Bossing around the babysitter

Darcy stayed home a few nights ago with a new babysitter Paige, the teenage daughter of one of my coworkers. Paige said that Darcy was very sweet all night, was a good eater, the only thing she wouldn't do was brush her teeth (pretty typical night in our book).

The next day at work, Paige's mom tells me the full story of bedtime. Apparently, once Darcy was all ready for bed, Paige went to pick her up and lay her down in bed. Darcy whirled around, put one finger up, and said "NO". She then pushed Paige backwards out of her bedroom, went back inside, and closed the door shut behind her. Paige just sort of stood in the hall for a while, waiting to see what she did next. After a few minutes, she cracked the door to take a look. Miss Darcy had turned off her light, climbed into her bed, and sort of pulled up her blankets, and was fast asleep on the pillow. I don't know what's funnier to me, that D put herself to bed, or that Paige was so surprised by it that she didn't want to mention it to us!

trying to catch up

OK blog-o-sphere, I am trying to come back after over a year of non-blogging. Blame Facebook, their picture uploader is WAY easier. But they don't allow enough characters for all of D's fun stories, so I am back. I'm thinking I can try to post an update at least once a month or so.

Darcy is TWO which is sort of unbelievable to me, and yet its true. Lots more hair, lots more fun, and lots more attitude. And just when I think I have the most brilliant serious child ever, she makes me laugh so hard with something sooo silly.

I'm cooking this past week (nothing elaborate, I can tell you) and Darcy has wedged herself between me and the stove, where I am handling something hot. I holler for Tony to come get her out of the way, and as he's directing her away he asks her "Darcy, what are you doing?" I hear her say, "help me" and reaches up her hand. I tell him to help her up and walk her back to the living room. When he tries, she says "no, don't want it" which is her favorite phrase lately. He says "you don't want help?" and she says "no, I help-eeng" and reaches up her hand again to point at me. "Ohhhh, you want to help Mommy?" I ask, and she replies "I help-eeng Mommy cook-eeng!" How can you say no to that?? For the record, I have never once suggested she help me in the kitchen, I am kind of famous for kicking people out of my kitchen altogether for getting in my way, so understand I am really relaxing my kitchen quirks here!

So I give her a plastic bowl and wooden spoon and ask her to stir it up for me. She goes to town, stirring with all her might. She takes the bowl over to Daddy to show him her good work, and he asks "ooh what are you making?" Without a second of hesitation, she says "Pancakes Daddy!" - as if what else could she possible BE making? Tony asks "what else can you make with that bowl?" and again, without hesitation, she throws down the spoon, puts the bowl on her head and triumphantly says "a hat!" That kid cracks me up.