Emergency instructions

Last Sunday I was paying for medicines and what-not in Watson's. I had instructed the nanny to get a pack of tissue, and as she came back with the item she asked, "Where's Miguel?" My heart skipped a beat, but then I realized that there was no way for him to leave the store unnoticed since I was near the entrance. After a quick scan around the store, we saw a flash of red - his shirt - running between the aisles, and nanny went to fetch him.

As he came back to me I squatted at his level and asked him what he would do if he lost me or nanny in the store. He said he didn't know, so I laid down a few ground rules.

1. Don't leave the store.
2. Look for a saleslady or guard.
3. Tell them that you've lost your mom and give them your name.
(He's already memorized his name, address, and phone number.)
4. Give your mommy's name and describe her.

"Can you describe your mom?" I asked him. He gave a naughty smile: "Peeling face." NOOOOO! That won't do. (Maybe sometime I'll tell you all about that glycolic peel I went through last week.) I paused for a while, decided on a spiel then drilled him. After about 10 minutes he got it down pat.

Me: Describe your mom. How tall is she?
Miguel: Five foot two. Plus heels!
Me: How much does she weigh?
Miguel: 110 pounds. (Really, I'm only 107)
Me: How long is her hair?
Miguel: Shoulder length.
Me: What color?
Miguel: Dark, and straight.
(And the clincher...)
Me: Looks like?
Miguel: Rita Avila!

That ought to do the trick.

Nothing

Overheard last night:

Miguel: Ninang, have you ever seen nothing?
Ninang: No.
Miguel: Close your eyes. (Ninang complies) What do you see?
Ninang: Nothing.
Miguel: HaHAhAhaHAHahA! :)

Don't believe in Santa Claus

On December 23, Miguel asked me to accompany him to the living room because he wanted to show me something. He got on the sofa and pointed at a quilted pillow with an image of Santa (yes, we have one of those).

Miguel, jabbing at the pillow: Don't believe at this thing.
Me: What do you mean?
Miguel: Don't believe in Santa Claus!
Me: Why?
Miguel: Because there's no...there's no such thing as a Santa Claus.
Me: So who gives all those gifts?
Miguel: Other people aside from Santa Claus!
Me: So you don't mind if you do not get a gift from Santa this year?
Miguel: Then I'll just get a gift from other people aside from this one. (points at pilow)
Me: You don't want to get a gift from Santa?
Miguel: I never saw what Santa Claus looks like.
Me: So you don't mind if you don't get a gift from Santa? That's okay with you?
Miguel: It's okay I'll just get a gift from other people besides Santa.
Me: Okay.

I caught it all on mpeg, so this is pretty much verbatim. I'm still amazed that he came to this conclusion on his own at the age of 4. And what's more, it doesn't bother him at all. So this year he didn't get a gift from Santa. And you know what, it is so okay.