To prepare her for school, we make Pia practice writing out her full name. She does it well enough, except that she forgets the 'i' in Sophia.
Mommy: (teasing Pia) Pia, come here. Look at what you wrote. You forgot the 'i' in Sophia, so your name sounds like sofa.
Pia: MY NAME IS NOT SOFA!
* * *
Ever since Daddy started his new job, Pia has been escaping her previously daily assignments (math, reading, writing).
One night, Daddy and Pia were in the kitchen, Daddy had just finished his supper and checking how Pia's day went:
Daddy: Pia, did you help Mommy take care of Sammy?
Pia: (proud) Yes.
Daddy: Good girl. Did you go to Domu's school with Mommy to pick him up?
Pia: Yes.
Daddy: Did you do any assignment today?
Pia: (fear...is she going to be given an assignment?) Daddy! I don't want you to talk about that!
* * *
Sunday night, Dominic complained that his knees were cold. Monday morning, he was running a 39.8 degree fever, feeling very weak, and throwing up. There was no way he can go to school so he stayed home.
The 39.8 fever had us worried. A warm shower and paracetamol quickly brought the fever down to 39.75 (this 21st century medicine sucks)
After reading online that fever is the body's way of fighting infection, that a fever up to 39.9 is beneficial, we calmed down a little.
By noon he was complaining of a painful headache. Some headaches are simply bothersome, but his is painful. Then he started throwing up. Anything that went down came back up. For lunch he had water crackers and water, which he expelled as well.
Pia asked "Why is Domu vomiting?". Because he has flu. A very bad flu.
Late in the day we bought him some electrolyte-based drinks (similar to Gatorade), on the idea that this will help keep him from dehydrating. We frown on soft drinks, so they get a chance to drink them only around once a year. He seemed to really enjoy the new drink.
By Tuesday, Pia also started to complain of pain in her tummy, and a headache. We took her temperature. It was 39.8. Now they were both sick.
The she wailed out in panic.
* * *
Pia is playing pretend...something. Maybe she's playing as an airline stewardess, but it's hard to be sure:
Pia: Ladies and gentlemen, please fatten your seatbelts.
* * *
At the playground. A sunny day, around 10:30am
Daddy: (pointing to a shadow of a pole) Dominic, Pia, come, look at this. Why is this part of the ground darker than the surrounding?
Pia: It's a shadow. Because the sun doesn't shine there.
Daddy: I'll place this rock just inside the shadow, and we'll come back in a few minutes. You'll see that the shadow has moved.
After 10 minutes...
Daddy: Come, look at the stone and the shadow
Dominic: Wow, the stone is outside the shadow. How did that happen? I think it's because the sun moves.
Pia: (does something with her fingers and then casts its shadow on the ground) Look, a bunny!
* * *
Dominic's school organized a mini concert and held it at a real theatre. All 300 students of the school took part in half a dozen musical presentations.
Dominic had two roles. First, in his grade level's song and dance gig, he played the role of a 'Wallabee', hopping and jumping and singing across the stage.
He also participated in the finale, where all 300 school children got up on stage to sing one last song. Dominic was in the front row with all the other grade 1 students. This row was lined up across the entire stage, from the left edge to the right.
As the children sang the final song -- the 80's hit "We are the world" -- they waved their outstretched hands and swayed left and right to the melody, moving as one.
Almost.
Everyone else was facing front toward the audience, except for Dominic, who was in the front row staring straight up at the ceiling, focused on a spot almost directly on top of him.
He was staring mesmerized at a flashing disco orb. It attracted him so much he was absently going through the motions of waving and swaying and singing, completely unconcerned about the hundreds of adults seated in front of him.
* * *
Walking home one day. Mommy, Pia, and Sammy were about 15 meters ahead. Dominic saw a spider on a lamppost. In the land of the poisonous spiders, this is only his 2nd time to see a spider.
Dominic: (shouting hard) Mommy! Come quick! Look! A spider!
Pia: (turns around and runs back towards Dominic) Trap the air! To the rescue!"
Too tired to ask what she means.
* * *
Dominic is sick, and has been throwing up everything he takes in:
Pia: Daddy, why is Dominic vomiting?
Daddy: Because he's sick
Pia: Why is he sick?
Daddy: He has some bad germs in his stomach
Pia: Why does he have bad germs in his stomach?
Daddy: They got into his stomach
Pia: How?
Daddy: Maybe he ate something bad
Pia: How did the bad germs get in?
Daddy: Through his mouth
Pia: DADDY! YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION!
Daddy: What's your question?
Pia: How did the bad germs get in?
Daddy: He ate something bad
Pia: What did he eat?
Daddy: We don't know, we think maybe he ate too much candy, or maybe he ate bad potatoes. But we're not sure.
Pia: YOU'RE NOT THINKING!
* * *
Pia's questions can sometimes tax our pitiful brains. While watching Aladdin:
Pia: "Daddy, why can the genie fly because he has wings?"
Daddy: (busy, and not sure if what was given was a question or a sentence)...Huh?...Yes.
Pia: DADDY! YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION!
* * *
One day...
Pia: (a plastic wicker basket over her head) Daddy, what do I look like?
Daddy: I don't know. What?
Pia: I'm a firegirl
Daddy: (hasn't heard of this superhero) Firegirl? What powers does she have? Can she turn into flames?
Pia: DAHDEE....No, I have no power!
Daddy: What can you do?
Pia: I fight fires
Daddy: Oh...I girl fireman?
Pia: Yes! A firegirl.
* * *
