Annada Marie Vergo

Annada cuddling with Grandma during church. Right now Annada is at Peanuts Playhouse with Grandma and Grandpa – so she’s one happy girl.

We had to dress up for the big occasion… Thursday 🙂

Letting her butterflies go. She let 2 go at home and 2 go at school.

Annada says something wise, creative or funny (sometimes all 3) everyday. It’s been a while since I’ve collected them, so here’s a few of my favorites.

Rap

Yesterday I was playing Lacrae’s cd on my computer as we got ready in morning. About half-way through breakfast Annada said, “I don’t like to hear that talking Mommy.”

Once I regained composure I explained to her it’s called rap.

At least we know what kind of music she likes.

Easter photos. Yes, I am really behind.

This week Annada gained an imaginary fairy friend named “Abella”. (Think Isabella except with a soft a to start.) I forget about Abella a lot because Annada doesn’t talk with her out loud.

However, Annada must keep a pretty constant focus on Abella because I she’s pops up out of the blue – usually when I hurt her.

For example, yesterday Annada and I picked up catering for lunch with the summer interns. A man working at Panera carried the bags to my car. When it all didn’t fit in the trunk, he offered to put it in the seat next to Annada. Annada had not mentioned Abella all day.

I had just finished buckling Annada in her car seat when he set the bags next to her.

“Mom!” Annada screamed in anguish. “He’s crushing Abella! Quick, quick. Save Abella. The man blinked, thanked me for my order and walked off. Meanwhile Annada kept yelling, “Abella, are you okay? Mom, help Abella!”

When I picked the bag up Annada asked Abella if she was hurt. Fortunately Annada told me Abella had hid in a crack and survived.

When I asked Annada to describe Abella to me she said, “Abella loves to paint with me. She sleeps with me in my bed but sometimes she sneaks out at night and sleeps with you. Abella snips my food before I eat it. She is a baby fairy. Sometimes if she is very tired she slips into my belly to sleep. (Like a pregnancy.) She is my daughter. I let her in my box to work at school. Only I can hear her.”

Getting ready for the hunt.

Annada and I were playing when she laid on my bed and said she needed a (play) doctor. “What’s wrong with you Annada?” I asked.

“I’m completely destroyed,” she sighed.

Running to the far end - Annada plotted her strategy the night before.

Lately Annada has been wearing her German princess costume a lot. “You can only speak German to me,” she tells me. Then she ignores me if I speak English.

Fortunately, I’ve learned that any words with extra “z’s” in it seems to pass as German.

“Getzz downz stairsz and eat zz breakfastz….”

Marc and I have been married 10 years! So we took some pictures to commemorate. Annada was very sweet about the whole day – until she realized we were going to the Bed and Breakfast without her. I am so grateful for our family!

The jump rope is her Rapunzel hair.

Marc is really tired today but Annada wants to play with him. So he told Annada they could play Sleeping Beauty. He’d be the princess and she could go searching for him. It was brilliant…

Until Annada decided I would be the prince and come looking for both of them.

I won’t let Annada eat animal crackers for breakfast, so she is heartbroken. Annada silently got a blanket and pillow and laid down to cry. When I asked if she feels okay she said, “I’m crying because I don’t have animal crackers.”

Annada has been in full out musical theater mode lately. She sings, with utmost dramatic flair, everywhere she goes. Even when she is talking, she is entertaining. Here are some of my favorite Annadaisms for the last week:

Annada walked up to me today, flung her arms around me, and called out breathlessly, “You are an angel of the stars!”

Annada wanted to dye her hair pink like a couple of the interns. So after the intership was over a couple came over and we had a hair cutting and dying party. I choose dye poorly - it was gone and all over the house 3 hours later. The goggles were all Annada's idea.

This morning Marc told Annada he was going to leave for work. She turned to me, threw her hands above her head and said, “I’ll be crying with tears in my bed because my prince is gone!”

She paused for dramatic effect, then said, “I must go right now.”

Annada ran upstairs and we could hear her over the monitor fake crying loudly on my bed. Then she took a deep breath and ran downstairs to Marc.

“My prince is back!” she called as she wrapped herself around his legs. “Oh I am so happy!”

Hair party ;)

Tonight we let Annada stay up to watch Marc and Brett set off fireworks (Yes, Independence Day is over. But Marc thinks Friday is reason enough to set off fireworks. So is Monday…)

I got her all ready for bed then went out to watch the fireworks. When it was over she asked me what time it was.

“I missed my 7:30 bedtime, Mommy,” she said and started to cry.

We told her she could stay up later in the summer, but she has been asking to go to bed at 7:30 (not when it is actually time for bed, of course).

I asked her why she wanted to go to bed at 7:30.

“It is better because my feelings go away,” she said.

Slightly alarmed at that response I said, “What feelings, Annada?”

“Like hunger and thirst,” she replied. “I’m hungry because I haven’t eaten for a whole hour.”

Waiting in the wings to perform. She waits until we clap to come out.

As we got in the car Annada spontaneously prayed, “Dear God, please help me not do any bad things.”

Then she paused and said, “Mmm hmm. I think I’m doing pretty good at that.”

Annada and I were playing. “Mommy, let’s play that I am the leader. You lay down and I’ll tuck you in for a nap.”

I was curious so I asked, “Does being the leader mean being the mommy?”

“Uh huh,” she returned.

PJ day at school.

Another time Annada and I were playing that she was the mommy. She tucked me into bed on the floor and began tenderly stroking my forehead.

“I’ll protect you,” she said softly, “from mean dinosaurs and wolves. Even if you go outside and in a wolf den I will come and stop the wolves from doing mean things to you.”

Annada's class on pj day. Yes, I am really behind on posting pictures - I am sorry!

While we were at Meme and Pepe’s house, Annada and Meme cut flowers and made a flower arrangement. When I came home Annada grabbed me by the hand and pulled me to her arrangement.

“Mommy, come admire the lovely flowers,” she sang out, sweeping an arm above her head.

Pepe spoiling Annada. I love it :).

Last week I put Annada to bed and jumped in the shower. A few minutes later Annada popped her head in.

“I’m coming to see if there are any wolves in here with you,” she said.

I was about to scold her for getting out of bed when her lower lip started to quiver and her eyes teared up.

Why oh why did I read her little red riding hood?!? Seriously, other parents, be forewarned. Don’t read stories about animals eating people in their beds even if you are trapped in a waiting room with little to do.

While on our road trip I read Annada Alice in Wonderland. It was the Target Dollar Spot version which did cut out the baby eating part (so that’s good).

I wasn’t sure how much Annada was tracking. But when we finished the last chapter Annada quoted the white rabbit perfectly.

“Begin again at the beginning!” she called out. “And keep on going until the end.”

Free play at a gym by our home.

Annada told me, “Dinosaurs are mean because they are hungry. So I will feed them granola bars, leaves and fresh water.”

More gym time.

Here’s my favorite. After Marc finishes reading to Annada and putting her pjs on at night he sends her downstairs to get me so I can pray, talk and sing to her.

For at least a year, when I would hear her coming I would call out, “Is there a cute little girl coming to see me?”

This week, Annada changed the routine. When she gets to the top of the stairs she calls down, “Mommy! There is a cute little girl coming to see you!”

Then she giggles and runs down the stairs to find me.

Playing with Daddy's childhood toys.

Tonight at bedtime Annada prayed, “Dear God. I love you. I know love comes from your heart to mine. I love you so. So I know you love me too. Amen.”