China

OMgoodness. I just had the most spirited conversation with Emma. And by spirited I mean "What the heck are you talking about, child?"

I pulled out her easel so she could color with her new white board markers while Ben was napping. I was working on my computer when I glanced over at her. She had covered her hands in black dry erase marker. I said:

M: Em, wait wait wait. What are you doing?
E: I am getting ready for China.
M: Huh? China?
E: Yes, MOMMY! I gotta color my hands, I gotta do it for China.
M: No, Emma. Marker stays on the white board. We do not color on our hands. Its dangerous.
E: No, Mom, its not dangerous. I gotta do it. I gotta get ready for China.
M: Sweety, what do you mean by China?
E: (extremely heartfelt) China and the train soccer game!
M: Babe, I'm sorry. I don't understand you. Is China a place?
E: No, Mommy. (then she repeats with tears in her eyes) I gotta get ready for China and the train soccer game.
M: Em, New York is a place, Pennsylvania is a place, California is a place. Is China a place?
E: No, Mommy, I said China is NOT a place. China is a DRAGON.
(Okay, now we are getting somewhere...)
M: China is a dragon? Is he a Dragon from TV? Or did you see China in your dreams? (she often mumbles about a "train soccer game" in her sleep...)
E: China is a dragon from Kai Lan. (a tv show we haven't watched in over a year now)
M: Okay, sweetheart. But you can't color on your hands with markers though because it could soak into your skin and make you sick.
E: Okay, Mom. Can we wipe it off with a wipey?
M: Great idea.

Seriously, she was soooo passionate about China and I had no clue... My brain is tired!