Mo' Bambina

The Girl turns 3 very soon, and she just gets cooler by the day, IMHO. I love this age because she is really able to express herself verbally and musically (she routinely yells out Mick-style "Brooooown Suuuugar! How come you dance so goood?!"), she has a fantastic and vivid imagination (when playing with a cell phone she routinely chats with her "friend" Lennon. Who is a girl, apparently, and who loves to respond to the statement, "Lennon, tell me about your day"), and yet she is still quite literal ("Mama, you singing the song wrong!" if I put her name into a song about O Susannah or something).

All of which combine for good humor:

Q: Are you my little lollipop?
Bambina: No, I not your lollipop!
Q: Why are you not my lollipop?
Bambina: I don't have a stick!

Q: Are you farting?
Bambina: No, I not farting.
Q: But I think you are; you just were doing it in my face
Bambina. No. I not! I not fart-ING! I fart-ED.

She's really into rules and regs these days, often parroting back my own words:

B: Okay, I be mama, you be Bambina.
Me: Okay.
B: Ask me for some candy.
Me: Mama, can I have some candy? (thinking she's going to hand me some pretend candy)
B: No! You have to eat your dinner first! No candy for you!
Me: (fake disappointment): No candy for me?!
B: You not whine. I not understand you when you whine.

She's been a total gem through all of these changes, transitions and upheavals, and I can't wait to tell her when she's older how amazing she truly was when anyone would excuse a three-year old from losing it. It hasn't been without incident, but I cannot believe how she simply rolls with everything as long as we give her a heads up about changes coming, give her permission to be scared or sad, and then demonstrate through our own words and actions that although this isn't normal, it's still okay. Tonight was my last night putting her to bed for who knows how long (not to mention that I will only be able to see her on webcam till I get home). Bedtime is our special little ritual, so this one meant a huge deal to me. We have talked a little most nights about me "staying over at the doctor's" and how I won't be here for bedtimes for a little while, but today and tonight were the times to tell her that it was imminent. We read books as usual, sang a song as usual. Then she said, "Me not want you to go to the doctors." I said, "I don't want to go either. But I have to go. But I'll be back super soon, and when I get back we'll do a special night time again." She then said, "You bring me a present from the doctors?" I obviously answered yes. She then asked what the present would be, and I said I'd have to think about it. She pressed me to say something but before waiting for my answer said, "you will bring me grown-up minty gum?!" (something she is never allowed even though I chew it like a madwoman). I lied and said yes because I wanted to reassure her that I was indeed coming back, with the gum as collateral. So now I have ten or so days to figure out how to convince her that a candy cane or a starburst fruit chew is gum. Suggestions welcome. Because I don't want to get chastised by a three year old in a mama tone of voice, "Mama! You making up stories. That's not nice."