31 January 2017

I made play dough for Alyson's class today.

Alyson: Can I help?
Me: Sure, but it's sticky and messy.
Alyson: Am I going to have to wash my hands?
Me: When we're done you will.
Alyson: Then, I don't want to help.

She ran off to play instead.

30 January 2017

Alyson was working on a workbook identifying the first letter in different words. I was helping her with it by saying the sound of the letter she needed. She was trying to identify the "r" in "run".

Me: Ruh, ruh, ruh.
Alyson, repeating me: Ruh, ruh, ruh.
Me: What letter makes a "ruh" sound?
Alyson: I don't know.
Me: R.
Alyson: R? That's a tricky one.

29 January 2017

Alyson was playing with a toy in the living room. The rest of us were in the kitchen.

Alyson, excitedly: It's snowing outside!
Me, knowing that we're supposed to get some snow later tonight and early tomorrow: Is it really snowing or just for pretend?
Alyson, confused: It's just pretend!

28 January 2017

This morning's conversation:

Me: What do you want for breakfast?
Alyson: A bagel and yogurt.
Me: We don't have anymore yogurt.
Alyson: You can make some.
Me: No, I can't.

Cue irrational four-year-old ballistic meltdown.

27 January 2017

Randomly singing is common in our house. Randomly singing incorrect lyrics is also common.

Madelyn, singing: I have the honor to be your obedient servant...
Alyson, singing: A got Burr. Burr got one. I got none.



Correct lyrics:
[BURR AND HAMILTON]
I have the honor to be Your Obedient Servant

[HAMILTON]
A dot Ham

[BURR]
A dot Burr

26 January 2017

Alyson was being her typical stubborn self when I got to Mom and Dad's to pick her up this afternoon.

Me: Put your shoes on.
Alyson: I don't want to!
Me: We need to go. Put your shoes on.
Alyson: But, I don't want to.
Me: One.
Alyson took her shoes and put them on top of her feet.
Me: Two.
Alyson: But I put my shoes on my feet!

It's a good thing she's our second, and I've had lots of practice hiding my laughter.

25 January 2017

As told by Alyson's teacher pick-up about them talking about my upcoming birthday:

Teacher: Do you know how old your mom will be?
Alyson: No, but she's more than five because I'm four. Actually, she's older than seven because Madelyn is seven.

That's some impressive reasoning coming from a four-year-old.

24 January 2017

Well, if she supposedly knew, why did she ask?

Alyson: How do you spell "thirty"?
Me: T-h-i-r-t-y.
Alyson: You're right!

23 January 2017

When it rains a lot like it did today, half of our sidewalk inside our yard floods. We "fondly" refer to it as our moat. Alyson only had her tennis shoes today, no rain boots. When we got home:

Me, to Alyson as we were getting out of the car: Can you carry my lunchbox since I have all of this stuff?
Alyson: Sure!
Me: Wait in the car for a second.

I picked her up.

Alyson: Why are you carrying me?

I walked to the steps into the yard.

Alyson, seeing the flooded sidewalk: Oh! Because the sidewalk is a giant puddle!

22 January 2017

Madelyn was cleaning up some toys before we went out and completely missed something that was still out, but then saw it when we pointed it out.

Tony: She just wasn't looking at them.
Me: She's good at that.
Alyson: Yeah, she'll always be good at that.

21 January 2017

Alyson talks a lot in the car about when she will get to drive. Today, she finally conceded that she can't drive for a long time and said rather awkwardly, "When I drive, I'm going to wait until I'm bigger."

20 January 2017

In the car today, we were stopped at a red light with arrow signs designating the direction for each lane. 

Alyson, referring to the "straight only" sign: Really? Those signs mean the cars have to go up!
Madelyn: A car can only go up if it has wings to fly.
Alyson: Of if a helicopter come and grabs it.

19 January 2017

When I was saying good night to Alyson, I made sure she knew that she might not see me in the morning. I have work, but the girls will be staying home with Tony, so I may leave before they wake up. As I was leaving her room, Alyson signed "I love you" and said,  "I love you! And here's an extra 'I love you' in case I don't see you in the morning!"

18 January 2017

While at the dentist today, Alyson would not sit still for the hygienist. 

Hygienist: Stop wiggling your tongue, silly!
Alyson, wiggling her tongue more: Eeeehhh-eeehhh-eeeehhhh.

17 January 2017

It rained most of the day today. When we left Mom's Aly asked me, "When we get home, can I change to my rain boots so that I can splash in the really big puddles on the way to the bus stop?" 

16 January 2017

We went to the National Museum of American History today. Alyson and I were looking at the various food pyramids on display in the "FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000" exhibition when we saw one that was on a black background compared to all of the other white or colorful ones.

Me: It's another food pyramid!
Alyson: And it's night time!

15 January 20167

After Alyson's birthday party today, she opened her presents at home. One present was a workbook Tony read to her all of the topics covered in the workbook. Alyson excitedly responded, "Now I can learn those things!"

14 January 2017

Tony was getting ready to take Madelyn out to the store. Alyson was staying home with me.

Tony, to Alyson: Be good for Mommy. Don't drive her too crazy.
Alyson, to Tony: Okay! [She turned to me, had a devious look on her face, and started moving her hands like she was using a steering wheel.] Drive, drive, drive, drive, drive!

13 January 2017

Everyday when we leave Mom's, Alyson runs to my car and yells to me, "Bye, Mommy!" I usually tease her that since she's saying good bye to me she must be walking home. Apparently, Alyson has picked up on the joke, and sarcasm, a little too well. As she was running to the car today, she sarcastically yelled to me, "Bye, Mommy! I'm walking home today, so see you at home!"

12 January 2017

The past couple of days, Alyson has been playing doctor at Mom's. She used an Etch-A-Sketch to take an x-ray and diagnosed Mom as having a "leg bug". Today, things apparently got worse and she told me, "The leg bug went away but it came back worse. So, I had to do surgery to get the leg bug out. Grandma's all better now."

11 January 2017

Alyson came with us to Madelyn's basketball practice tonight. In the car on the way there:

Alyson: At Grandma's today, I didn't know what Eliza's sister's name was. But now I do: Angelica.
Madelyn: And Peggy.
Alyson: Work!

10 January 2017

While we were waiting for the bus this afternoon, Alyson was being silly and following me around while I was pacing back and forth to keep warm. As she followed me, she kept repeating, "I'm following your butt! I'm following your butt!" When the bus came and I stopped pacing, she decided to stand right behind me with her nose literally on my butt and kept giggling. When Madelyn got off the bus, she though Alyson was hiding and gave me a mischievous look, but didn't say anything. She quickly went around me and yelled, "Boo!" at Alyson.

09 January 2017

This isn't something Alyson said today, but it's rather funny. When I picked Alyson up from preschool, I chatted with her teacher for a few minutes. Her teacher told me that Alyson and her have little "inside" jokes every day because Alyson is so silly and "gets it". The teacher will say something that is a play on words. Alyson will laugh and the rest of the class looks at the teacher with a blank stare. Her teacher has come to expect that Alyson will get every joke.

08 January 2017

Alyson was talking about something in the car and reminisced, "I remember when I was littler than I am right now."

07 January 2017

First

The girls were talking about having a king in charge of a (birthday) party.

Me: You can have an organizer for a party.
Alyson: Or a polar bear!

Second

We were discussing with Alyson possible things to do on her birthday.

Me: Do you want to go somewhere on your birthday, Aly?
Alyson: Grandma's house!

06 January 2017

Smart thinking from the almost four-year-old. There was one slice of marble cheesecake left along with other flavors. The girls were arguing over who got the marble one.

Alyson: I know! Let's share it! We can ask Mommy to cut it in half.
Me, teasing: That would work, but what are you going to give me if I cut it for you?
Alyson: I don't know. I would give you money, but I don't have any downstairs with me.

05 January 2017

Before leaving Mom's this afternoon, Alyson looked at my blue water bottle.

Alyson, a bit mumbled and rushed: Your water bottle is dark orange.
Me, confused: No, it isn't orange.
Alyson, this time very clearly and focused: No! I said that your water bottle is TUR-QUOISE! 

04 January 2017

We had some leftovers for dinner that I really knew Alyson wouldn't eat, a rice noodle stir fry with a peanut butter based sauce. We serve it with peanuts on it and before eating, I told Alyson that she had to eat more than just the peanuts.

Me: Eat some of the noodles. You said you would eat the noodles.
Alyson: But I'm done.
Me: No, you have to eat more than just the peanuts.
Alyson: But I love peanuts.

02 January 2017

During dinner at Bill and Amanda's, Declan was eating some baby food from a food pouch. Amanda and I were talking about the girls still having applesauce in those style pouches. Alyson thought we were saying it as a bad thing and asked in disbelief, "What? Who doesn't like pouches?!"

01 January 2017

Alyson spent some time with Mom and Dad today. When Tony and I went to pick her up, she didn't want to leave, of course. Mom was teasing her and tickling her, but stopped. Alyson responded by yelling while laughing, "Tickle me some more with both hands at the same time!!!"