Quirks and Funny Quotes

Over the past month we have been introduced to a new "phase" (at least we hope) involving Emma and her fear of germs. Don't ask me how it got started. Maybe I should have not used the scare tactic over the summer and early fall about getting germs from biting her nails--although true. Nail biting was a habit she resumed over the summer and then quit after a couple of early fall sicknesses. I enforce washing hands after using the bathroom and when we get home from the store or school. And I always carry a bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse when we can't get to a sink to clean little hands. What mother doesn't take these basic hygienic habits seriously?


A constant question emerging from Emma's mouth as of late is: "Does this have germs?" You might have noticed her comment in the video from the aquarium. She will wash her hands for at least a minute before then yelling to me wherever I might be in the house to ask if it was long enough? Sometimes an entire wardrobe change follows if she touches her clothes before washing her hands in the bathroom, because she has contaminated her clothes. And finally, once she emerges from her hand washing routine she immediately comes to me and asks me to smell her hands. "Do they smell good? Do they smell like soap? What about this side (as she makes sure I smell both palms and back of the hands)" No joke!

So now I am trying to diffuse this fear in her and replace it will a healthy and non-paranoia awareness of germs. I have hope that this will be just a phase--with God's help. We all have our fears, big or microscopic, and the question remains for us to examine if we cling to those fears or turn them over to God.

In another aspect, Emma has made us laugh several times over the last week with some of her comments. Here are just a couple stories:

The other night I was tidying up the kids' rooms before their bedtime. Emma's room was littered with costumes and clothes. A quick sweep of clothes into the drawers and it was a transformed room. Emma then came in to her room while I was touching up the boys' room...

Emma: Wow, my room is all clean!! Who cleaned it?
Mamma: Who do you think cleaned it?
Emma: Jesus!

She then noticed my own need for a quick clean in my room, and hoping to do what "Jesus" did for her, she quickly offered to clean my room for me. So while I took a shower she was working hard at cleaning my room. So sweet! And even though I did not get any credit for my work or even being her object of imitation and service...at least she understands the servant attitude of Jesus and that he came not to be served, but to serve.

Last week, when Jonathan was picking Emma up from school he was walking in step with other parent to pick up a fellow classmate of Emma's. The following conversation was between Emma and this classmate.

Emma: Ecco tua nonna!! (There's your grandma!)
Classmate: NO, non e' mia nonna! E' mia mamma! (No, it's not my grandma! It's my mom!)

Jonathan was the one embarrassed for sure! I guess Emma still has trouble comprehending that unlike her own grandparents, on average someone in their 50s here in Italy is more often a parent of a preschooler rather than a grandparent.