I Stole Diane Keaton’s Idea

I was watching Oprah one day, before she got ridiculously self-absorbed and trashy, when she had Diane Keaton as a guest. Diane couldn’t stop gushing about how wonderful her kids were, and even stopped the interview to take a piece of paper out of her pocket so she could read verbatim the cute things they’d said to her that day. She explained to Oprah that she writes down her kids’ utterances when they are particularly adorable. While Oprah looked at her like she was crazy, I stole the idea.

I now keep a “Kid Journal” and write down moments I want to remember and sentences I don’t want to forget. My girls know I do it and will even say, “Mommy, you should put that in your journal!”

Here are a few excerpts:

• When my seven-year-old’s teacher asked if anyone in the class was Irish, she raised her hand and said, “I’m half Irish and half New York.”

• When I was tucking my seven-year-old into bed one night she said, “We’re in a ball . . . Santa’s ball. He controls everything.”

• Then at Easter she said, “The Easter Bunny is really Jesus dressed up; then he comes down the chimney.”

• When I was reading a book called Belle of the Ball to the girls, my ten-year-old asked “What does that mean?” My seven-year-old responded “It means Queen of the Bells!”

• When the girls and I were making cupcakes, my middle daughter said, “I wish Daddy were here. He’s such a good cook.”

• One morning before school as I was trying to fix my ten-year-old’s disheveled hairdo, she said calmly, “Mom, I’m not going to a fancy party. I’m going there to learn.”

• When my ten-year-old decided she wanted to make and sell knitted scarves, she went to my hubby and said “I’m going to start a short business.” (instead of small business)

• Each night at the dinner table, we take turns talking about our days. However, often my hubby and I don’t get our turn because the girls have a lot to share! One night, my oldest daughter left the table to use the bathroom, and my middle daughter and hubby started clearing their plates. I chided “Doesn’t anyone want to hear about my day?” Then I heard my ten-year-old’s cute voice call from the bathroom, “I’M listening.”

• My oldest daughter asked “What does penalize mean? It sounds painful.”