More Presents

Julia's home-made Christmas gifts get more creative by the day.  Last night, when I returned home from work, Julia was out of her mind with glee over the gift she had placed under the tree for me.  In fact, she was simply too excited to wait until Christmas to give it to me, so she insisted I look under the tree to try and find my newest gift. 

So, I am now the proud owner of this:

Yes, she wrapped a used water bottle for me.  "So you can use it over and over again as a CUP!"  And by used, I don't mean merely recycled.  Or used and then thoroughly washed.  "So, Mama, I rinsed it out, because that's the water bottle that I just finished DRINKING." 

I truly appreciate Julia's generosity in giving me this gift.  Two gifts in one!  Not only do I get a water bottle, but she is also kindly sharing her cold/cough germs with me as well, because after all, it is the season for giving!

Meanwhile, Madeleine was hard at work on a picture for her baby-sitter, who was about to leave.  Before Madeleine could hand over her gift of artwork, she wanted to write her baby-sitter's name.  As Tamara dictated each letter, Madeleine diligently wrote it down. 

We were so close.  We were *almost* to the end of the word.  Madeleine made a letter "R," which came out like most kids make an "R" - a circle with two legs underneath.  Acceptable to almost any other kid in the world, but not to Madeleine.

TAMARA: And now there's just one more "A!"
MADELEINE: (sitting frozen, staring down at her picture with furrowed brow)
TAMARA: Maddie, what's wrong?
MADELEINE: (chin quivering and eyes filling up with tears)  That's NOT an "R!"  (bursting into wailing sobs)

And that was it.  The artist was too heart-broken to finish her artwork.  She absolutely could not bring herself to write that last "A," and instead needed to sob into my chest on the couch over her failed letter R.

She's not a perfectionist.

And in other Madeleine news, we had the following conversation after her bath two nights ago, proving that one NEVER really knows what goes on inside that head of hers:

ME: Come on over here and I'll towel you dry!
MADELEINE: (shuddering and shivering) Brrrr!
ME: Are you cold?
MADELEINE: (hamming it up) BRRRR!  BRRRR!  NEEEEEIGHHHH!  NEEEEEEIGHHHHH!
ME: Are you a horse?
MADELEINE: No.  (scrunching up her face in thought)  Mommy, those were just some CRYING BIRDS.
ME: Oh.  Okay.
MADELEINE: Mommy?  Sneezing with your mouth just means you HAVE A COLD.

Ah.  Okay, I get it.  Sneezing with your mouth just means you have a cold.
And drilling with your vagina means you need to pee.

I couldn't have put it better myself.