31 October 2016

Madelyn was dressed as Hermione today for Halloween. While we were out trick-or-treating, she was playing the part pretty well. She would flick her wand and say "Lumos!" for me to turn on the light I had with us. The, she would say "Nox!" for me to turn it off. One older woman played along and treated it like the coolest thing she had ever seen. It was great!

30 October 2016

While eating dinner at a party today:

Madelyn put some food into her mouth and mumbled something indecipherable that sounded a little like "mmmm".

Me: What?

She pointed to the different things on her plate and mumbled again.

Tony: Use your words.
Madelyn, after swallowing her food: It's all so yummy!

(Points for not talking with food in her mouth!)

29 October 2016

We don't usually let the girls have Luncheables. In fact, I don't think they ever have had one. For lunch today, that was an easy option of something they could eat in the car. 

Me: Daddy and Alyson are going to go to the grocery store while we're at soccer. They're going to pick up stuff for lunch in the car. How about a Luncheable? Do you want ham or turkey?
Madelyn, excited: I've always wanted a Luncheable!

28 October 2016

Madelyn was looking at the Target toy catalogue and working on her Christmas list. She saw some Paw Patrol toys and told me, "Mommy, I don't think I'm outgrowing Paw Patrol because it says here that it's ages 3 and up."

27 October 2016

During Madelyn's piano lesson today, she played her teacher a few songs she had written herself. That led to a discussion about composers. Before dinner:

Me: If you keep up with music, some day you could be a composer and write a musical like "Hamilton"?
Madelyn, excited: Really?!?!?!?
Tony: Yup, and we can go to a music store and buy you music books for simplified music from musicals.
Madelyn: Oh, yay! There are lots of songs I want to learn how to play!

26 October 2016

Madelyn is very excited about Halloween. Her school is doing their parties and parade on Friday instead of on Halloween.

Before taking a shower tonight:

Madelyn: We'll need to make my hair poofy!
Tony: That isn't until Friday.
Madelyn: I know! I'm just reminding you!

25 October 2016

One of the ongoing themes in "Hamilton" is that Alexander Hamilton felt that he had to make a name for himself. 

Madelyn: Why did Hamilton have to name himself?
Me: What do you mean?
Madelyn: Didn't he already have a name? Why did he need to make one?

I then explained what the phrase meant.

24 October 2016

Madelyn has a taste of some (smoothly blended) butternut squash soup that I made last night. She almost instantly made the face she makes when she doesn't like what she is eating.

Me: You don't like it, do you?
Madelyn: No.
Me: That's okay. What don't you like about it?
Madelyn, thinking: I don't like it because it's...too mushy.

23 October 2016

Madelyn: When can I have a cell phone?
Me: When Daddy and I think you're responsible enough to have one, and that will be when you're older.

Later, when Madelyn was saying good night to Tony, she randomly told him, "Mommy says I can have a phone when I'm responsible enough for it, which won't be for a while."

22 October 2016

We had been listening to parts of the "Hamilton" soundtrack this afternoon. One of the conflicts in the musical is that Alexander Hamilton had an affair and his wife found out. We didn't listen to any songs regarding this. During dinner:

Madelyn: Was Hamilton good or bad?
Me: He was mostly good, but even good people do bad things sometimes.
Madelyn: What did he do?
Me, thinking: He made bad decisions.
Madelyn: Like what?
Tony: He hurt his wife's feelings.
Madelyn: How?
Me: He lied about being friends with someone he shouldn't have been.
Madelyn: Why couldn't they be friends?
Me: It's more important that he lied.
Madelyn: But why couldn't they be friends.
Tony: For now, just believe us or we'll give away too much of the story.
Madelyn: Okay, fine.

21 October 2016

I was asking Madelyn about some details for her birthday to try to be able to book it. The place she wants to do works with Ben & Jerry's for ice cream cakes.

Me: Do you want a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cake for your party?
Madelyn, confused: Huh? What's Ben & Jerry's?

20 October 2016

After school, Madelyn started telling me all about a ninja story she had written in school. It was the most complicated and detailed thing I had heard. There were two ninja kids (brother and sister) who attended ninja school in the Philippines. They used ninja stars for their weapons, but had to wear special suits so that the stars didn't hurt them. In the story, they were battling a lightning storm in Alaska where it was raining lightning instead of water. After she finished telling me all about it:

Me: That was a very detailed story.
Madelyn: Yeah, [teacher] had me present it to my class today, but I left out a lot of the details because I thought it might be too much.

19 October 2016

Alyson was play whining to Madelyn. Madelyn must have heard someone say this before because she said to Alyson, "Do we need to get that crib back? Because right now you're acting like a baby."

18 October 2016

Madelyn was the first one to soccer practice this evening. She was kicking the soccer ball around with her couches as I told on of them about my marathon time since we had talked about running before. Madelyn ran around kicking the ball and excitedly yelled to them, "I'M GOING TO RUN TWO 5K'S NEXT YEAR!!!"

17 October 2016

During dinner we were talking about possible races next year for ourselves and the girls. After I listed off eight possible races I could do, Madelyn urged, "Eight races? DO IT!"

16 October 2016

Multiple times today, Madelyn said some variation on the following:

"Mommy, you want to go run another marathon right now! Daddy, you want to go run a mile and then a marathon!"

Each time she changed the distances and tried to make it sound as bad (and sarcastic) as she could.

15 October 2016

During dinner at Mom and Dad's:

Mom: We had strawberry Jell-O for dessert last night.
Me to Madelyn: With bananas and Cool Whip and a cherry?
Madelyn, looking at me like she can't believe I knew: Yeah!
Me: See, I'm psychic.
Madelyn: Or you have text messages with Grandma.

14 October 2016

I went to Madelyn's school today to help with their Fun Run kick-off assemblies. When Madelyn's class came in, her teacher pulled me aside slightly and told me that Madelyn has been so excited all day because she would get to see me. When we left the girls at Mom and Dad's this afternoon before heading to our marathon, I was telling them about this. Madelyn piped up with, "Well, it's true!"

13 October 2016

Madelyn drew a picture of a ninja, but spelled in "ninga".

Me: Great picture! Just so you know, though, you spelled ninja wrong. You're really close, though. It's n-i-n-j-a, not n-i-n-g-a. At least you had a similar letter and not "ninpa" or something silly like that.
Madelyn: I could have spelled it n-i-n-p-i-e and then it would have been "nin-pie"!

12 October 2016

After her bath tonight, I was braiding Madelyn's wet hair to see how poofy it will be when dry and if that will work for her Halloween costume. While I was braiding it into many little braids, she asked me, "What if you use all of my hair in the braids?" Isn't that the point?

11 October 2016

We often have interesting dinner conversation.

Alyson: How do you die?
Me, not sure how to answer: What do you mean?
Alyson: How do you die?
Me: Do you how your body stops living or what can make you die?
Madelyn: Or do you mean how do you dye something to add color like when people color their hair and not passing away?
Alyson: Yeah! How to add color! How do you dye?
Madelyn: Okay, you can dip things in colored water.
Alyson: Okay!

Only sisters understand each other this way.

10 October 2016

Today was Open House at Madelyn's school. I had told her that I didn't think I would be able to come. As I walked into her classroom, she almost jumped off of the rug (the teacher was reading them a story) as she yelled, "Hi, Mommy!" She then spent the entire story time trying not to bounce in excitement.

09 October 2016

Alyson is going through a phase of asking how big is God. She asked again during breakfast this morning. Madelyn had a good answer.

Alyson, holding her hands out: Is God bigger than this?
Me: Yes.
Madelyn: Is God bigger than a tree?
Me, to Madelyn: God is bigger than anything you can understand.
Madelyn: So, God is infinity and beyond big!

08 October 2016

Before bed, Madelyn was reading me part of a story. She had problems with a word.

Madelyn, stuttering: Rev-eng-G. Rev-veng. Rev-eng.
Me: Let me see which word. [She points.] Revenge.
Madelyn: Oh! Revenge!

Honestly, "revenge" is a tricky word.

07 October 2016

On our way out for a walk this evening, Madelyn said to Alyson, "Let's play beach walk! While we're outside we'll pretend we're walking along the shore." That lasted all of two seconds before they both started running.

06 October 2016

Madelyn: When are you going to give me money so that I can buy my books at the Book Fair?
Me: Daddy will be there volunteering on Monday.
Madelyn: But, when can I buy my books? [Teacher] said we need to have our parents give us money and bring in our wish lists.
Me: Yes, but Daddy will be there on Monday with your list and money. He'll get your books for you.
Madelyn: Ohhhh....

05 October 2016

On the way home from the bus stop this afternoon:

Madelyn: Can I play the iPad when we get home?
Me: How about if we go outside for a little bit, and then you can play while I fix dinner?
Madelyn: Okay! [She started singing about nature.]

When I was going inside to fix dinner:

Me: I'm going inside to fix dinner. You can stay outside to play, but you need to stay in the front yard.
Madelyn: But you said we could have screen time!
Me: Okay, come inside.
Madelyn: Yay! Screen time! Screen time!

04 October 2016

At the end of soccer practice today, another mom made a comment that pretty soon it'll be dark before their practice ends. In the car on the way home:

Madelyn: Why did another mom say that it'll be dark before practice ends?
Me: Because it is getting darker earlier every day.
Madelyn: But, I don't want it to be dark during practice! How will we see?!?!

03 October 2016

Before dinner, the girls were playing with Playdoh. Madelyn had made a boy by attaching Playdoh body parts to the toy rolling pin in the set. When it was time to clean up, she sing-songed, "I'm taking apart my little man. Bye bye, Little Man!"

02 October 2016

We had some California Rolls with dinner tonight. It had bright orange roe on it.

Madelyn: What is the orange stuff?
Me, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to give too many details: Roe. It doesn't taste like much of anything.
Madelyn: It looks like sprinkles!

01 October 2016

Madelyn wanted me to come upstairs to see the "Halloween Village" party decorations they put up and attend their party. Obviously, since it's now October, it's Halloween party time. 

Me: Okay, but I need to come back downstairs in ten minutes for the race announcement on Facebook in case people have questions.
Madelyn: You can be at the party on your phone if you need to. I didn't make any rules about electronics.

I was able to participate without being on my phone at all, thank you very much.