caring for carlin

The week of July 28th-31st, I took care of my 3-year old niece Carlin again since her daddy is still recovering from surgery. He is doing much better now and have slowly eased back into his full-time care-taking routine. My sister Susan asked me if I could help out another week and I was glad to be of any assistance and it also gave me an opportunity to spend more quality time with my youngest niece. Here are a few conversations we had this week that really filled my days with fun and laughter:

STINKY FEETS

Carlin sitting on the sofa watching her cartoons:

Carlin: (twitching her feet) I think my feet is sticky.
Paula: (touching her feet) really? Let me see.
Carlin: I think it's sticky because I stepped on the floor.
Paula: Hmmmm...(sniffing her feet and it smells really sweaty)
Carlin: It IS sticky...see.
Paula: Did you wash your feet? It's little bit stinky.
Carlin: Nah ah...it's not stinky. (she brings her foot to her nose and sniffs it)
Paula: So, do you want to wash your feet?
Carlin: My feet is sweaty. And, my hands too.
Paula: So your hands and feet are sticky, stinky and sweaty.
Carlin: But, I don't want to take a bath...I already took a bath.
Paula: How do you want to clean your hands and feet?
Carlin: I don't want them clean.
Paula: Are you sure?
Carlin: They don't need to be clean. I'm going to play some more.

JUST RICE

After the show is over:

Carlin: I'm hungry.
Paula: We have nuggets, nutella on toast, beef stew...
Carlin: (interrupts my talking).....but I want rice.
Paula: white rice?
Carlin: just rice
Paula: you don't want anything with your rice? (I packed some of my mom's rice from home to bring over)
Carlin: just rice
Paula: nothing with your rice? how about some fresh turkey pieces? I can chop them up and sprinkle them on your rice.
Carlin: No, I just want rice.
Paula: you can't just have rice, Carlin. It'll be too plain.
Carlin: ok, chicken with rice
Paula: honey we don't have any chicken, I'll put in some turkey. Do you want soy sauce on it?
Carlin: noooooo, just rice.
Paula: OK.
(I prepare the dish in the kitchen: white rice with fresh turkey pieces and a dash of soy sauce to give it a little flavor.)
Carlin: Hey, I don't want soy sauce.
Paula: Just try it, it tastes good.
(Carlin tries the rice with turkey bits and soy sauce)
Carlin: yummy, it's good. (she smiles big and eats the rice!) (She paused for a moment and said she likes rice and wants more!)

CANDID SHOT
Here's a photo of Carlin drawing a picture:

I told her to be natural and not bother with the camera. It's what we call a candid shot. You can see she was trying not to laugh. Afterwards, she wanted more candid shots. Even one with her pretending to talk on the phone. It was so funny. I think Carlin is the funniest little girl, and very sassy and fiesty too! ;-) I had a blast with her! ;-) Thanks for reading!