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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

According To Gabi

Over the weekend we upgraded all three of Gabi's car seats to boosters, and added an extra booster in my mom's car so she can do preschool carpool.

That gave us FOUR big boxes (and very empty wallets), and while Gabi was excited about her new mode of transportation, she couldn't wait to get her hands on those empty boxes.

Over the next few days, she spent most of her waking time outside on the patio with those boxes, making up games and building things. Last night she dragged two of our living room quilts outside and added them as building material. I think what she ended up with was a house with a boat inside.

Those boxes have been the best distraction ever. Kids really don't need big expensive toys. I think most would rather use their imagination and play with regular things. According to Gabi, at least, all a kid needs to be happy are the contents of the kitchen cupboards, empty boxes and a few blankets. The possibilities are endless.

With Gabi happily playing on the patio and the kitchen clean, I had lots of time to watch her through the window and let my mind wander. I started thinking about other things as seen through her eyes.

According to Gabi

1) Any child her age wants to be her new best friend, even if the extent of their friendship is the time they spend standing in line at the grocery store.

2) You can do things super fast if someone hits the fast forward button on their remote control (any other Upside Down fans out there?).

3) Later is a frustrating word, because you never know exactly when later is going to be.

4) Fish that can breathe and walk on land are super scary.

5) Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are all pretend, but the Binky Fairy is real (I'm not ready to tell her the truth on that one quite yet).

6) Whip cream tastes better sprayed directly out of the can into the mouth.

7) Baby slugs LOVE spending the night in her bug catcher because it makes them feel safe.

8) You can never ever have too many stuffed animals.

9) By yelling "Freeze!" she can stop people dead in their tracks.

Four is a really wonderful age, full of imagination and magic.

19 comments:

  1. that is so cute!! And So true.. four is a great age..

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  2. This is so wonderful for me to read today... I've been lamenting how fast my girl is growing up, and this reminded me that every age will be full of wonderful new things.

    Your girl is so sweet - I love that she wants slugs to feel safe!!

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  3. What a cute list :) I love the one about the bugs!

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  4. I love it... she is so cute. I don't quite understand the walking fish, but it sounds pretty scary to me, too!

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  5. oh Gabi sounds soo cute! I can't wait for the day when bradley can play outside on his own. I am just starting to see his imagination, and it is just so amazing!!!

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  6. I too learned the value of boxes. They are my son's favorite toys. I love the according to Gabi tidbits.

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  7. Did you start out telling her Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny were just pretend? Sometimes I wish I had done that...Would make life a whole lot easier during the holidays. Then I wonder if I could just go ahead and tell my three The Truth. But then I kind of feel bad because my oldest had so many years enjoying the tales and the other two wouldn't...

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  8. you always get me so excited for what is yet to come...

    i don't want to rush it. but i sooo look forward to it :)

    four sounds magical indeed!

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  9. I wouldn't say a thing about the Binky fairy either . . . Nope.

    I can't wait to see what life according to J will be . . . right now, it is all "your wish is my command, oh king of the castle." Ugh.

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  10. Awww, so cute! I can't wait until the 4s. Wait...I can, only because it will be the LAST time I get to experience it!

    We got a huge featherbed delivered in a HUGE box on Monday. Our toddler is STILL living it up. He loves that box!

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  11. I think for my little one's next b-day I'm going to wrap up a box...just the box. It seems to be what she LOVES, too! LOL

    LOL about the Binky Fairy!

    ~melody~

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  12. Hi Laural! While I was reading this post about Gabi I couldn't stop think, are you going to have another child?! :)

    hugs!

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  13. I think our girls should team up. They would have a ball!!

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  14. It is so true that they love to play with things that aren't toys. Today Austin was playing with a pair of Mark's cuff links and pretending they were spaceships.
    I love all of Gabi's thoughts and beliefs. Oh...and we are huge Upside Down show fans over here.

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  15. I have the same issues with "later" in our house too.

    But don't you find that sometimes that really is the only word that works??

    Cute post! Cade is 3 1/2 and I see many of these same things already. :)

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  16. My little Red Rover is like Gabi in number 1. Normally shy, he all of a sudden comes right out of his shell when we go to any play land. He walks up to every kid, asks them their age, and runs back over to me when he finds one his age. It is like an immediate bond he has with them--all over age.

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  17. Smart girl - whipped cream shooters are the only way to go!

    Such a sweet post - I love the way their little minds think!

    And the way they can use their imaginations!

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  18. So true - four is such a GREAT age- I'm trying to savor this year with Makcie as she is my last little....

    Have you ever read the book

    When I Was Little
    A four year old's memoir of her youth

    by Jamie Lee Curtis?

    Oh you must!

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  19. all those things and more... they're all true! it's great to see life through kids' eyes

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