September 30, 2010

Me:  So Birthday Girl, what would you like for your Birthday Breakfast?

Imogen:  Apples and carrots, please.

Me:  Are you sure?  You can have anything you want for a birthday breakfast.

Imogen:  I'm five now, Mum, so I know I need to eat healthy food.  I want apples and carrots, okay?

Help Imogen's Brother Learn to Talk

Imogen returned to this topic today.  Apparently the charitable gift card she received really got her thinking.  She wants more birthday money to help her brother talk.  I can't tell you how huge my heart feels when I hear my little girl eager to advocate on her brother's behalf.

So I'm helping her out in her pursuit; I've set up a donation page on CanadaHelps.org.  Through it, you can make a birthday donation on Imogen's behalf to the Centre for Autism Services Alberta, the organization which is providing Julius's support at present.  They are a non-profit charity providing a variety of services to children with autism, helping them reach their fullest potential.

If you'd like to help Imogen in her fundraising efforts, please give here.  The page is open to October 10, 2010.  I'll post her fundraising total here on the 11th!

Thank you for your support, everyone!!!  Oh, and no post is complete without a direct quote from Imogen, so:

Imogen:  I think when Julius learns how to talk, he will be very funny.  And we will laugh a lot together.

September 28, 2010

Imogen received an online gift card for Just Give today, in honour of her upcoming birthday.  I discussed what it was with her and the following was part of our conversation about charitable giving:

Me:  So it's tricky to understand, but you got a gift of some money to send to someone who really needs some help, maybe because they are sick or hurt or scared or just need some extra love.

Imogen:  That's not tricky, Mum.  That's just nice.

Me:  You are so right.  We looked at some of the charities you can send your money to.  Do you know who you would like to have your special birthday money?

Imogen:  Yes, I want to give it to Julius to help him learn to talk.

Yeah, it's right about there where Imogen's momma got very, very teary.

September 23, 2010

Me:  I bet you can't take one really big bite of your sandwich, Imogen.

Imogen:  Yes I can!  (takes a big bite of sandwich.)

Me:  I bet you can't take two really big bites of your sandwich, Imogen!

Imogen:  Mummy, the dragon in the Paper Bag Princess is dumb, but I am not.

September 22, 2010

Imogen:  Mum, I think that Tinkerbelle might throw up.

Me:  Oh no, we'd better get her to the bathroom so she does it in the toilet!

Imogen:  Mum, Tinkerbelle is a toy.  She can't really throw up.  And if she did, she would rather pee in the toilet anyway.  Except that it's hard for her to sit on the potty.  I think maybe she needs a Turkish toilet.  That will be easier for her.

Me:  I thought you said she was a toy?

Imogen:  Toys only can pee and poo, not puke.

September 21, 2010

Imogen:  Mum, I love you.

Me:  Thanks, Imogen, I love you too.

Imogen:  But I love you more than anything.

Me:  That's how much I love you!

Imogen:  I think you might love your coffee in the morning a bit more, Mum.  Let's be serious.

September 20, 2010

Me:  That was a good book, should we have another one, Imogen?

Imogen:  Mummy!  I think you're getting a little bit out of control!

September 19, 2010

Whilst driving through the Alberta prairie at sunset...

Imogen:  Mum, look at all those lights that are starting to poke out.  They're like... little pokey things.

September 18, 2010

Imogen:  Mum, I really liked seeing Brenda's beautiful paintings.

Me:  Yes, me too.

Imogen:  I also liked going to the library.

Me:  Yes, me too.

Imogen:  But Mum, I did not like your dress.

September 17, 2010

In the change room at the pool after a glorious swimming extravaganza:

Imogen:  Ollie, that is the cutest penis I have ever seen!

(Ollie looks baffled.)

Imogen:  My brother's penis is the best in the whole world.

I am SO glad that it was Ollie's Mama who was with us for this.  She's about the only person I know who could laugh instead of discretely dialing children's services...

September 16, 2010

Imogen:  I am really glad that this fruit fly is not a brownie fly.

September 15, 2010

Imogen, to her wailing brother:
JULIUS!!!  You have to stop all this grumpy behaviour right now!  Otherwise you are going to be just like me!

September 14, 2010, round three

Imogen:  Mum, our family is not like other families.

Me:  Oh yeah, how's that?

Imogen:  Well, other families have mothers but I have a Mummy Pig.

September 14, 2010, round two

Imogen:  Guess what, Mum?!

Me:  What kiddo?

Imogen:  At school we went to a new park!  It's a park called recess!

September 14, 2010

Imogen:  Mum, I couldn't eat in my pyjamas because I became crying.  But then I put on my clothes and everything felt better and my food wanted me to eat it again.

September 12, 2010

Imogen:  Mummy, I think that I really loved Auntie Bonnie's dragon in her basement called Sal E.

Me:  Yeah, it was really cool when we got to pet him, wasn't it?

Imogen:  Yes, and he did not breathe fire, that was a silly thing to say, Mummy.

Me:  Well, you know me.  Silly Mama, right?

Imogen:  Yes, silly you.  Did you know that I am that dragon's special princess?

September 10, 2010

Imogen:  Mummy, I just don't know why that woman lives* in the children's library if she doesn't like children.  She needs to be nice to me, that library woman.  She needs a really, really big time out to think about her behaviour.

Me:  You are so right, kiddo.

*The concept of work has yet to gel for Imogen; she believes that people live wherever we encounter them.

September 9, 2010

Imogen:  Mum, it's hard being us sometimes, isn't it?

Me:  Yes, it sure is.

Imogen:  So it's good that we love each other, right?

Me:  Absolutely.

Imogen:  Mum, you're the best mother I ever had.

September 7, 2010 round two

In the car after school, Imogen was uncharacteristically quiet.  Though she doesn't always talk to me, she usually sings or tells stories.  Today, nothing, until this conversation, initiated by her.

Imogen:  Mummy, I'm not normal.

Me:  What does normal mean?

Imogen:  I don't really know but I'm not normal and I just want to be normal.

Me:  I think you're really great the way you are.  Can you tell me some more about what makes you want to be normal?

Imogen:  No.  I miss my friends in Turkey.*


*"I miss my friends in Turkey" is the script to which Imogen reverts to when she's overwhelmed by and unable to talk about emotions she's experiencing. 


Any suggestions for on how to talk to Imogen about this?  I'm heartbroken for her that she feels this way.

September 7, 2010

Today was Imogen's first day of kindergarten.  She is attending a special program called Socialization Kindergarten especially for children with disabilities.  The following scene unfolded in the cloak room at drop-off.


SLP (speech language pathologist): Look Imogen, there's Eloise*.

Imogen: Oh yay!  She's going to be my best friend.  Hi Eloise!

Eloise, to her mother: I like how that girl looks.

(pause)

Eloise:  She's prettier than me and she doesn't like Hello Kitty.  Oh no, this is not good.

Imogen:  I like Hello Kitty and we are both the prettiest!  You're my best friend.

Eloise:  Oh, okay.  That's alright then.

*Eloise is not the child's actual name; I don't use names unless I've sought parental consent.

September 6, 2010

Me:  Imogen, you are so beautiful.

Imogen:  You're welcome, Mummy.

September 3, 2010

Via telephone (Imogen has gone to Calgary for the weekend with her father.)


Imogen:  Mummy, I really miss you so much.

Me:  Imogen, I miss you so much too.  And I love you so much.

Imogen:  My brother and my cat are crying for me, aren't they?

Me:  Yes, they are.

Imogen:  Tell them I love them and I will be back soon.

Me:  Okay, I will.

Imogen:  You might forget, Mummy.  Let me talk to my cat.

September 1, 2010

Imogen:  Mum, I have some very sad news.

Me:  What's that?

Imogen:  When Julius cries, it makes me cry inside too.