Anna is worth her weight in gold in entertainment, at least to me.  Here are some a few fun ones..

February 2012

Anna: "Am I cute daddy?" (as often as we tell her, I wonder how it is a question)

Dad: "Yes, baby you are. Am I cute?" (I'll admit I was shamelessly fishing for another "tough like a viking")

Anna: "No, daddy. Boys aren't cute."

Dad: "What are boys?"

Anna: "Boys are for taking girls to the store."

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January 2012

Anna: "Hey Cobey, come here. I have a present for you."

Cobey: "What is it?"

Anna: "It's not a dolphin, but it's got a 'hai-ya' in it" (for those with trouble understanding, "hai-ya" is the iconic sound cartoon martial artists make when hitting things.

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Anna: "Am I beautiful, daddy?"

Me: "Yes, Anna."

Anna: "Like a princess?"

Me: "Absolutely."

Anna: "You look tough, dad - like a viking."

I go looking for a cookie to positively reinforce this experience.

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Anna doesn't like green food much.  Normally, she will throw a fit if there is lettuce on her plate, even if it is just garnish. "No,no no...I don't want it. It's got leaves on it!"  The other day, mommy was making a salad and cooking.  Little miss isn't allowed in the kitchen during cooking, and mommy threatened Anna with being forced to eat a spinach leaf if she did not comply.

I teased Anna about it and told her she could be like Little Foot from "The Land Before Time."  Suddenly, she was on board with eating 'leaves.'  So, I went and got a leaf and stood like a tree so she could come over and eat leaves like a dinosaur. 

The next day, it was the best game ever, and she kept sneaking into the refridgerator to steal spinach leaves so she could play dinosaur.  I still don't think she actually likes the spinach.  She just loves the game. 

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The above story reminded me of the infamous "coleslaw incident." I like coleslaw.  My wife can't stand it. She hates cabbage in general.  So, I don't get a lot of support trying to get the little girl to try a bite when mom is around.  While out shopping without mom, we stopped by Godiva Chocolate to pick up something special for my wife, but I got an extra piece to placate a little girl who knows that store all too well.  Then, we stopped by Chick-fil-A where I got, among other things, coleslaw for myself (I prefer it to fries).

I shamelessly bribed my daughter.  "If you take one bite of coleslaw, you can have this chocolate."  Well, a little girl knows she wants the good stuff, so she agrees to the bite. 

Suddenly, her face takes on this heartbreaking expression that leaves no room for doubt that she absolutely does not like coleslaw AT ALL.  In fact, she hates it.  She hated it so much that she wouldn't let me eat anymore, either, as she was compelled to save me from this horrible fate.

So I am making a nice dinner, and little Miss decides she wants a "princess cup like mommy."  Being the strict disciplinarian type, I immediately poured her some fruit juice into her own glass.  She the goes on to explain the proper technique for drinking out of one.  Forgive the lighting.  I didn't have time to get something better set up once she started talking.