30 April 2017

Madelyn's foot has been hurting her a little for the last few days. I'm pretty sure she needs new shoes. She claimed it was bothering her after her race today.

Madelyn: I'm going to go over there.
Me: Okay, just stay with your sister.
Madelyn: Fine, I'll just limp over to that tree.

As she walked away, I didn't notice any limping going on.

29 April 2017

As we were driving to the University of Maryland today, we drove past IKEA. Alyson recognized the sign, but couldn't remember what it spelled or what the store name was. Madelyn was trying to give her hints.

Madelyn: What store has ice cream?
Alyson: The ice cream store?
Madelyn: Well, yes, but no. It also sells furniture.
Alyson: Oh, IKEA!

28 April 2017

Yesterday, we planted an Eastern Red Cedar sapling that Madelyn got from school in a large pot until we figure out a permanent home for it. When she got home today, she insisted on checking on it.

Madelyn: It still looks really good!
Me: Yup, it looks about the same as yesterday.
Madelyn: But, it's still there!

27 April 2017

This afternoon, I took the girls to try to find gold hair clips to use for their aunt Becca's wedding. While we were paying, the computer froze up and we had to wait.

Cashier: I have no idea what this computer is doing. It's never done this before.
Madelyn: If Daddy was here, he could fix it!

26 April 2017

Before bed, Madelyn and I were talking a little about her adventures with Bill tomorrow.

Madelyn: What time and I going to school tomorrow?
Me: You're not.
Madelyn: So, I'm spending all day with Bill?
Me: No, but by the time you get home, school will be close enough to over that there will be no reason for you to go.
Madelyn: Oh...
Me: Did you want to go to school?
Madelyn: Well, yeah....

She's fine with it. Silly girl.

25 April 2017

Alyson was dancing around in the hall before bed like the silly four-year-old she is. It was a combination of spinning, jumping, waving her arms, and sticking out her butt and shaking it. Madelyn was brushing her teeth, but not having much success at ignoring Alyson. At one point when Alyson was shaking her butt, Madelyn laughed and exclaimed, "Oh, she just cracks me up!"

24 April 2017

Madelyn is spending Thursday morning with her godfather for Take Your Child to Work Day. I asked her teacher today if there is anything she wants Madelyn to do about the day, like write anything.

Me: Madelyn, on Thursday afternoon, you need to draw a picture or write about what you saw and learned with Bill.
Madelyn, whining: Why?!?!
Me: Because your teacher wants you to present it to the class and tell your class about your day on Friday.
Madelyn, suddenly excited: Oh! Okay!

22 April 2017

As Madelyn was going to bed, which was an hour or so later than usual:

Me: You're tired.
Madelyn: Yup...
Me: Me too. I probably won't be up too much longer because I'm exhausted.
Madelyn, slightly scolding: Well, you did stay up past midnight last night....

20 April 2017

During dinner we were discussing the plan for tomorrow.

Me to Madelyn: During packet pickup, you'll need to babysit Alex. Do you think you can handle that? Ms. Kaitlyn says that she likes to get into everything now.
Madelyn, excited: Really? Sure! I'll make sure she stays near the adults and doesn't wander off or get into anything she isn't supposed to. I'll be sure to watch her the ENTIRE time!
Alyson: I'll keep the baby away from the adults so that she doesn't chew on their pants.

19 April 2017

Priorities, right?

Madelyn, as we walked home from the bus: I don't want to go run 25 minutes straight.
Me: Why not? If you do your run, you can get a milkshake at Silver Diner tonight.
Madelyn, suddenly very excited: OKAY!

18 April 2017

As Madelyn got off the bus today, she had a big smile on her face and was holding her arm up so that I could see the huge bandaid on her elbow.

Me: What did you do?
Madelyn, proud of herself: I fell at recess and slid on the blacktop.
Me: Ouch. So, I'm guessing you saw the nurse.
Madelyn, even more excited: Yup! I saw her twice today! I had to go back because the bandaid came off, so she used THREE bandaids to hold this one on.

(She's fine. I even changed the bandaid again and it isn't a bad scrape at all. It'll just take a few days to heal.)

17 April 2017

The girls know that the next two weeks or so means lots of walks and running because it is time for the HRC Quidditch Cup! 

Me: I'll probably go outside tonight and find out how far I can walk with the monitor, you know, for science.
Madelyn: Why do you mean "for science"?
Tony: She's going to experiment and see how far the monitor stays in range.
Madelyn laughed.
Me: You think I'm joking?
Alyson: Yes.
Madelyn: No because Quidditch!

16 April 2017

For Easter dinner at my parents' today, we had Cornish game hens. The girls have never had them before. When Madelyn walked up to the table and saw her plate, she exclaimed, "Why do I have a big chicken on my plate?"

15 April 2017

Madelyn: I can't wait until tomorrow morning!
Me: Why?
Madelyn: Because the EASTER BUNNY is coming tonight!
Me: Oh, is he?

Madelyn just glared at me like I was evil and she couldn't believe I wasn't excited.

14 April 2017

Before she went to bed, Madelyn and I were talking about it being a good idea for her to sleep in tomorrow since she has been sick.

Me: Even if your clock says that it's okay for you to get up, you don't have to get up. We don't have anything planned. You can sleep in.
Madelyn: Yay! And if my clock says that I can't get up yet, I'll just roll over...
Me: And go back to sleep.
Madelyn: And TRY to go back to sleep.

13 April 2017

I was sitting at the dining room table filling out a form for having Alyson evaluated for speech therapy. Madelyn came with a paper and sat down with me at the table.

Madelyn: How do you make a cursive n?
Me, showing her: Like this.
Madelyn, starting to write something: Okay.

She wrote something and then asked me how to make a y. I showed her. Then she stopped what she was doing and was staring at the forms I was filling out.

Me: You could go get the workbook you have for learning cursive.
Madelyn: Nah, I don't know where it is.

She then proceeded to be nosy and read over the forms I was filling out. Seems to me like she really just wanted to know what I was doing.

12 April 2017

After being in bed for a few hours, Madelyn vomited suddenly, which happens to her sometimes. She had managed to get out of bed and was trying to get to the bathroom, but threw up all over her bedroom floor just inside her door. While I was cleaning it up:

Madelyn: Well, at least I didn't throw up all over my bed.

Me, trying to resist the urge to facepalm: Actually, that would been easier because I could have just taken your sheets off to wash them and put clean ones on.

Madelyn: Oh....

10 April 2017

Our latest Hogwarts Running Club medals came today for the 10k and S.P.E.W. race. For those unfamiliar with Harry Potter, "S.P.E.W." stands for the Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare. 

Madelyn, reading the medal: The Shoshity for the Protection of Elfish Welfare.
Me: Society.
Madelyn: Soshity for....
Tony: Society.
Madelyn: Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare.

Then, a few minutes later, the entire exchange would repeat.

09 April 2017

Tony made lasagna for dinner tonight. Madelyn helped him. When Tony put in the basil, he accidentally put in too much. (It still tasted good anyway.)

Madelyn, running in to the living room where Aly was: Aly! The lasagna is going to have extra pizza plant!
Aly, excitedly clapping her hands: Yay! Yum!

08 April 2017

At Becca's bridal shower today, we played a game where you tried to guess the number of candies in a jar. For one of the jars, the person leading the game hinted to Madelyn how many candies there were. Madelyn ended up getting it right and winning the jar of candies. In the car after the shower:

Madelyn: I'm so happy I won the caramel kisses!
Me: You really only won because you were told the answer. I don't think I would have accepted the candy if it was me.
Madelyn: I accepted it because I like candy.

07 April 2017

Madelyn and Alyson were playing with some dollhouse toys at Nana and Poppop's today. While playing, Madelyn declared, "I'm going to neaten the living room."

"Neaten" is a word, but not one you normally hear. It's in the bottom 20% of words by popularity according to Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neaten

06 April 2017

Last night, we attended a special event at Madelyn's school. As a result, she was in bed about an hour later than usual. Before bed tonight, Madelyn was telling me how tired she was all day, "I was so tired all day today because I stayed up sooooo late last night!"

05 April 2017

Hearing Madelyn's thoughts on running and running advice is often one of the best parts of running with her. Today, she advised: "If you can't run with music, you should listen to as many songs as you can before you go running. Then, they'll get stuck in your head and you can 'listen' to them while you run."

04 April 2017

During Tony's birthday dinner at Mom and Dad's today, Mom was asking Madelyn about helping me cook dinner last night.

Mom: So you cleaned shrimp? Did you like it?
Madelyn: No, I didn't like it at all. It was kind of gross.
Mom: Aw, I was going to have you clean shrimp for me when I need it this summer.
Madelyn: Well, I don't really want to do it, but if you ask me, I will.

03 April 2017

Madelyn helped me fix dinner tonight since we had the meal and new recipes she picked out. When Tony got home, she announced to him, "I was Mommy's sous chef for dinner!"

02 April 2017

Madelyn finally read her cookbook and picked one meal for us to have tonight: Shrimp-Mango Quesadillas. The plan had been to have that tonight so that it would be easier for her to help fix it, but the mangos aren't ripe enough yet.

Me after checking the mangos: Nope, we can't have the quesadillas tonight. We'll have burgers instead, and the quesadillas another night this week.
Madelyn: We have to have it a night I can help!

Little does she know that I think she's going to learn how to peel shrimp. Bwahahahahaha!

01 April 2017

Sibling rivalry about everything, right? Tony went up into the attic to see if he could find something. Alyson stood looking longingly up at the bottom of the ladder.

Alyson: When will I get to go up and look in the attic?
Madelyn, almost taunting: Daddy has already let me climb the ladder and look in before.