When You Wish Upon an Airplane
"Look, momma! My witch is following us!" Alexis declared from the back seat as she pointed at her window. Or, at least I thought she was pointing at her window.
"Mmhmm . . ." I replied. I really didn't have any idea what she was talking about. The kid had conned me into letting her listen to the Camp Rock 2 soundtrack for the eighty-eleventeenth-seventieth time, so I was trying really very hard to not hear a single thing that was going on anywhere near me.
Alexis cut through my attempts at zoning out by repeating herself over and over. "My witch is following us!" she kept saying. I finally decided I should at least acknowledge the kid since she was so excited. I gave her ye old I'm Going to Basically Repeat What You Just Said So You Think I Am Paying Attention.
"Not my 'witch,'" she corrected, "My 'WITCH.'"
I was stumped. I tried to focus on what she was trying to say while ignoring the screeching blaring out of the car speakers. At last, it came to me. Alexis was wearing a Halloween t-shirt. It must have had a witch on it and she had to be seeing the witch's reflection in the window. OF COURSE it was following us.
Not that any of that explained why she had corrected how I pronounced, "Witch," but whatever.
A few minutes later, Alexis asked if we could stop and explore around a barn. I'm never ever going to turn down a good opportunity at some photos, so I obliged. As we got out of the car, Alexis pointed to the sky and started yammering about her "Witch" again.
I followed her little pointing finger and saw a whole lot of nothing.
It was time to make like Nancy Drew and get to the bottom of the mystery. I tried questioning the kid for a few minutes, but nothing became clearer. Finally, I asked her to spell what she saw.
So this is where I tell you, yes, my 4-year old can spell a whole bunch of words. It's not exactly the wondrous ray of sunshine that some would think, though. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with your spouse with your kid in the room, knowing that you can't just spell the key words? GRRRRR. I would try Pig Latin, but Mr. Husband would probably look at me like I have five heads. He already does that a couple of times per week when I'm acting like I'm in the final round of the National Spelling Bee, so I try not to encourage him.
(For what it's worth, I figured out this whole spelling thing the hard way. Let's just say Santa had to make a fairly major return because two weeks after spelling his name and purchase, the kid suddenly was all, "I know what Santa is getting me!" It took her a while to piece the letters together, but -oh- she did it. DOUBLE GRRRR.)
Alexis thought for a minute, then replied that she didn't know how to spell it. I figured I'd help her out by giving her the letters I thought I knew.
"It's W-I . . ." I began.
"S-H!" she finished gleefully.
I was still confused. "Your . . . wish?" I said hesitantly.
"YES! MY WISH!" Alexis practically screamed.
I looked back at the sky, trying desperately to find the magical missing puzzle piece that would make everything make sense.
The airplane trails. THE AIRPLANE TRAILS!
Alexis had decided that the trails behind the airplanes were falling stars. She was making wishes left and right because there were about six airplanes total flying at the time.
I'm never telling her they were airplanes and not falling stars.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Reader Comments (23)
On the one hand, this is just the sweetest thing! It always makes me all mushy-hearted when I get a little glimpse into the innocent workings of my daughter's mind...and this story totally made me feel the same way. On the other hand...does this mean I still have 3 years or more of figuring out what the heck my daughter is saying!? Oh boy.
Wait...they're not falling stars?!? Dang it!!! ;-)
I don't know know why, but now I'm all teary-eyed. That is so sweet. Also, because my son is about two years older (so been there), I knew what she meant at the first "witch". ;-)
Sure, it's cute now. Just wait until you have to start making good on all the wishes... ponies, unicorns, visits from Dora or the High School Musical kids...
so cute
Love it! We have a lot of spelling going on in our house right now as Caroline is testing out her new found skillz. In other words, we get a lot of phonetically spelled words without any vowels.
Isn't it funny that even though they've been speaking for quite some time, and even spelling words (smart!), that we still have no idea sometimes what they are talking about?!
I love how she thinks!
too cute. 1st thing i thought of was the song "lets pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like falling stars." LOL I learned along time ago that spelling doesnt work becuase these kids now a days are too smart for their own good,. LOL my daughter was 3 when she started learning how to spell.
I hope she never loses that innocence. Kids have such a beautiful way of seeing the world around them. (Hugs)Indigo
That is freaky - because just yesterday my son said the same exact thing when we were driving home. That the falling stars were following him and that was sure to mean he was getting his wish (a dog of course).
Oh! And Oh, my! Makes me miss those days with the Howler!
That's so cute!
Yes, I thought you were going to write about that B.o.B. song, "Airplanes". Has Alexis heard it? It's one of my favorite songs, because Hayley Williams, in the video, looks so much like my late daughter, Stephanie. I am transfixed when that video is on.
Alexis has grown so much since I last visited your blog. She's beautiful!
Peace - D
So sweet - I love it!
Isn't the look on their faces when you finally figure out what they are telling you the best? My Nicholas has a major speech delay and by the time I am done figuring out what he is trying to say, sometimes we are both near tears. But when I can get it fairly quickly the smile on his face is just magic. Good for her!!
As I chil d of the 80s there was always a ton of Michael Jackon on the radio and TV. I would dance around to "Thriller" in my parent's kitchen and scream "Mackson Jackson, Mackson Jackson." My parents never corrected me, because they thought it was so cute. I eventually learned how to pronounce it correctly on my own :)
Definitely wishes everywhere! I wouldn't have told her, either. Great post...we should all get so many wishes!
Freaking adorable.
Just like we're not telling BB that they're not Buzz Lightyear. :)
What an adorable story. And an awesome picture!
I hope she holds on to the thought that airplane trails are shooting stars for a LONG time.
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
love love love
I absolutely love her flying wishes. What a brilliant capture of innocence and wonder. Does she make wishes? or just see them, and claim them?
Never ever tell her they are anything else.
And, might I add... You are raising one brilliant daughter. And, you are sooooo screwed. ;)
Well, just...awwwww! I thought you were driving at night and the witch had headlights on her broomstick (the plane's light). Heh. I like Alexis's version much, much better.
(P.S. I have the same problem with the super-spellers here. I spell things backwards when need-be - but I know it's just a matter of time before they crack that code, too.)
How did you end up with such a precious child?
Seriously. She's so freaking cute! I love the little kidisms like that.