"BOOTAFO"

Last week our family went out to eat with Lisa and Todd. The usual scene as we wait for the server to take our order is something like this:

Mommy, I want to sit by you!
Okay.
No, I want to sit by you!
Okay, how about if you both sit by me. One can sit on this side; one can sit on this side.
(lots of shuffling around as we try to get the baby seat back out and then everyone slides on in to the booth.)
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, you're squishing me!!!!!!
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, I wanted to sit on that side!
Is it okay if she sists on that side?
(more uncomfortable shuffling as everyone scoots back off the booth, rearranges, and scoots back in.)
(Everyone finds their crayons and coloring menu and there is peace for a few minutes... well, maybe one minute.)
Hey!
I wanted to sit by Daddy!
(Repeat any or all of the above)

So, I don't remember exactly how it went that night, but I'm sure it was something very similar to the "usual scene." Of course, we had two extras with us, which I'm sure made the whole thing more complicated and exciting! The adults were all chatting, while the girls colored their menus.

I just so happen to know that if one of my girls stops talking for more than 15 seconds, she must be "up to something." When I suddenly realized that I had not heard Ava's voice for about 37 seconds, I looked down at her (she was sitting next to me, sans booster seat.) She peered up at me with her sparkling proud eyes. They were not her only blue feature... she was still coloring all over her mouth with a blue crayon (I thought the point of crayons was that they're not messy, but apparently the first time my child decided to use one as lipstick, it was some reject kind of crayon that actually worked as lipstick).


Very matter-of-factly, Ava informed me, "I'm bootafo, mommy." I agree.