Be Still My Nerdy Little Heart

Holy crap, you guys. I am going to wave my nerd flag today and I’m going to wave it proud. Seriously, where is that flag? Did I forget to pack it?

The Mimi family is currently living it up West coast style while visiting family. (To my East coast self, “living it up West coast style” involves waking at 5 am, eating many avocados, always wearing flip flops and peppering my conversation with language such as “dude” and “stoked”. Other than that, methinks I stand out like a sore NYC thumb. Must be all the grit….)

Anyhow, we are in CA which means we recently survived a five and a half hour flight with a mobile and increasingly opinionated 14 month old. (Read: worked like dogs to keep the Mini entertained, fantasizes about wine post bedtime and were asleep by 9.). In true Mimi fashion, the list making began weeks ago. What To Pack lists, Food To Bring lists, Quiet But Entertaining Toys That Fit In An Overhead Compartment Sized Bag lists. At the top of that last list? BOOKS. My girl loves her some books. Literally,Where Is The Green Sheep is worn to bits and I have several of Sandra Boynton’s greatest hits now committed to memory for the rest of my life. (Seriously, I do a mean oral story telling of But Not the Hippopotamus. Kills every time. Every. Time.)

Needless to say, we brought all her faves including Cat, which is big, but, if you ask Mini Mimi, is pure genius. Odyssey Shmodyssey. (Click here if you have a toddler and want a few minutes of happy page flipping. ANY momma/teacher worth her salt can, at the very least, clean a bathroom, start dinner, check her email and make a work call during those fleeting moments. We are like the most productive beings on the planet. On crack.)

Also in our arsenal was a lift-the-flap book filled with babies doing various baby things. One picture shows a little boy playing peekaboo with his Blankie. Mind you, we have looked at this book three hojillion times and never has this happened before. Never.

Are you ready for this?

My girl made a text to self connection!!!

Nerd alert!

Granted, it was not the deepest of connections, but it was a start, people. Basically, she stared at the page for a long time. Then she pointed at the baby’s Blankie and looked at me. Then she pointed at her Blankie and looked at me. Then the baby’s Blankie. Then her Blankie. Baby’s Blankie. Her Blankie.

Here’s my imagined version of what went down:

Mini: Hey mama, look! That baby has a Blankie and I have a Blankie!
Me: You’re right, sweetheart. You do both have a Blankie.
Mini: That baby’s Blankie must make the little boy feel safe, because my Blankie makes me feel safe and happy.
Me: (tearing up) Yes, honey, I bet it does.

What really went down:
Me: Mr. Mimi! Oh my God! I think she just made her first text to self connection.
Mr. Mimi: Her what?
Me: Text to self connection….it’s when a reader notices something in a text…are you even listening?
Mr. Mimi:
Me: Hello?
Mr. Mimi: You’re a dork.
Me: Um, noted. But this is HUGE.
Mr. Mimi: Just tell me what she did in non-teacher talk.
Me: She pointed at the baby’s Blankie and then pointed at her Blankie.
Mr. Mimi: Genius.

I’m chalking his reaction up to a long flight.

Regardless, be still my nerdy little heart.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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6 Comments
  • Even History teacher dads can relate to the Hippopotamus book, LOVE that one. Thanks for the smile, made me remember my kids and their books at that age. Enjoy Cali, weather's great out here this week.

    August 12, 2011 at 6:57 pm
  • I heart the Mini-Mimi story, as I have my own Mini (12 month old), and can so relate. I look forward to my girl making her first self to text connection!! So sweet. P.S. From this Cali. girl, enjoy your time here! If you are sporting flip flops, I'm sure you are fitting right in!

    August 13, 2011 at 1:32 am
  • Well, bless her heart! So sweet!

    August 13, 2011 at 1:32 am
  • OMG I am truly laughing so hard I'm crying!!! Good to know that I'm not the only nerd out there…and that my husband isn't the only guy glazing over when his teacher wife talks! Too funny! Just got back from the Oregon coast…GORGEOUS!!! Relax and enjoy your time…I am back at school…already! I have a sweet bunch of kids though…and I do love my job! Thanks so much for sharing…I needed a good laugh tonight!
    Hilary

    August 13, 2011 at 2:55 am
  • Please let us know when she makes a text-to-text connection! 😉

    August 13, 2011 at 5:49 pm
  • TTS connections at 14 months? I would have cried, too.

    Somehow it sounds far less impressive in non-teacher talk…

    August 17, 2011 at 12:39 am

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