Little Mommy

On Mondays and Fridays, Joey heads off to school and the girls stay behind for a full day of coloring, Play-Doh, pretend kitchen, forts, princess play, and, above all, role-playing Mommy and Kids. I'm almost guaranteed to be treated to some kind of imitation "mothering" that sometimes warms my heart, but more often leaves me mortified.

Today, for example:

Clara (pretending to be Mommy): "Okay, baby, let's go get in the car. I'm tired of this house. We're going to the gym."

Molly (taking a turn as Big Sister): "Okay Mommy, we'll be good. Can we have lunch at the cafe today?"

Mommy/ Clara (grunting audibly as she hefts a baby doll into the car): "Ugh, you're getting heavy. Okay, there you go, baby. Click. Click. You're all set. I don't want to hear any whining in this car, okay?"

Molly: "But can we have pasta in the cafe?"

Mommy/ Clara: "I said no whining! Okay, here we are! Ahhh! Okay, bye kids! I'll be upstairs exercising!"

Molly: "Bye, Mommy!"

Mommy/ Clara (doing push-ups in another corner of the living room): "Ah, it's so quiet here. I can't hear any noisy kids at all!"