Bedtime Talk and Coloring

Last night, after I read Madeleine two bedtime stories and sang her a song, we settled into her bed for a snuggle.  While snuggle time used to lull Madeleine to sleep pretty quickly, it has lately become a signal for her to start rambling away about every subject under the sun. 

Here are some excerpts from last night's babbling:

MADELEINE: Mommy?  Are there crocodiles?
ME: No, honey.  Crocodiles live VERY far away from our house.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  Because...America is VERY far away from where we live.
ME: Well, we live in America, but America is very big, so there are parts of America that are very far away.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  America is big so it's VERY far away from where we live.

She really gets it.

Madeleine then rolled over onto her side and fell silent, which seemed to bode well for her falling asleep. 

Nope.  It just happens that she was thinking about what to say next.

MADELEINE: But do caterpillars don't eat some people?
ME: You mean crocodiles?
MADELEINE: No, CATERPILLARS.
ME: No, caterpillars don't eat people.  You don't need to be scared of caterpillars.  They're just teeny-tiny.
MADELEINE: (self-assured) Yeah.  They're just TEENY-TINY.  (Thoughtful pause) Mommy, you DON'T play with caterpillars.  You only play with your FRIENDS. 
ME: Right.  You don't play with caterpillars.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  You just only play with your FRIENDS that are... that are... that are KIDS.  Not CATERPILLARS!

Madeleine certainly is the queen of random association lately.  Further proof: take a look at the picture she was working on in her new Christmas coloring book this morning.

While coloring this, she looked thoughtfully up at me, then announced, "Mommy, I don't want to be scared of a WITCH.  I just want to be happy of a NICE WITCH."  Then she looked back down at her picture with renewed attention and resumed her coloring. 

Aside from there being a cute little kitten that looks nothing like a spooky black cat, I'm at a loss as to what she sees in this picture that even remotely relates to witches.

Julia has been coloring in new books as well; the girls received four coloring books today as a joint birthday gift from one of their baby-sitters.  True to form, Julia wasted no time breaking out in song, bellowing away with heartfelt gusto as she colored a snow princess:



I like that Julia kindly allowed Madeleine to do the word search to the left of her picture, so that Madeleine wouldn't get in the way of Julia's dramatic coloring.  If anybody should be doing the word searches, it's the kindergartener who is learning how to identify written words.  It's okay, though: Madeleine proved her mastery of word search skills, circling complex words like WTQ.

Julia is not the only one who knows how to rock out to an impromptu song while coloring.  Madeleine has taken up the art of color-singing as well.  Here she is singing about Isabella, who always wanted to be a "muhmaid":



The story of Isabella has a storybook ending, which Madeleine dictated to me after completing her song.  "So now she's getting ready for her COME TRUE, and the prince is giving her true love's kiss, and her mom wanted her to be TRUE LOVE, and all her dreams come TRUE."

What a beautiful song and story.  I am SO happy that Isabella got her come true.