My dearest Hattie Belle,
These are difficult times for you and me. I know it’s hard to be six. I wish you knew how hard it is to be 39, with two daughters you love more than you love yourself.
But you: You tell me that you are never getting married, and that you are going to [...]
Do all moms hate themselves a little bit
is what she asks me. She has heard me
arguing with my own mother, and I have
said, Yes, I know, my life sucks, thank you
(voices like bones scraping bones clean)
You said a bad word about your life,
is what she says. It is true, I have. One night
later and they [...]
All of a sudden, we hear an odd sound: footsteps approaching, with another sound layered over top. Brushing. Hannah. She is brushing her teeth over again. By herself. With toothpaste.
Sophie and I sit up with a gasp and watch as the shadow of her little sister brushes its shadow mouth, calmly, without tears.
“Wow!” we say.
Sophie, age 8:
“Remember when Hannah had an imaginary boyfriend named Bobby? And then they were totally passe.”
Sophie: I’ve read every one of my chapter books.
Me: Oh, I don’t know about that.
Sophie: (eye roll, disgusted sigh) CONSIDER MY LIFE CYCLE. Read, read, read, sleep. Read, read, read, eat, read, read, sleep. Read, school, read, eat, sleep, read, read, read.
Me: Your LIFE CYCLE. Can I write that down?
Sophie: (eye roll of champions)
Last night:
S: Oh no you DIH-INT.
H: OH YES I DIH-ID.
S: Oh no you DIH-INT.
H: OH YES I DIH-ID.
S: No you dih-int ’cause I SAW-AW you.
H: OH YES I DIH-ID ‘CAUSE YOU DIH-INT SAW ME!
S: I know you cah-ant.
H: OH YES I CAH-AN.
S: [turns to me, quizzical look] Is it advanced of us to be saying [...]
“I’m a dork,” I said to Sophie.
“You’re not a dork,” she said kindly. “You’re just weird.”
But the girls scowl and frown.
Little Mother Superiors, they remind me
that they are not the best daughters
or the most wonderful little girls
in the world.
Hattie B gets her hair cut: bangs!
Big excitement. We get home.
She wanders around, looking for a mirror.
Success! I hear her:
There’s my little face. I like that little face.
Bedtime was beautiful! Wish you were there! Why weren’t you there?
Uttered last night:
1. So you’re saying the Bible LIED.
2. Nobody loves me not even the animals. Everybody hates me. EVEN PRESIDENT BAMA.
3. I gave you this germ so you should hate me. No, you should. You should HATE me.
4. Is it okay to be mad [...]