Janae logic

We were driving home after school and I saw a guy selling strawberries on the corner (sounds sketchy, but he's there all the time...). So I pulled the van over to ask him how much for the flat. He told me $25, and I said that I didn't have enough cash, but we'd be back another time. As we drove away, Janae starts flipping out that I didn't buy the strawberries right then. I told her that I thought they were kind of expensive, and I could buy them cheaper at Costco. She said, "how much do they cost at Costco." "$12," I said (for 4# if anyone is wondering...). Janae asked, "How much did the guy charge?" "$25," I said. Then, without even missing a beat she said, "mom, just go back to the guy and say that you'll only pay him $12, 'cause that's what you'd pay at Costco." Umm...when did she get such good negotiating skills? I swear, one day she'll be a hostage negotiator - she always has an answer/backup plan for everything.

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A few nights ago I was making homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner. I was in the kitchen cutting up the chicken breasts into cubes to put into the soup. Janae came up to see what I was doing. Here is how the conversation went:

Janae: What is that?

Me: chicken.

J: Wait. Like chicken? Like real chickens?

M: Yes

J: Like from the farmers?

M: Yes

J: Are those the chicken's guts?

M: No, not their guts, but their meat.

J: But Mom, the farmers need those chickens.

M: For what?

J: For their farms.

M: Honey, the farmers raise the chickens from little baby chicks, then when they are big enough the farmers sell them to the stores. That's how we get chicken meat to eat.

J: (looking aghast) MOM! That's disgusting. They cut up the real chickens to EAT?

M: Yes honey, that's what chickens are for; that and for laying eggs.

J: Nasty, Mom.

I know this came about because they studied chickens at school, and even had an incubator to watch chicks hatch in their classroom. I was surprised that she still ate the chicken out of her soup. I thought for sure she was going to boycott chicken.

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Janae is working on the art of getting what she wants from Kiera without actually telling Kiera. Here is an example. The girls are at the table coloring.

J: Kiera, I need to use that blue crayon that you have. Can I have it?

K: No. It's mine.

J: Ok. Oh, look!! I will use this green crayon. It's PERFECT! I love green crayons. I'll just use green. Green is my favorite.

K: I want the green crayon.

J: Ok. Here.

K: Thank you Ja-day (that's how she says Janae)

And then J picks up K's discarded blue.

Like I said - she's got some hostage negotiator skills

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A few nights ago (same night as the strawberry bargaining) J's school had a BBQ and open house to celebrate the end of the school year. J did not want to leave - she was just certain that there was more to do and we were missing something. She threw a fit the whole way home (well, the strawberry man distracted her for a few minutes). Once we got in the door we had this conversation:

J: I'm going back to the school right now.

M: Well, I'm not taking you. Its time for bed.

J: I'm going to walk. I know how to get there.

J: Its getting dark outside, and besides, what if a bad person approaches you?

J: (without hesitation) I will trick them.

M: How are you going to trick them?

J: If someone comes up to me and asks me to get in their car, or asks if I'm lost, I will just tell them that I am 17 and I know where I'm going.

M: (trying to keep a straight face) Janae, I'm sorry, but you don't look old enough to be 17. And besides, sometimes bad guys kidnap teenagers and even mommies. It doesn't matter how old you are. It's not safe to walk by yourself, especially at night.

J: Oh. Fine. (and she stomped off...)

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Usually Janae will come in and wake me up if she needs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Last night I wake up to Janae standing next to my bed whispering to me. This is what she says, "Mom, I went in and went potty all by myself, and I didn't even have to come wake you up!" Ummmm, great honey!