Zoya-isms

Zoya is pretty funny these days with all she has to say! As her speech continues to grow, we get to understand a bit more about what she's thinking! Also, as her speech improves EVERYONE ELSE gets to hear what she's thinking..........minus the filter! She just says whatever is on her mind and truly thinks if she just adds a "please" or "sorry" nothing she says could possibly be rude if she uses her manners too....right? "Move please!" or "No singing Daddy! I don't like singing please!"  My favorite is when we tell her to do something she doesn't want to (like when it's time for bed, or time to leave something fun)...her usual response is "No thank you please." Or if she's having fun and it's time to go to school, or to go back home, she usually says, "I don't like it (school/home, etc)....I'm sorry!" She throws all the pleasantries in there hoping she can butter us up enough that we'll forget our request and give into her ways! HAHA!

And then there's times she doesn't even bother with the pleasantries! Mila was whining up a storm and Zoya looked at her totally annoyed and said, "Mila, WHAT is your PROBLEM?" Total fast-forward to teenage years!

She's also starting to use phrases that she hears often, such as, "Just wait one second please!" (guilty, and she's giving it right back to me now!). The other day I asked her if she liked her dinner and she said, "It's not too bad." HA, well thank you! She is constantly telling her sisters, "Great Job!" for anything and everything they do (so sweet!) The other one I'm hearing a lot of lately is, "Let's try it" or "Well, we can try it." I tell her this all the time when she doesn't want to try something new, or if she tells me she doesn't have to go potty. I'll say, "Well, let's try." The only problem is, our conversation usually goes something like this:

Zoya: Mama! Play with babies!

Me: Sorry sweetie, it's time for bed. 

Zoya: Let's try it! Yah, try it babies! 

or

Zoya: Go eat! Tables and chairs (asking to eat at a restaurant)

Me: Not tonight, we have to get home and eat with Daddy and Mila and Sofia!

Zoya: Yah, let's try it tables and chairs, okay, just try it!

I must say she really does try pretty hard to get what she wants! She's also trying to bargain now too! The other night it was time for bed and she said, "Watch Marmaduke Mama!" And I told her it was too late to start a long movie and so she said, "Ipad! 5 minutes!" I admit, I gave into that one! She is very sly with her bargaining skills too! Shawn told her it was time for bed one time and she said, "Watch football with Daddy!" as she batted her long eyelashes. How do you say no to THAT?! Last night I put Mila and Sofia to bed and had planned to let Zoya stay up a little later (but she didn't know that). She clearly thought she was going to have to go to bed next, as usual, so she said, "Do work with Mama?" She ASKED to "do work" (sight words, reading, math-whatever we're working on as goals) and yes, I also gave in to that request HAHA! 

(We call this her "Ukrainian Babushka Face")

Yesterday morning she asked for a popsicle for breakfast. She had gotten use to getting to eat whatever she wanted whenever after her recent tonsil/adenoidectomy. I told her no popsicles for breakfast, but if she had a good day at school she could have one when she got home. I said to her, "You need to stay in your spot at circle time and not run all around the room!" (which I had heard was a problem recently) She got really big eyes and I said, "Yup! Mama knows about that!!" She said, "Oooooooo, Mama's watching!" I laughed out loud...but what do ya know, she had a GREAT day! On the way to the car after school I told her that I was so proud of her for having such an awesome day at school. She climbed in her carseat and said, "No bad choices!" I said, "You're right! You made really good choices today! I'm SO proud of you!" Then she grinned from ear to ear so proud of herself and that's when I saw yellow paint all over her lips and teeth!!! I said, "Did you eat paint at school today?" She looked down and said, "Oh yah! Okay, bad choice!" BUSTED! 

How did I get so lucky to be Mama to this perfect child?! She's funny, and silly, and confident and speaks her mind in a way I wish I could! I love her contagious zest for life and her amazing free spirit! And just to prove to you how much I'm learning from my sweet girl....I'd normally not post a picture of myself in foils, but when I look at these pictures I see just how much zest and fun and pure happiness she has brought to MY life! To those of you who say SHE is the lucky one to have me for a mama, you couldn't be more wrong! I, without a doubt, am far luckier to have her in my life than she is to have me in hers!