31 January 2014

This evening, I tried teaching Madelyn a new game, but she just kept covering her eyes and saying:

"Marlo. Polo."

She didn't quite get it no matter how many times I told her what to say.

30 January 2014

First

When GG is back in her room for a while, Madelyn will go back to check-up on her. This morning before breakfast, Madelyn went to see what she was doing:

Madelyn: GG, whatcha doing?
GG: I'm getting ready to make my bed.
Grandma, from the kitchen: Madelyn, breakfast is ready.
Madelyn went out to the kitchen and said to Grandma: GG is getting ready to make her bed. You should go back and help her.

Second

When I picked Madelyn up from preschool, her teacher told me that they made cards for soldiers today. Madelyn wanted this written on the card she made:

"Thank you for keeping the zombies away from the earth."

(Yes, that went on the card because the teacher thought it was hilarious and couldn't resist.)

Third

As usual, Madelyn didn't want to leave Grandma and Grandpa's when it was time to go home.

Me: Well, if you stay here, Grandma will put you to work.
Madelyn: How will she put me to work?
Me: She'll make you do chores.
Madelyn: What are chores?
Me: You'll have to clean the house, dust, vacuum...
Grandma: With the really loud vacuum!
Me: You'll have to both fix dinner and clean the dishes, and then you'll have to do some laundry.
Madelyn: I'm ready to go now.

29 January 2014

While pushing Alyson around in the wheeled crate:

"I'm taking Alyson shopping!"

She then proceeded to push Alyson around and put toys into the crate with her until:

"Mommy, Alyson is standing!"

Then, a confused Alyson had to get out.

28 January 2014

First

While enjoying some frozen yogurt on our outing this afternoon:

Madelyn: What day is it?
Me: Tuesday.
Madelyn: What month?
Me: January.
Madelyn: What number?
Me: 28.
Madelyn: Today is January 28?
Me: Yup.
Madelyn: What day is Thursday?
Me: January 30th.
Madelyn, gasping in "shock" and very dramatically: Dun duh duh!

Second

As we were leaving the mall:

Madelyn: I hate cold! I don't like all of this.
Me: Are you saying that because Ellie said it?
Madelyn: Yeah, but I want it warm again. When will it be warm again?
Me: In a couple months or so.
Madelyn: So, not tomorrow but the next day?

27 January 2014

While leaving the Maryland Women's Basketball game tonight, the parking lot was well lit enough to produce some pretty good shadows:

"I'm trying to walk in Daddy's shade!"

26 January 2014

First

This morning before leaving for church, Madelyn was asking what we were doing today. After reminding her that we were going to my mom and dad's for my birthday dinner later in the day, Madelyn said:

"I hope Grandma and Grandpa wrapped presents for you because everyone gets presents on their birthday."

Second

(How could I forget this one?)

Madelyn: My bathroom sink needs cleaning. 
Me: Okay, you can clean it. 
Madelyn: No, Daddy will do it when he feels like it. 

(Future husband/partner better watch out!)

25 January 2014

After cake photos at Terry's, we went to Silver Diner for my birthday dinner. While there:

Madelyn: Mommy, how old are you?
Me: 31.
Madelyn: Daddy, how old are you?
Tony: 31.
Me: If you ask me tomorrow I'll be a different age.
Tony: But I'll still be 31.
Madelyn: How old will you be tomorrow?
Me: What comes after 31?
Madelyn: 32. And then you'll be 33, then 34, 35, 36....

24 January 2014

Multiple times today while playing with Grandpa in the living room, Alyson would stand up on her own. Madelyn would get really excited and call to Grandma in the kitchen:

"Grandma! Grandma! Come quick! Alyson's standing! .... Never mind...."

23 January 2014

First

After I asked her if she wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner:

"Yum! Yum! Yes!"

Second

She informed me while getting ready for bed:

"It's sunny when the clouds have too much sun. It snows when the clouds have too much snow. It rains when the clouds have too much rain. It rains leaves when the clouds have too much wind."

22 January 2014

First

While finishing up breakfast this morning:

Me: How much snow do you think we got?
Tony: About 8
Madelyn: 8 miles of snow!?!

We then started explaining to her that it's less than a mile to a couple places she knows and that 8 miles would be a whole lot of snow. Her grasp of it all:

"That would be like 100 degrees away from Nana and Poppop's!"

Second

After Madelyn was in bed and I had come downstairs, she called for me over the monitor. Using the intercom feature on our monitor:

Madelyn: Mommy....
Me: What do you need, Madelyn?
Madelyn: I want a kiss.
Me: I gave you a kiss before I went to feed Alyson.
Madelyn: I want another kiss.
Me: Well, that's going to cost you extra.
Madelyn:....
Me: How much money do you have to pay?
Madelyn: Like $25.
Me: You want to pay $25 for a kiss?
Madelyn: Yeah...
Me: Okay, I'll be up in a few minutes.

I go up there and give her a kiss.

Madelyn: I want 25 kisses!
Me: No, you were supposed to pay me $25 for one kiss.
Madelyn: Oh...

(And, no, I did not really charge her for an extra kiss.)

21 January 2014

Quite randomly, almost a month after Christmas:

"Can I write a thank you letter to Santa for my Rudolph? Will the Polar Express take it to him?"

(Yes, she did write the letter.)

20 January 2014

Months ago, Madelyn discovered that our kitchen trashcan is magnetic. Most of the magnets made their way from the fridge to the trashcan since then. Madelyn and Alyson both play with them. Earlier in the evening, Madelyn was asking me if magnets stick to things that are metal. I told her that they stuck to things that are magnetic. Right before dinner, Alyson had a magnet and was laying it on the stool we keep in the kitchen. Madelyn saw her and said with 4-year-old know-it-all attitude:

"Uh, sister.... My stool's not magnetic!"

19 January 2014

We went to IKEA after the Maryland Women's Basketball game. While eating dinner there, an overweight man walked by, and Madelyn asked:

"Why is that man's belly so big?"

We then proceeded to explain to her that people come in all shapes and sizes. The joys of little kids.... At least she didn't say it loud enough for him to hear. :-/

18 January 2013

To her Auntie Julie while they were playing before Alyson's party:

"I'm a good big sister. I'm good at taking care of my little sister. Except sometimes I make her mad... and sad."

17 January 2014

This (paraphrased) conversation just happened over the monitor:

Me: Why were you out of bed?
Madelyn: Because I had a bad dream.
Me: You had a bad dream already?
Madelyn: Yeah....
Me: What was it about?
Madelyn: It was about that there was an elephant at the door.
Me: There was an elephant at the door?
Madelyn: Yeah.
Me: Was it at your bedroom door or the front door.
Madelyn: It was at the front door and I got spooked.
Me: Well, I think an elephant is too big to get into the house.
Madelyn: It was a baby elephant.
Me: I haven't seen any roaming elephants around here lately. I think we're safe.
Madelyn: Maybe you could do a spell to keep them away.
Me: Abracadabra. Abrakazam. All of the elephants run away and scram!
Madelyn: Thanks, Mommy.
Me: You're welcome. Good night.
Madelyn: Good night.
Me: Love ya.
Madelyn: Love ya too.

(Before bed, we always say a spell to keep the monsters away. Just replace "elephants" above with "monsters".)

16 January 2014

Pretty much every day when we leave Grandma and Grandpa's, Madelyn pretends that she is roller skating and needs her grandma to keep her from falling. Grandma also pretends that she is going to fall and needs Madelyn's help, especially when Madelyn is stalling and won't go to the car. Today when Grandma was "falling", Madelyn got to her and said:

"Phew! I got there in the neck of time!"

15 January 2013

I instituted a rule with Madelyn that she can only watch Doc McStuffins on preschool days in an effort to limit her screen time more. On the way home from Mom's today, which was not a preschool day, we had this conversation:

Madelyn: Can I watch Doc McStuffins? I didn't even watch much TV today.
Me: What did you watch?
Madelyn: <A show that I don't remember what she said>, Paw Patrol, Team Umizoomi.... (She was also watching Dora when I got there to pick them up.)
Me: No, I think you had enough today. We need to take the photos of your sister anyway.
Madelyn, excitedly: Okay!

(Madelyn is taking a photo of Alyson for sharing tomorrow since it's Alyson's first birthday, and she wants to tell her class about her sister. Sweet.)

14 January 2014

First

Telling me what she had for snack at preschool today:

"I devoured my lemon poppyseed muffin, I really devoured my strawberries, and I totally devoured my animal crackers."

Second

Madelyn went with Grandma and G.G. to G.G.'s podiatrist appointment today. While there, she told everyone that:

"I have lots of energy and that's why I talk so much."

13 January 2014

Madelyn and I ordered toys for Alyson's birthday presents from yoyo.com on Saturday. They were delivered today, and she knew they were coming today (Yup, fast delivery. The "Familyhood" of sites is that awesome.)

Madelyn, looking at the three packages waiting for us when we got home: Mommy! Alyson's presents came! Which box are they in?
Me, pointing to the largest box: This one.
Madelyn: Can we open it up?
Me: Well, let's get it inside first.

Once we have the packages and everyone inside:

Madelyn: Okay, can we see Alyson's presents now?
Me: Not with Alyson in the room.
Madelyn: Okay, I'll lure her into the playroom so we can open it.

Madelyn walks back to the playroom, turns the light on, and starts calling for Alyson to come. After a few minutes, Madelyn has Alyson playing just inside the playroom. She runs back out to the living room.

Madelyn: Okay, Alyson is in the playroom! Can we open it now?
Me: Okay, but be quiet about it.

We open the box and Madelyn tries to play with both toys. I convince her that we need to put it back in the box and wrap them tomorrow. You would think it's her
birthday. ;-)

12 January 2014

Today, we exchanged Christmas gifts and had dinner with Bill and Amanda. During dinner:

Madelyn: Oh, Amanda....
Me, unintentionally cutting her off: Hey, Madelyn, what are your two favorite words right now?
Madelyn: Oh and Amanda.

(Expected answer: apparently and devour.)

11 January 2014

Alyson made some hand motion that looked like the sign for fish. I think she was actually trying to reach something on Madelyn's plate. 

Madelyn: That's the sign for fish!
Alyson puts her hand to her mouth and starts making "ah, ah, ah" noises.
Madelyn: No! Don't eat the fish!

10 January 2014

At "brinner" tonight:

Madelyn: Can I have some sausage?
Tony: Let me cut it.
Madelyn, eating the piece Tony gave her quickly: I love it! ... I DON'T like it.
Me: Which one?
Madelyn: The spicy one.

(It was hot sausage that we knew she wouldn't like, but of course we let her try it. Yeah, she ate the piece but she didn't like it.)

09 January 2014

Madelyn was a little worried that it was too dark this morning:

"I'm not sure if the sun is going to come up today."

08 January 2014

While Tony was trying to get Madelyn to get dressed this morning:

Madelyn: What do penguins say?
Tony: Please take off your pajamas and get dressed.
Madelyn: That's not what penguins say!

07 January 2014

Not particularly funny, but appropriate. When we were walking to the car after I picked her up from preschool:

"Brrrrrr! It's cold!!!"

06 January 2014

While I was fixing dinner, the girls were playing mostly in the kitchen. Alyson would stand up at Madelyn's stool and push it across the room. Paraphrased a bit because I was too busy fixing dinner to write it down. :-(

Madelyn: No, Alyson, you cannot stand up! I glued your legs to the floor with the strongest glue ever! You are stuck there.

Madelyn walks into the living room and Alyson stands up again.

Madelyn comes back: No! Alyson! I said you cannot stand up!

Alyson just looks at her like uh-huh sister.....

05 January 2014

I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning. Madelyn was bouncing around upstairs with only the energy that a 4-year-old can have. She came in to see what I was doing.

Madelyn: Mommy, are you going to get up?
Me: No. I want to sleep. Why do you have so much energy?
Madelyn: Because I slept really good! You should sleep to get energy. You need to sleep 8 hours.
Me: So, I should go back to sleep for 8 hours?
Madelyn: Yup.
Me: Okay, why don't you go tell Daddy that you told me to sleep for another 8 hours?
Madelyn, walks off: Daddy! Mommy said she's gonna sleep for 8 hours.

04 January 2014

All of these happened in the 10 minute drive from one birthday party to the next today.

First

"The snow is like glue because they are both white."

Second

Talking about deciding that she is going to be a sheriff when she grows up and making sure that there can be girl and boy sheriffs:

"Maybe Grandpa can be a boy sheriff when he grows up."

Third

Seeing a sign for a vineyard:

"There are grapes on the sign so we need to watch out for bumps in the road or grapes."

03 January 2014

Tony was teasing Madelyn and telling her that when he finished his plate at dinner he would then move onto hers, then Alyson's, and then mine. She didn't want him to do that. 

"If you eat all this food, you'll get a real big bad tummy ache."

02 January 2014

While driving home from Mom's:

Madelyn: Maybe we can play Happy Birthday again tomorrow.
Me: Were you celebrating everyone's birthday?
Madelyn: No, just the grown-ups. GG, Grandma, Grandpa, and me.

01 January 2014

Okay, let me first start this off by saying that I mean absolutely no offense to any pregnant mommas out there, but this was funny!

We met a random family with a 4-year-old girl at the Aquarium today. Madelyn and the little girl instantly bonded and tried getting a playdate set up before we left. After we left, I was explaining to Madelyn that we probably wouldn't see them again for a while because the mom is pregnant and due Jan. 19. Her response:

"She looked like Santa because she had big belly."