Within The Last 12 Hours

Last night Marley was having growing pains in her leg. 

She woke up crying a couple of times. 

Our first defense is a leg massage by Madame Mother Masseuse. 

Our second defense is another message and an ace bandage. 

Sometimes that does the trick.

Last night we got to DEFCON 3 and dosed her with Children's Tylenol. 

After the meds were given and two little medicine cups of water were supped, I tucked my little Punkie into bed and we echoed I love you's, back and forth, until I made it to the door and wedged it into it's frame.

Hoping to leave it there til morning. 

Fifteen minutes later I hear whimpering again. 

I return to the messy room, strewn with books. 

Not sure what else to do for her.

"Mom, I need you to sing me a Lolabye." 

(that's what we call nice soft songs, good for sleeping, since her cousin Lola was born)

"Okay, but just one. It's the middle of the night and I'm so tired and need sleep...and so do you. Which one do you want?" 

"I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus."

Kissed her and tucked the covers around her chin and as I snuck out, thinking she was asleep, she said,

"Mom, I'm pretending I'm at a Princess Motel."

Me big smile: "Okay, goodnight. Sweet dreams."

After that, we both slept like babies.

*********

Princess Motel Imaginings carried over to this morning. 

Marley informed me that it is her birthday and she was having a Princess picnic and she needed to make a Princess cake in her kitchen. 

She kept asking me "which ingredient is next? and "how much?" to put in. 

I made things up. 

1 tsp. baking powder

2 C. flour

7 C. sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

When I ran out of "real" ingredients and the cake wasn't "done" yet, I came up with two more....

you need to add some PURPLE! (her favorite color)

and some pixie dust!

(disappointed) "I am all out of pixie dust!"

"Just go get some from Tinker Bell!"

Marley ran into the dinning room and knelt down by the wall.
(whispered in a hi-pitched, not so quite whisper)

"Tinker Bell, it's my Princess birthday and I need some pixie dust for my Princess cake."

Ran back to her kitchen with two heaping handfuls of pixie dust!

"Tinker Bell lives in our house, over there!"

{wish I got a picture of her cooking and inquiring with her apron on. i was too lazy. sorry.}

Princess Birthday Picnic followed. 

"Everyone needs to skooch because it's my birthday." 

 Lots of moving and pouring and dishing up.

Lots of "Thank you!" every time she dishes a guest up with some food.

Marley always does both sides of the conversation when she has "guests." 

It is SO entertaining!

 Lots of guests.

 And again, lots of moving and pouring.

 The hostess finally gets to enjoy her picnic.

"All of my friends and my kids and my cousins are going to be take a bath together at the Princess Motel. After our Princess picnic."

She sang happy birthday to KennaSara which is her chosen alter-ego. 

It was a solo, though I'm sure lots of friends, kids and cousins were singing too. 

The picnic was perfect.

And.

The bathtub sounded crowded.

********

~side~note~

Marley inevitably has to go to the bathroom during every meal. 

This morning after starting her oat meal, she jumped from her chair and headed upstairs. 

When she got back:

"Mom, when I was going peepee I tooted and it sounded like a honk from a bus or a car!"

Me: laugh, "Oh yea? It sounded funny?"

Marley: (flabbergasted tone) "Yea like my bum honked!"

Oh the things we talk about at breakfast.

*********

This is what the royal kitchen looked like when she got done with the picnic. 

 Note her baby doll is in a car seat AND a stroller.

Safety first here!

What a fun disaster. 

This one......Not so much.

I better getting going on that weekend neglected kitchen.