Glue and Living On The Front Porch

“Mom - I need some glue so I can glue you to me all the time.”  - Ada, age seven

She’s the most self expressed child I’ve ever had and also the one that needs the most snuggle time.  She also has no idea what it means to share the spotlight. 

She also got upset at me the other day because I asked her to clean her room and brush her teeth and I wouldn’t let her watch TV until she had done so.  Next thing I know she is standing beside the front door with a packed rolling cooler with a defiant look on her face, waiting for me to notice her.  As soon as I gave her my full attention she announced angrily “I’M LIVING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR A WHILE!”.  I asked her if she’s running away and she replied “No.”.  I teased her “Should I give your bedroom away?”  She yelled at me, “NO!  I’M JUST LIVING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR A WHILE.” And proceeded to slam the door behind her as she walked out. 

I looked out the front window a few minutes later and she is sitting on the front walkway holding up a hand lettered sign that says HELP!  After dying laughing, I walked out to take some photos of her. 

“Don’t take my picture!” She angrily snapped at me. 

“Why not?  I think we should take a picture of the day you lived on the front porch for a while.”

She thought about it for a minute and replied in a snappy tone “Only if you send it to Grammy Kim.  If SHE were here she would RESCUE ME!”

“What do you have in the cooler?”, I asked.  She opened it. Inside were snacks, some toys, and one of my sweaters (even though it was a warm August day). 

She sat out there for a while and when I checked on her next she was wearing the sweater and eating a banana and a piece of bread spread thick with Nutella. Her hands were messy and Daisy said “You need to wash your hands so it doesn’t get on Mom’s sweater.” To which Ada starts walking to the front flower bed and starts digging with her hands while she says “I know! I’m getting some water to wash them off.”  

It took me a moment to realize SHE IS TRYING TO DIG A WELL!  I tried to keep the laughter in as I told her “I don’t think you’ll find water if you dig a hole here sweetie. You probably want to go in the house and wash them in there.”  

The Nutella must have done the trick because after that she was in a very good mood and, apparently, was done living on the porch.