Deeper thoughts

We have discovered that Maya has an on/off switch. It turns on at 4:30 a.m. and off about 6 p.m. and no one has yet to discover how to manually flip the switch.

Yes, we have tried the putting to bed later people but it makes no difference. She is just up and cranky all day. We have discovered that she wakes up ready to consume food so we are thinking that a milkshake around midnight, a little baby take-out if you will, might buy us some more sleep...

Ella, on the other hand, is slightly obsessed with death. Last night she said, "Now, let's talk about how you get dead."

Okaaaay....

These are some highlights:

"When your heart stops beating, your blood stops moving and your brain can't work and that is who you are so you die."

Not exactly...

"When you die, your body dies but your spirit is around and part of everything but it is too little so we can't see it."

Well, kind of...

"Let's continue our conversation about getting dead. Ask me anything you want, and I will know the answer."

"It's the same for a person to die, or a dog or a spider or an ant. A spider still dies if you squash it with your foot or your sneaker."

I told Sandi to come in the living room for this existential conversation. Let's face it, we don't really understand death, so how can we explain it to a four-year-old? I don't so much believe in a place called heaven, but I do believe the universe is too magnificent and efficient to waste a soul- I can't imagine that the essence of a being would just poof! and no longer be. That energy has to go somewhere and be reintegrated somehow. Likely we recycle back through, but if nothing else, our souls must become part of the early spring green, the rush of the surf against the sand and the love of a child who waits at the window for you to return from work.

Other thoughts Ella has shared lately:

"Wow, if you and Mommy both go to work today, you will have lots of money!"

That's the hope...

I was trying on a bridesmaid dress I wore when I was pregnant with Ella (at her prompting of course)...about 60 pounds ago. It was literally falling off. She told Sandi later, "It was so big because I was in Momma's belly. Actually, I didn't really like it in there. You kept feeding me lots of food and drinks."

Ella picking out an outfit (and a bra) for me: "Momma, you want to wear these boobs today?"

"Why do some girls like trucks and some girls like dresses?"

"Can we stop by your room on the way downstairs so I can pick out some clothes?"

"Clams are my favorite creatures to eat."

Our friends, Matt and Angela need to have their heads examined because they have offered to take our kids overnight so we can a much needed get away ALONE. Their 17 month old, Annalise, is Maya in replica. (But thankfully, so are Brady and Ella replicas so the big kids will be easy and the little ones... well, good luck.) In a couple of weeks we have reservations at a fancy place in Bar Harbor and will be dropping our girls, and alcohol in various forms, off at the Smith's and will hope our friendship remains intact with these dear and crazy people...