What’s Wrong with This Picture?

An “issue” we are perpetually working on with Katrina is her frequent complaining. I have noticed, however, that sometimes she looks completely surprised when hubby or I get annoyed with her comments. She denies that whatever she said was complaining.

I’m beginning to think that some of her complaining is just her noticing details and offering her commentary. Case in point: look at the picture below. It’s from the Blendy Pens kit she received from a friend for her birthday. She felt it was good enough to post on our kitchen bulletin board.

Yesterday evening, though, Katrina told me that there was something wrong with the picture. See if you can guess what it is. (answer below)

Did you see it? The error? No?

There are not enough stripes in the rainbow. Katrina noted that there should be one more stripe. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue…and purple. “I couldn’t color the purple stripe, Mama, because they didn’t put enough stripes on the rainbow. See?”

The kid is right. Although, to be totally technical about it, there should be two more stripes (ROY G BIV, right? I have no idea where she gets her need to correct small details, though ;) ).

Should I call the Blendy Pen people and point out their grave error?

The Long Walk Home

Now that the weather has finally gotten nice, we’re walking to school more often. I put Annika in the stroller, and Katrina either walks or rides her scooter.

It takes about 15 minutes.

About halfway to school, Annika turns around in her stroller and glares at me. “WALK! WALK!” she demands. “Not now,” I reply. “You can walk after we drop Katrina off at school.”

Kisses and hugs, and Katrina runs onto the school playground. “WALK!”

“OK, let’s walk.” I lift Annika out of the stroller, and we walk home.

It takes about an hour.

Come, “walk” with us.

“UP!”

The first “WOCK!” stop. Gravel is like treasure, and our route home provides enough for the greediest of pirates.

See that wall there? The dirt is Annika eye level, perfect for digging through and finding little bugs. And cigarette butts.

“FWOWERS!”

We pass this trash can every single day. And every single day she says “TWASH!” and leans over and looks into it. I know! So exciting! Who knows what will be in it today!

Every so often she takes off running, and I am hard-pressed to keep up with the sudden speed. I aim to keep me or the empty stroller between her and the very busy street to our left. Most of the time I succeed.

  “UP!” If we time it right, we pass by the train crossing just as the morning train comes in. She is fascinated by the gates going up and down. She points and says “UP” whenever we pass this intersection, whether the train’s there or not.

Right in front of her is a beautiful planter with blooming flowers. The gravel is more interesting.

This day she brought two of her purses (BAG! PURR!)with her. So the gravel goes in her purse. And out again. And in. You get the idea.

She hears the “ding-ding-ding” of the train crossing gate behind us.

“Here, Annika, let’s go look at the train…oh. A manhole cover. Well. Train can’t compete with sticking your fingers in the hole of the manhole cover.”

“TWAIN! UP!”

Ooo! Dirt!

“GUCKY! DIWTY!”

“SIT!” OK, I lie. Her “S” often sounds like “SH”. She says “SHIT!” a LOT.

“OK, Annika, let’s go.” “NO! SHIT!”

You think you’re going to make it home in an hour? Yeah, right, Mom.

Checking her inventory. Or putting a leaf in, I can’t tell which.

I wonder if blue walls feel different than other colors of walls. Hmmmm…

“GUCKY! GUCKY! WAH!”

“CAAAAH! AUTO! CAH! AUTO!” (“Auto” is German for car and is pronounced more like “OWTOE”)

“UP! SHTEP!”

“One, two, free, THUMP!” (jump)

“FUHRFEE!”

More gravel. Coolest Walk EVAH.

Who needs pretty scenery when you’ve got gravel to play with?

  And even an interesting place to put it?

And then there’s the weighing station, with a whole new surface to walk on!

“THUMP!”

Ooh, a new place to put rocks!

And…take them out again.

Hmmm, maybe this thing will open today. It didn’t yesterday, or the day before, but maybe today.

The old curb-road up-and-down walking trick. Fun for all ages.

Well, what do you know? More WOCKS!

Can I squeeze through here? I’d really like go over this wall head first, but Mama keeps holding me back.

S’cuse me, must make a call.

Oh, yeah? Really? Hey, I have to go. I see more rocks I must examine. Yeah. Yeah. Ok, bye.

“OPEN!”

Finally at our street. She decides she needs one purse on each arm.

 

More up and down.

 

“HI, YA-YA! Hi, YA-YA! Hi, YA-YA!” (Ya-ya is her rendition of the neighbor boy’s name. Note that Ya-ya was nowhere in sight. She just feels the need to hail the house every time we pass by.)

Also, Ya-ya has WHITE rocks. Must be examined Every Time.

We dropped Katrina off at about 8:40 am. We walk into the house at about 9:45.

“MELMO! MELMO! MELMO!”

Sure, baby. Here, watch Elmo. Mama needs a rest.