Rapunzel's Gown

Hi! I'm Rapunzel. You might remember me from a small video production that came from a small animation shop last year. I spent a week with my very best friend, Abigail, to celebrate her fourth birthday. It was the best day EVER!!!!

While I was there, I got a brand new dress, and I'm here to tell you all about it. Oh, if only Flynn were there to see it!

Abigail did most of the work...

But she did get some help from her dad...

The dress was arranged in layers. The inner skirt sparkled and glowed.

After the skirt was finished, we started working on the bodice...

Complete with every ruffle and lace...

At last I was ready for for Abigail's birthday party, which had been my dream for weeks.

And I lived happily ever after... Until they ate my dress.

Old Age From Young Eyes

Yesterday, as is our tradition, we sat together in the girls' room to read scriptures together. Delores and Lillian rocked in the corner, while Abigail snuggled up against me where she could see the pictures in the illustrated Doctrine and Covenants.

I read to her the account of Joseph Smith's first vision, which happened when he was only fourteen. This conversation follows:

Dad: Abigail, how old are you?

Abigail: Three!

Dad: Almost. You had a birthday, so now you are FOUR! (Of course, "four" was infused with all the excitement that a transition from three to four deserves.)

Dad: Joseph was FOURTEEN. That's four plus TEN MORE. (Ok, ok. Perhaps I was having too much fun demonstrating that I could speak such large numbers, but she looked so absolutely in awe at the illustration of this young man that was so obviously older than her, that I couldn't help myself.)

Abigail: Wow. He was OLD. So OLD he was almost going to DIE!

I suppose I shouldn't tell her that I've been fourteen twice. She might not believe me.

--

Today, Abigail joined Delores on a visit to a doctor. The Doc is an amiable fellow, perhaps a handful of years older than me, who we've seen off and on for years. My folks see him too, so he sometimes mixes up the relationships, asking Delores how my dad was doing when he meant to ask about me.

While they were talking in the office, he asks Abigail, who was wearing her new Rapunzel princess dress, if she was married. The conversation went something like this:

Doc: Abigail, are you married?

Abigail: NOOooooOOO. I'm too little to get married.

Doc: How old to you have to be to get married?

Abigail: I think six or seven... Yeah, six or seven.

Doc: Oh, ok. Do you drive.

Abigail: No, I'm too little to drive.

Doc: Oh. How old to you have to be to drive?

Abigail: Six or seven, too.

Doc: Ok.

And later...

Doc: Abigail, how old is your grandma?

Abigail: I have TWO grandmas! Grandma Dorton and Grandma Rimington. And my name is Abigail!

Doc: Wow! So how old is your grandma Rimington?

Abigail: She's very...

Abigail: very...

Abigail: very...

Abigail: Rimington-y!

And there you have it.

Squirrels!

The girls and I are on a walk one fine morning. At the first acorn sighting they both get out of the stroller to explore. Not one, or even two, but at least a dozen acorns all around the bottom of - you guessed it - an acorn tree. After each child had five or so nuts in their hands we continued our walk.

Abigail then explained to me her plan...

Abigail: Mom, squirrels eat acorns, and I'm going to feed my nuts to the squirrels when I see them. Then they will say 'thank you' and I'll say 'you're welcome' and they'll give me a big hug!

Later as we walk...

Abigail: Squirrels! Squirrels! I have some nuts for you! Come and get your nuts! They're yummy! Squirrels! Come get some nuts!

We never saw any squirrels and decided we'd take the acorns with us the next time that we go camping, because there are lots of squirrels in the mountains.

Dinner

We're at a restaurant last night to celebrate our anniversary. I stopped by the bathroom and Abigail and Lillian came with me. They waited in the outer room while I went into the 'toilet room'.

I'd been in there 5 seconds where Abigail popped her head into the toilet room and said, "Mom, I'm going to give you your privacy."

"Thank you"

Ten seconds later, my door opens again, and Abigail states, "Mom, I'm not going to bug you."

"Great, thanks."

About 8 seconds later I hear, "Mom?! Do you have a sink in there?"

"no"

"Oh, then, you can use the one out here!"

Thankfully, I was done by this time and the "non-interruptions" could stop.

We had a lovely dinner.