Tidbits from Today

Emma...

• Emma got 100% on her first spelling test! It was the practice test, but if they get them all correct then they don't have to take the "real" test tomorrow. Her words were: a, the, am, can, cat, man, map, at, tap, ran.
• Emma fell while climbing a tree at the park, and she got a pretty good scrape on her arm. Of course, she lost her mind. Immediately, a boy on the swing (never got his name) asked us if we needed a band aid. I told him that would be very nice, if he had one. Before I even finished my sentence, he turned and took off running. His mother saw my perplexed expression and explained that he was running all the way back to their house to get the band aid. I told her he didn't have to do that, although by that point he was already halfway down the street. She said, "He's had a crush on your little girl since the first day of school. They ride the bus together." As I stood speechless, she rolled her eyes and added, "He's a sucker for the blondes."
• While the swing kid was procuring first aid for Emma, his younger brother swooped in for the kill. By the time swing kid got back from the house and presented Emma with her band aid, she was happily playing with his brother and didn't even say thanks until prompted. The older brother sat by his mother and just watched Emma play with his sibling the rest of our time at the park. He had the most desolate look on his face! I actually wanted to give him a hug or something, but I didn't want to embarrass him. At one point his mother tousled his hair and I overheard her say, "Don't be sad. Be patient. The hero always gets the girl in the end." (I really want to be this mother's friend, but I think she's too cool for me.)
• Gojan (above mentioned younger brother) was fascinated with a new toy of Emma's that another boy on her bus gave to her today to keep "forever." (Why? I've no idea. What in the world is going on during these bus rides??????) He kept questioning Em about who had given her the toy, but she couldn't remember his name. Finally he asked, "What color was his skin?" Emma seemed totally baffled by this question and just looked at him mutely. He elaborated, "Did he have white skin, or brown or black?" Emma shrugged and answered, "Same skin as me. Just...people skin."
• Lovely Gojan, or "first grade playa" as I came to think of him by the end of our park visit, told Emma that the boy on the bus probably gave her his toy because he wanted to get married. "To who?" Emma asked. "Duh! To you," Gojan replied. "That's silly," Emma said. "People who get married stay together forever. I don't even know him. Besides, when I grow up I'm going to marry my grandma."

Sophie...

• While at the grocery store, Sophie started counting balloons and made it all the way to 14. I had no idea she knew any numbers past ten. How did I not know this?
• A really, REALLY big bird flew over (and barely cleared) our heads this morning. It freaked me out so much that I let out an involuntary yelp. I don't know what kind of bird it was, but Sophie apparently thought she had it pegged. As it went past, she dropped to the ground with hands over head and screamed, "No goose! No! Naughty goose! Naughty big goose!" Then she stood up and asked me, "Okay Mommy?" I told her I was fine. She hugged my legs and said, "Sshhhh. All better."