Remember When ↠ l.p.

Decide...or be tickled!

I pull my phone away from my ear and shake my head at the screen. Call ended, reads the screen. I shut it off and place it on the coffee table in front of me. Cailyn was waiting patiently by my elbow, unsuccessfully trying to listen in while I talked to mom. Her light brown hair covers one eye as she tilts her head up at me.

"What did Gramma say? Did she say hi to me?" she asks, becoming more energetic now that I'm off the phone and she doesn't have to be as quiet.

"Grandma had to go, Papa needed her help with something apparently. She said she might call back later, maybe you can talk to her then mija." I brush the hair out of her face and smile down at her. "So what are we going to do with the rest of the day huh?"

She frowns and wrinkles her nose, tapping her chin exaggeratedly. "I think..." she pauses "I think that we should play a lot and then see a cartoon after lunch." 

"Hmmm, we'll see about the cartoon. Maybe if you do something educational too. And what would you like for lunch anyway? I haven't decided what to make." I rub her belly, tickling her sides as she tries to wiggle away.

"Mommy!" she tries to push my hand away "Stop!! Because I can't decide!"

"Do you surrender?" I ask her, still tickling. "I'll only stop if you say I've won, hahaha!" I mock laughing evilly. 

"I surrender!" and she manages to wiggle away, off the couch too. I sit back and grin at her as she watches me warily before sitting down on the floor, across from me.

"I want soup for lunch. The kind with the funny beans." she nods happily and then rushes to add, "And lots and lots of rice too."

"That sounds like a very yummy, healthy lunch. Good choice!" I wink at her and head into the kitchen to start the rice and begin chopping carrots for the soup. I plug in my phone to the speakers in the kitchen and play some songs from the Midnight Memories album. I smile at hearing the songs from several years ago. It seems like such a long time has passed since then...

The land line phone rings and I quickly pause the music to answer it. It's probably mom calling back... "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Isabella Sandoval?" 

"Liam?" I ask surprised that he's called back so quickly. "I didn't expect you to have news so soon!"

"Well I wish it was news, as it is I'm just calling to let you know that we have one of your barbie dolls. I don't know how she managed to get it...I was watching her when we left. I'm really sorry. I just wanted to let you know..." he trails off and my heart drops a little at hearing this. I instantly wish that it hadn't, I didn't want to care! 

I just realized that I've used "mija" several times and I never really explained what it meant. It's Spanish for "my daughter" or a term of endearment. Before I learned the literal translation I called my baby sister that and my grandmother still calls me by it. Although Isabella isn't heavily influenced by her Spanish roots (via her dad's family) she still has a few touches in her life :)  Vote & comment please!!