She went over to the baby rocking chair in the corner and made herself comfortable there. So comfortable, that when it was time to go, she didn’t want to leave. She picked up the chair and was trying to walk out with it, tripping over the weighing scale in the process. So we had to go back in to disentangle her from the chair and the scale, with the doctor laughing away at the other end of the room.

Any other kid would have wanted to get out of there immediately after the injection, or, at the very least would have wanted to be carried. But not Thaïs. Pain doesn’t seem to bother her too much. She’ll make a good martial artist, much to Mario’s delight.