Tuesdays with Eleanor

A few of our recent conversations...

E:  Dinosaurs are NOT extinct, Mama.

Me:  Well actually, yes they are.  All of the dinosaurs died a long time ago and there aren't any real ones left today.

E:  No Mama, they are not extinct.  And they are mammals.  WHY do you not know this, Mama?

(She does know that they were reptiles, but she tells us all the time that HER toy dinosaurs are mammals.)

I was cleaning up a mess and I was not in the best mood.  I don't think I said anything, but I guess I sighed and Eleanor could tell I wasn't happy.

E:  Don't be frustrated, Mama.  Do not whine.  (At this point I start laughing.)  I love you, Mama.

Me:  Oh, I love you too Eleanor.  I'm sorry, I guess I'm just kind of grumpy right now.

E:  Don't be grumpy.  Don't be a camel.

The other evening Hunter and Eleanor went to a birthday party while I stayed home with Arthur.  When she got home, I put her to bed.

Me:  Tomorrow Daddy will go to work, but we're going to go visit him and eat lunch with him.

E:  (quiet for a second)  Will Arthur come with us?

Me:  Yes, of course.  We will all go visit Daddy together.

E:  I just missed you and Arthur at the birthday party.

Eleanor has been sleeping in regular underwear for a few weeks but last night she had her first accident.  A few hours later...

E:  Mama, do you and Daddy make mistakes?

Me:  Yes, of course.  Everybody makes mistakes, and it's okay to make mistakes.

E:  Because I pee peed in my bed last night.

That's all that I can think of right now.  Also, this isn't really a specific conversation with her but I just want to add that she seems to have her first imaginary friend.  He's a mouse named Limburger and she talks about him all the time.  Any time there is something tiny - a leftover crumb on her plate, for example - she says that it's for Limburger.