.....And Then I Had Kestrel.....

Did you know that in Old English Kestrel means "falcon"? Did you also know that in several other modern languages and some ancient ones that Kestrel means" crappy little craphead"?

In addition to her discovering the wonderful words "I hate you!", which she employs often, she has also taken to calling us "Dumbass" when the mood moves her. But I think my favorite thing of all time that she has learned recently is to spit. Now, where she goes for daycare, there is obviously a cultural permission of regular expelling of sputum, as I have witnessed the mother doing so often as we are leaving the house. She works up a big one and lets it fly outside. Okay, she directs it toward the ground, but I am thinking that there is no way with Kestrel's skills of observation, that she is going to miss out on this fun activity and has taken to spitting in the most inappropriate places. The first time I witnessed it, we were grocery shopping and she simply leaned over and gobbed onto the floor. This naturally repulsed me to no end and I admonished her greatly, while looking furtively around to see if anyone else had witnessed this disgusting display.

Today she was playing outside in the snow with her dad and I was looking out the window at her. She looked at me, stuck her tongue out, then I watched as she worked up a loogie and spat it towards me! But the kicker was when I was later standing at the doorway to the kitchen and suddenly felt something wet on the back on my leg. When I turned around, there was Kes grinning wickedly at me with milk dribbling down her chin - the remains of what she had HOARKED DOWN THE BACK OF MY LEG!

I used to have a good life. I had one perfect daughter who rarely gave me trouble. And then I had Kestrel.