31 January 2015

This was the reoccurring theme of the day whenever Alyson got into her seat at the table (a Fisher-Price high chair/booster that attaches to a chair and has buckles like a high chair):

"Mano buckle me!"

"Mano" is how Alyson says Madelyn. Alyson got mad if anyone else tried to buckle her into her seat or put on her bib.

30 January 2015

Before leaving Mom's today, Alyson was being silly. First, she was blowing raspberries into her hands and then trying to wipe her hands on me. Then, she was being even sillier. She insisted on putting her hat on herself as usual. She very purposefully put it on so that it covered her face, and then walked around while unable to see anything while laughing the entire time.

29 January 2015

Tony got home early today, so I took advantage of it to go to the gym to get my run done before the roads got potentially icier later this evening. As I was getting ready to go, Alyson tried to get her coat as well to come with me. When she was told that she was staying home, she laid on her coat and sucked her thumb instead.

After Tony and the girls finished dinner, which was before I got back, Alyson said, "Momma run. Waiting." She was still waiting for me to get back from the gym.

28 January 2015

I was in Alyson's room as she was starting to take her clothes off to take a bath. As I was leaving to go get the bath started:

Me: I'm going to go get the bath ready.
Alyson, looking up and pointing at me: Basha ready!

I took that as an order to go get the bath ready.

27 January 2015

Little girl was being really silly while taking her clothes off before bed. First, after taking her shirt off, she was walking around sticking her stomach out yelling, "Belly!" Then, she she got up from taking her socks off, she put her self into downward facing dog position with her socks in her hand and walked on her hands and feet over to her hamper. Once she was at her hamper, she put her socks on her hands instead of putting them with her other dirty socks. Then, Madelyn came in to see what was so funny. Alyson showed her how she was walking on her hands and feet, and then kept trying to do a somersault. 

26 January 2015

Last week, Mom dropped her phone in the toilet. Luckily, I came to the rescue with my old phone. Alyson isn't going to let her forget that one, though. During dinner, she saw my phone and blurted out, rather sadly:

"Grandma. Phone. Potty...."

25 January 2015

First

When Alyson work up this morning, we brought her into our bed for a few minutes. When we decided that it was time to get up to get ready for church, Alyson took that as her cue to go get her sister up (she was already awake and just laying in bed). Alyson scrambled down the bench at the foot of our bed. She ran to our bedroom door, grabbed it, and threw the door open, slamming it into some stuff near the door. She ran across the hall to Madelyn's room and barreled into the door to open it, slamming that door into Madelyn's hamper. She stopped and yelled to Madelyn, "Wake!!"

Second

Today was the start of Catholic School's Week, which meant that Catholic education was talked about during the Homily. We send Madelyn to Catholic preschool, but will be sending her to public school and CCD starting next year.

Me to Tony in the car after we left Mass: I keep waiting for a parent to ask us why we aren't sending Madelyn to [school] next year. It's so expensive. If it was just Madelyn, we could do it, but we can't afford to send both of them. We'll just blame Alyson.
Alyson incredulously from the back seat: What?!?!?!?!

24 January 2015

While Tony and Alyson were at the grocery store:

Tony: Aly-boo.
Alyson: No boo.
Tony: You don't want to be called "Aly-boo"?
Alyson: No.
Tony: You want to be called "Alyson"?
Alyson: Yes.

After they got home and Tony was telling me about this:

Me: I'll probably still call you "Aly-boo". Is that okay?
Alyson: Yes.

23 January 2015

We had my birthday dinner at my parents' tonight. When we were getting ready to have the cake:

Mom: Guess I have to get some candles out. Somebody wants to blow out candles.
Alyson: Mmmmmeeeeeee!!!!

22 January 2015

During dinner, Madelyn started playing with her hands and putting them in a heart shape. Alyson quickly tried copying.

Alyson, holding her hands up in a vague triangle shape: Heart?
Me: Nope.
Alyson, holding her hands up in some other shape: Heart?
Madelyn: Nope, copy what I'm doing.
Alyson, still not making a heart: Daddy? Heart?
Tony: Nope.

21 January 2015

Conversation just before we left Mom's.

Alyson, hearing something outside: Bee bee.
Me: Beep beep?
Alyson: Yeah.
Me: What goes "beep beep"?
Alyson: Car.
Me: Anything else?
Alyson: Purple. 
Me: Purple?
Alyson: Yellow.
Madelyn: Alyson, is a bus yellow?
Alyson: Bus.
Me: Does a bus go "beep beep"?
Alyson: Yeah.
Me: What about a truck?
Alyson: Yeah.
Me: A train?
Alyson: Yeah.
Me: Does Madelyn go "beep beep"?
Alyson: No!
Me: Does Grandma go "beep beep"?
Alyson: No!
Me: Do I go "beep beep"?
Alyson: No!
Me: Beep beep beep!!!
Alyson laughed at me.

20 January 2015

Alyson was being a bit impatient for dinner tonight. She rushed to help set the table. Then, she wanted to be put in her seat. We weren't putting her in yet because dinner wasn't quite ready. So, instead, she started pushing her chair across the kitchen at Tony while yelling, "Ppppuuuuuuuussssshhhhhh!"

19 January 2015

From her crib, Alyson can reach her light switch. During naps and overnight, we always turn off her light at the pull switch on the ceiling fan so that she can't stand up and turn the light on and off. Today, when she woke up from her nap, she stood there playing with the light switch. When it didn't work, she yelled, "Daddy, broken!"

18 January 2015

When Alyson got up this morning: Minnie Party?
A few hours later: Minnie Party?
When she got up from her nap: Minnie Party?
When people started showing up: Minnie Party!

17 January 2015

After eating breakfast, Alyson's voice was a little hoarse thanks to the tail end of her cold.

Me: Alyson, you're froggy.
Alyson, excitedly: Yeah! Ribbit!

16 January 2015

For her birthday, Tony and I gave Alyson a doll with eyes that close when it lays down and open when it sits up. As expected, she insisted on taking the doll to Grandma's today. After Tony buckled her in the car seat and handed the doll back to her, Alyson laid it on her lap and said to the doll, "Close your eyes!"

15 January 2015

During dinner, we were talking to Alyson about turning two tomorrow.

Me: Alyson, how old are you going to be tomorrow?
Alyson: Shoe! (Two!)
Tony: Can you say "two shoes"?
Alyson: Shoe shoes.
Madelyn: Say two Madelyns.
Alyson, as if saying "Um, no" as she put some food in her mouth: Eating.

14 January 2015

As Tony was saying goodnight to Alyson at bedtime:

Tony: I love you.
Alyson: I. Wuv. Shoes!
Tony: I'm glad you love shoes, but I was telling you that I love you. Do you love me?
Alyson: Yeah.

13 January 2015

We had salmon for dinner tonight. The girls will actually eat it if I bake it in a glaze of honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Alyson put one bite in her mouth and quickly took it out making a "yuck!' face. She ate some of the rice and edamame and then wanted her milk.

Alyson: Milk!
Me: You need to eat a bite of salmon.
Alyson put a bite on her fork and ate it. She then quickly put another bite on her fork and ate that.
Alyson, once all of her salmon was gone: More! More!

We gave her more, she ate it all, and asked for more again. She ate that once it was heated up a little.

12 January 2015

Poor Miss Alyson has had a stuffy nose since the weekend. During dinner, her nose got stuffy and she got fussy.

Alyson, crying and pointing to her nose: Nose!
Me: Will you let me help you blow it?
Alyson, crying harder: No!
Me: Can Daddy help you?
Alyson, more crying: No!
Me, running out of ideas: Can Madelyn help you?
Alyson, calming down some: Yeah.

Madelyn went to get a tissue and helped Alyson blow her nose by holding the tissue for her. After three tissues, Madelyn wanted to go back to eating her dinner.

Madelyn, in a very motherly tone to Alyson: Alyson, if you want to blow your nose more, can you let Mommy help you?
Alyson: No. Manno! (Madelyn!)
Madelyn: Alyson, let Mommy help you.
Me: Will you let me help you?
Alyson: Yeah.

11 January 2015

While in the car going to Target, Alyson was playing with a small stuffed Winnie the Pooh.

Alyson: Poop poop!
Me: Do you have to go poop?
Alyson: No. Good.
Me: Okay.
Alyson: Poop poop!
Me: Do you mean Winnie the Pooh?
Alyson: Yeah!

Poor silly old bear....

10 January 2015

First

Someone needs to work on her pronunciation before next season:

Me: Alyson, say "Go Ravens!"
Alyson: Go Raisins!

Second

While in the car:

Alyson: Baby! Baby! Baby!
Tony: Who's the baby?
Alyson: You!
Tony: Me?
Madelyn, to Alyson: You're the baby!
Alyson: Oh.

09 January 2015

Alyson just might be excited about her birthday party coming up.

Me, explaining what we are doing tomorrow: We have Caroline's birthday party to go to.
Alyson, excitedly: Minnie Party?!?!?!

08 January 2015

We've started applying our dinner rules to Alyson since she is getting old enough to understand. 1) The girls have to eat a bite of everything on their plates. 2) They have to eat a bite of everything before they get their milk. 3) They have to eat everything in order to get anything for dessert. Tonight, Alyson tried asking for her milk after she had eaten all of her mashed potatoes but before she had eaten anything else.

Madelyn: What did she eat?
Tony: Her mashed potatoes.
Alyson, looking at her plate and pointing to where her mashed potatoes had been: Yup, all done!

07 January 2015

Classic toddler. When we were leaving Grandma's today, Alyson refused to let me put on her mittens - flat out, complete tantrum, going limp in my lap, and trying to hide her hands from me. 

Me: Alyson, will you let Grandma put your mittens on?
Alyson: Yeah....

She took her mittens over to Grandma and let her put them on.

Then, she took them off in the car on the ride home. How dare I try to put them back on before taking her out into the 18F weather? Complete tantrum again, but I got them on her, and carried the screaming child to the front door. I'm such a mean mommy.

06 January 2015

When we opened the front door this morning to leave, it was the first time Alyson saw all of the snow outside. She pointed and declared, "Mesh!" (Mess!)

05 January 2015

During dinner, we were telling Alyson about being able to run with Madelyn in the Healthy Kids Running Series.

Madelyn: I'm going to be the winner of the Downs sisters.
Tony: It's not exactly a fair race. Your legs are longer.
Me: You're older and more experienced. The only way Alyson will beat you is if you fall down and can't get up for some reason.
Alyson: Napping!

04 January 2015

After eating breakfast, Alyson was cleaning herself up with her washcloth. She would rub the washcloth along her mouth, pull it down, and look at me.

Alyson: Good?
Me: Nope, not yet.

Repeat wash, wash, wash, and ask over and over.

03 January 2015

Alyson really wanted to help take down Christmas decorations today. We would give her a little job to do, and as soon as she was done, she would yell to us, "More!"

02 January 2015

As we left our house to go to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner, Tony pointed out to Alyson that he took Santa and the reindeer off of the roof. Alyson was dismayed by this, and randomly throughout the rest of the evening kept asking, "Daddy?! Shanta?!"

01 January 2015

First

After giving Daddy a kiss on the cheek at bedtime, Alyson jumped back, rubbed his cheek, and declared that it was a "mesh!" (Daddy needs to shave.)

Second

While cleaning the playroom, this happened multiple times:

Alyson, coming from the playroom into the living room: Done!
Madelyn, yelling back from the playroom: Aly! We are not done!