Cute Phoebe Stories

Last night Phoebe conducted our Family Home Evening (that is, Phoebe got to decide who did what). Ordinarily the conductor welcomes everyone together (which Phoebe did) and then they invite someone to choose a song to sing and someone else to offer the prayer (which Phoebe did not). Instead she said:

"Welcome to Family Night! I will choose the song!"

Choosing the opening song is a great honour, so it's no wonder she wanted to snap that job up.

"Okay," Andrew said. "And who will say the prayer?"

"Also me!" she said. "And I will do calendar!"

"Okay, that's going a bit far," and considering the fact that she can't read or write or navigate a calendar, that's true. "Let's start with song and prayer. What song do you want?"

"Ummmmmm..." Phoebe hedged. 

She's not actually very good at choosing songs. We usually have to suggest a few for her to pick from because she's not so great at thinking about these kinds of things on her own yet. Fortunately for her, the Primary Children's Songbook was open on the piano. 

"Ummmmm...we will sing...this boat song," she said, running up and pointing to the music that was open (which had a picture of a boat a the top of the page). 

"Book of Mormon Stories?" Andrew asked.

"Yeth," she said confidently, as if she knew she was choosing that particular song and not...whatever song was open. "Book of Mormon Stories."

She spun wildly around the room while Zoë played the introduction and then—just as we were all about to start singing and not wanting to miss the opportunity to say the prayer—Phoebe stopped dead in her tracks, folded her arm, and rushed through an opening prayer.

And then we sang. 

And then we helped Phoebe pray again.

And then Daddy went through the calendar items (because he can read and write and navigate a calendar).

"The Underwear Thought will be by...Mom!" Phoebe commanded when Andrew had finished. "And the lesson will be...Alexei!"

"I am happy to give the Underwear Thought," I said, reaching for a small book of scriptures and quotes we keep on hand for occasions where we forget to assign anyone to do anything beforehand (which is...most of the time). "But Alexander won't be giving the lesson."

"Phew!" said Alexander, sinking back into the couch cushions.

"Dad's doing the lesson."

It was our mid-year goal check-in. As per our usual, we are doing stellar in some areas and...less stellar in others. 

*****

We were reading together this morning and Benjamin had on a little...neck...tube...thingy. A gaiter, I think it might be called. He had it pulled up over his nose and Phoebe thought that was entertaining.

"Look at Benny!" she said. "Take picture—Benny!"

"Oh, I don't have my camera with me," I said. 

"I'll do it!" she then said, and stared hard at Benjamin before blinking as hard as she could a few times in a row...as if she were Cam Jansen or something (though I haven't read any Cam Jansen stories to her so I'm not sure where this idea came from). 

Honestly, it probably came from Daniel Tiger.

When she sits on the stairs to put on her shoes she sings "Won't You Be My Neighbour," just like Daniel Tiger. So...I'm betting the blinking came from Daniel Tiger as well.