kissing is for home

I love the girls' preschool. Really adore it. The teachers rock. The kids are darling. The director is wonderful. It's all good.

I, especially, love the opportunity to work there. See, this is a co-op preschool. All parents work into their child's classroom several times a semester as a helper/aide, as well as volunteering on the various committees that put on the multitude of special events. The girls ask each week if it's my 'helper' week. They love it, too.

You know what else they love? Their friends. Especially Em.

She loves the boys in her class the most.

During snack time, their teacher read a story to the group. I noticed Em looking away from the book and making googly eyes at the boy next to her, JC.

Then, she puckered up and leaned towards him, googly eyes still fluttering.

He did not respond.

Finally, she leaned in and asked him, 'Hey, JC, you wanna kiss?'

Oh.My.Word.

Fortunately, he did not wanna kiss.

Not to be thwarted, Em, bent down and kissed his knee.

Later, we told the tale to the McGrands during a Skype chat. I asked Roo, "Do you kiss boys at school, too?"

Roo looked me dead on and said, "No. Kissing is for home."

Now to impart that message to her sister.

three going on seventeen

Em loves to reenact scenes from movies.

Anything with a grand or sweeping gesture, a long pause, dancing or tender embraces. Those are her favs.

The scene she's been playing out the most is from The Sound of Music.
Liesl and Rolf have just finished tearing up the gazebo in the Sixteen Going On Seventeen number.
And then, there's a kiss.


Em plays Rolf and I get to be Liesl.
She sweetly frames my face with her hands, then moves in for a big smooch on the lips.

The best part is that Em keeps her eyes open.
So, as she gets closer and closer, her eyes cross.
It's hilarious and precious. And a little scary.

Out of that entire movie, that's the scene that made the biggest impression. Oh boy.