He does not approve...

This was our afternoon with the baby.

Hi George! You woke up. Can you smile for the camera?

Do you want to play with your big sister?

George, how about a hug?    

Okay. Never mind, grump.

You probably say that to all the girls...

Tess is obsessed with pretending. One part of me thinks it's awesome that she is so creative and imaginative, but then the other part of me is really tired of having this conversation:

Me: Tess go pick up your toys.

Tess: You mean Peter Pan.

Me: I don't care who you are! Go clean up.

I would describe her as a method actor. She really gets in to the part. Some times it's okay, except that she doesn't do a great job assigning us the characters we want to play. Jaime often is hideous Isma from Emperor's New Groove. And I'm usually stuck as Wendy from Peter Pan. Although that did just lead to this conversation:

Me (I mean Wendy): oh Peter, you're my favorite lost boy.

Tess (I mean Peter Pan): oh wendy, you're my favorite girl.

Me: You probably say that to all the girls.

Tess: Yep. I do say that to all the girls.

The pretending also might be better if it weren't so confusing.

Me: Peter Pan you still haven't picked up your toys.

Tess (to Jaime): Why did he call me that?

Me: Aren't you Peter?

Tess (condescendingly): Oh, Michael. I'm Wendy. We switched.

Me: Please just put this rice crispy treat in your mouth and stop talking.

The mind games have to end!  It's liked playing make believe with someone who suffers from multiple personalities and schizophrenia.

Plus I'm on to her elaborate ruse to keep from ever having to clean up toys.

Cute kid...

Too bad he's just not very photogenic :

German is offensive to her...and Jesus...

Me (reading a song title): Jesus bleibet meine freude.

Tess: Don't say that to Jesus!

.

Her protective nature for Jesus should come as no surprise if you read the conversation Jaime posted yesterday on Facebook:

This conversation with Tess was too crazy not to share. Disclaimer: She gets pretty creative with her theology (borderline blasphemous perhaps) and I can't take credit for any of her doctrinal innovations.

Tess: "Do you want to play Lord?"

Me: "Uh...what?"

Tess: "I am the Lord. Jesus is the Lord too. He is my son! And his mother is Mary. She is the Lord too! I am just a little Lord, for kids. We all live waaay up high in the clouds! Except Mary, she lives way even more up higher in the clouds than me."

Me: *speechless*

Tess: "Me and my son Jesus, we...we go to school together."

Me: "Oh really?"

Tess: "Yes. We do. I want everybody to be kind. That's why I comed on Earth to help people. But sometimes I still like to do naughty things."

Me: "Oh no...what naughty things do you like to do?"

Tess: "Oh...just...on Saturdays. On Saturdays I like to naughty things. And Tuesdays."

Bubbles are awesome...

But she does actually like him...

Here she is getting to feed him. She was so excited for this and had to wait hours for the guy to wake up.

Selling him to the gypsies...

Me (after lots of unreasonable crying from the baby): Alright Tess, say goodbye to your brother. We're selling him to the gypsies.

Tess: We are!? Can we keep me and sell George to the gypsies?

Me: Of course. You've proven your worth. How much do you think we'll get for him?

Tess: Maybe 1?

Me: I sure hope we get at least 1.

Tess (heading to the door): Okay. I just need to get my shoes on.

Me (thinking she liked her brother): Well, maybe we should give him one more chance.

Tess: I don't want to give him one more chance.

Me: Why not?

Tess: Cause gypsies need kids too.