Conversations with an Eight Year Old

Belated picture of the
birthday princess.

Me: Reading Percy Jackson first chapter where the story of Kronos and Zeus as related by a twelve year old boy.
Brynna: No way! Kronos had SIX kids!?! SIX?!? That is totally crazy.
Me: Okay, so this guy eats his kids who don't die and continue to grow up in his stomach only to be sliced out by a kid that he thought coulda been a rock. And they all sprang out and fought a war and threw him in a big hole with no bottom and you are blown away that he had six kids? That's the crazy part of this story from where you're sittin'?
Brynna: SIX KIDS! That's totally crazy. Can you even imagine having six kids?*
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Brynna: You know what, Maren. It doesn't even hurt me when you punch me there anymore. You've done it so much it doesn't hurt at all. You're not hurting me.
Maren: Considers this, then, leans over and punches her leg.
Brynna: Oww. Why would you do that?**
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Maren: And then, I dropped the bowl and got fire and blood on my hands. And I went in and woke up Mommy and told her there was fire and blood on my hands and she said to wash my hands...
Brynna: Wait. I thought Mommy was helping you make the cupcakes.
Maren: She was.
Brynna: Then why did you have to wake her up.
Maren: ... So, I went and washed my hands and got the fire and blood off of them and then I asked if I could sleep in her bed and Mommy said yes, but then she told me to go to my room.
Me: Because you kept kicking me. I have bruises.
Maren: ... So, I went in my room and I cried. And cried. And cried.
Me: Maren, you understand that some of that was a dream? You didn't really have fire and blood on your hands?
Maren: You told me to wash it off.
Me: Yes, because there was nothing there but you were convinced there was.
Maren: Because there was fire and blood.
Me: Okay, but only in your dream.
Maren: Mommy. No. There was fire. And blood.
Brynna: Mom, I think Maren is having a difficult time separating reality from dreams, so you should probably just let this go.

*I'm not sure if this means that I have overemphasized the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Oh well, I don't think I'll regret this when she's fifteen so there's that.

**I don't know, Brynna, why would you tell the person punching you how they could make it hurt more. Seems like you're just as much at fault here.