Oopsy Daisy

Vivian, Jo and I are waiting for fish at Central Market. It's taking forever because there's a big guy in an Oklahoma t-shirt who is asking questions like "how long do I cook this fish?". Jo wanders off to the produce section. Vivian pops another raisin in her mouth. The three women waiting in line ahead of me get impatient. They give me icy looks - presumably because they are pissed off with the Okie and other men who don't know how to shop for fish.

Vivian drops a raisin. She peers down at it and loudly exclaims "Shit!". And then a few quick "Oh Shit"'s. The Okie shuts up and turns to look. I feel the women glaring at me. It's so quiet you could hear a raisin drop.

And then Vivian drops another raisin.
I hold my breath and stare at Vivian.
She says "Oopsy Daisy, Daddy. Raisin fall".

The tension breaks. The Okie goes back to asking inane questions. Vivian happily repeats "Oopsy Daisy". I breathe. Jo returns with heads of romaine lettuce. We buy some salmon fillets and get back home.

I am puzzled.

We had made remarkable progress with Vivian in the last few weeks by substituting "Oopsy Daisy" for "Oh Shit". And Jo and I have really cleaned up our language. Why then the sudden recidivism. That's when Jo tells me that earlier in the afternoon when she though that she had locked herself and Vivian outside, she had exclaimed "Oh Shit".

I am amazed.

Saving Brain Cells

Vivian watches Dora on TV. I like to tell Jo that TV kills brain cells. For the record - I'm only opposed to the method, not the goal.

We are at Casa Lariat Ridge. Carol has recently taken delivery of a truckload of topsoil. Vivian walks up to it and her eyes get big and bright. And her body gets rigid and she does her little "I'm so excited" dance. And then she blurts out "Mommy - a big mountain!".

Having never heard anything about mountains - big or small - from Vivian before, and due to the uncanny resemblance between a pile of dirt and a "mountain" on Dora shows, and due to the frequent references to "mountains" on Dora, I have to admit that there is a high probability that the fully formed words burst forth from Vivian's mouth as a result of her Dora watching.

I eat a tiny slice of humble pie. Jo reiterates that TV-watching has some redeeming qualities. And Vivian and I hike up to the top of the Big Mountain.

More Dora

Dora the Explora keeps popping up in unexpected places. Today Vivian got a belated Christmas gift and was very excited to find a pack of Dora panties in there. She had to put them on and run around the house. It surely felt great to not be dressed in a disposable paper bag.

If I were not an atheist I should pray that this be the only picture of Vivian in her panties on the internet ever. Amen.

Lunch

We were getting ready for lunch. Vivian decided that her pony needed lunch too. The pony ate with us at the table. Earlier that day Daddy braided the pony's mane - doesn't she look cool. I am practicing before I start on Vivian's hair.