31 May 2017

I trimmed Madelyn's fingernail tonight because they were getting "dangerously" long. Alyson was confused about why hers weren't getting trimmed.

Alyson to Tony: Why do you not need to cut my fingernails?
Tony: Are your fingernails long enough to need cutting?
Alyson: Well, uh, nnnnoooooo....

30 May 2017

Alyson was pretending to give a concert and was singing songs. Mom started to sing her own songs while Alyson was singing. Alyson pouted and told her, "Don't do that! Sing in your head only!"

29 May 2017

Madelyn was being impatient about the Memorial Day parade starting this morning.

Me to Madelyn: Patience, young grasshopper.
Alyson: She's not a grasshopper!

28 May 2017

The girls were playing with LEGO while Julie was over. We were talking and not really paying attention to them, when suddenly we hear Alyson say, "I'm going to pretend. Pretend is better than real!"

27 May 2017

The girls and I planted flowers in the front yard today. We have a lot of worms and roly poly bugs in our gardens. Everyone time we saw one while digging, Alyson would yell, "Worm! Roly poly!" It was so often that she sounded like she was stuck on repeat.

26 May 2017

At Mom and Dad's, Alyson was playing with a propeller toy that you spin in your hand and make fly. She sent it flying across the porch and then danced over to where it landed singing, "Oh yeah! I won! It crossed the finish line and didn't even touch the finish line! Woo hoo! Oh yeah!"

25 May 2017

Alyson: Do you want to know what my favorite part of our field trip was?
Me: Sure.
Alyson: Riding the school bus there!
Madelyn, slightly jaded sounding: You'll be able to do that every day when you start kindergarten.

24 May 2017

Alyson has a little piece of paper with the Hufflepuff crest on it. 

Alyson, looking at the paper: Go skunks!
Madelyn: That's a badger.
Alyson: No, go skunks!

22 May 2017

After preschool Alyson was telling me all about the new toy truck they had in class. 

Alyson: [Boyfriend] was playing with the truck all day! He played with it for six hours!
Me: Wow, that's impressive since you aren't in preschool for six hours.
Alyson: Okay, he played with it for two hours.

22 May 2017

As soon as Becca and Evan's wedding ceremony started, Alyson immediately asked me, "When are they going to kiss the bride?"

19 May 2017

In the car on the way to North Carolina, the girls were playing a rhyming game.
Madelyn: What rhymes with bus?
Alyson: Cuss!

18 May 2017

Alyson demonstrated her imagination pretty well at Mom's today. She pretended she traveled to Canada. When she got there, she had to put stickers on herself to get in.

Mom: Did you get mailed to Canada?
Alyson: No... A fairy sent me, and it only took a second!

17 May 2017

We had something new for dinner tonight, which of course meant that Alyson was struggling with the new part. 

Alyson, after not having eaten much: I'm full.
Tony: Can you eat two more bites?
Alyson: If it's three bites I will!

16 May 2017

When we left Mom and Dad's, Alyson was upset because she was carrying both her lunchbox and her backpack.

Alyson: I don't want to carry my lunchbox! It isn't fair!
Me: Why isn't it fair?
Alyson: Because I'm carrying two things and you're carrying no things.
Me: But, those are both yours, so it is fair.

She huffed away toward the car.

15 May 2017

Alyson's class brought home permission slips for their field trip today. They found out they would get to ride a school bus to the location. Alyson ran up to me waving the permission slip begging, "Mommy, can I puh-lease ride the school bus?!?!"

Later, she told her grandma, "And, I'm going to get to ride a school bus while I'm still in preschool and still only four!"

14 May 2017

While we were at Home Depot picking up plants, Alyson saw some pine trees and declared, "The pine trees are so porcupine-y!"

13 May 2017

Alyson was drinking some water from a water bottle and choked a little.

Me: Are you drinking that the right way or playing with it?
Alyson: I'm drinking the right way! It just went down my throat wrong. It's supposed to go straight [traced her finger down her neck], but instead went this way [drags her finger across her cheek and and down the side of her neck].

12 May 2017

When Madelyn got home from school, she had "something" in her backpack she wanted to sneak upstairs.

Madelyn: Okay, Mommy, don't look at the stuff I'm bringing upstairs.
Alyson: Let me guess: Valentine's stuff!

11 May 2017

There was a spider in the house, which led to a discussion about how spiders are good because they eat the bad bugs. Alyson commented, "Spiders don't eat bees because they make honey for us." I guess bees aren't bad bugs. 😁

10 May 2017

Alyson came out of the bathroom, walked up to Madelyn, and shoved her hands in Madelyn's face. She said to Madelyn, "If you don't think I washed my hands, smell the soap on them!"

09 May 2017

During dinner today, we let the girls know that we would go to the Healthy Kids practice session tomorrow if they were good. 

Me: It's completely informal. It doesn't count for points and times won't be recorded.
Alyson: So, I can run as fast as I want or as slow as I want!

08 May 2017

When I showed Alyson the photo of Madelyn from the 5K this weekend, Alyson excitedly noted, "That's Madelyn! She's ahead of everybody! She's in front of everybody I don't know!"

06 May 2017

On the way up to Frederick today for the 5K and Kids Fun Run, Alyson was so excited. We had been talking about the race and medals for the last few days. Alyson told Madelyn, "Hey Madelyn, you still get a medal even if you don't win the race! You just have to finish the race!"

05 May 2017

As we were leaving Mom and Dad's today, Alyson was very specific on how they were supposed to say good bye to her.

Alyson, pointing to Mom: See you later. [pointing to Dad] Bye. Okay?
Alyson, pointing to Mom: See you later.
Mom: See you later.
Alyson, pointing to Dad: Bye.
Dad: Bye.
Alyson: Now, we'll switch it. [pointing to Dad] See you later. [Pointing to Mom] Bye.
Me: Okay, let's go.

04 May 2017

Alyson's bedtime story was one of the "Princess in Black" books for the gazillionth time. She is finally familiar enough with them that she knows what is coming up next. The basic story line is that the Princess in Black is a secret superhero who fights monsters from Monster Land.

At one point in the story, the Big Blue Monster is looking up through the hole up out of Monster Land that leads to the goat pasture. He is trying to remember why there is the rule that the monsters are not supposed to go up there. He can't remember and gives up on thinking and goes up to eat some goats anyway. Alyson commented, "The reason is because of the Princess in Black!"

At the end of the next chapter, the Duff the Goat Boy hears a pony neighing. Alyson tried to tell him, "That's the Princess in Black!"

03 May 2017

When we left preschool today, Aly told me all about her troubles with her boyfriend:

Alyson: Whenever we have stuff to do with partners, [boyfriend] always wants to be my partner. And, whenever I sit down, she sits right next to me even if I tell him I don't want him to. He won't stop!
Me: You can try asking him nicely again, and if he doesn't stop, you can tell your teacher.
Alyson: I tried asking nicely! He doesn't listen. I'll just have to tell my teacher.

Sorry, sweetie, but [little] boys just don't listen.

02 May 2017

While running today Madelyn wasn't really happy to be out. Alyson was perfectly happy to be along in the jogging stroller as usual.

Me to Madelyn: After your race on Saturday, you can take a break for a week or two.
Madelyn: Oh, yay!
Alyson, pouting: No! Then I won't get my roller coaster rides. Hmpf.

01 May 2017

Alyson was eating her dinner perfectly fine until Madelyn asked if they could have dessert tonight, and I said no.

Alyson: I'm full.
Me: Would you still be full if you were allowed to have dessert?
Alyson: No.