Maeve's Photo Shoot with Her Friends

Baxter

Pickles

Joey

Coco

Race Car Bear

Maeve Discovers Makeup

Little Victories

Picking Maeve up from school:

Me: How was Maeve today?
Mrs. McK: Great!
Me: Really?
Mrs. McK: Yes! At one point she was the only one listening and following directions.
Me: (Looking around for the Candid Camera or Ashton Kutcher)
Mrs. McK: I know. I was surprised too.

Call a Spade a Spade

Cuddled in bed, seven in the morning.

(faint, yet distinct car alarm blaring in the distance)
Maeve: What's that awful noise, Mom?
Me: Oh, that's just somebody's car alarm going off somewhere nearby.
Maeve: Yep. (Sigh) Just somebody being an asshole.

One of our great daughter/mother pleasures is eating lunch together at a restaurant. I love that she's totally engaged with me unlike at home when she's dying to get back to whatever task she was immersed in before I dragged her to the table. Here's a great example of the rich conversations we often have over lunch.

Me: So, M, what did you do at school today?
Maeve: Played.
Me: What did you have for snack?
Maeve: Umm, cereal bars.
Me: Yum! What story did you read?
Maeve: Mom, can we please just eat our food?

Distractions and Aggravations

Zack: Maeve, you need to wash your hands before you eat.

Maeve: (stomping down the hall, muttering quietly to herself) I hate this dumb shit.

The Phone Call

Maeve picks up the phone, dials my parents' number. My mom answers. In her most polite voice, as if a stranger answered the other line...

"Hello. May I please speak to Papa?"

(patient pause)

"Hello, Papa? I'm calling to invite you to soccer practice tonight. Can you make it?"