Conversations

Today's walk to and from Julia's school for pick-up provided some unique conversations right from the get-go.

MADELEINE: Mama?  When we get HOME, Erin's gonna baby-sit.
ME: Well, actually, Erin's not coming today, because Auntie Shannon is here.
MADELEINE: But why is Erin not coming?
ME: Well, because Auntie Shannon is here to watch you while I work.  And we don't need TWO baby-sitters, do we?
MADELEINE: (contemplative) Well Mama.  Auntie Shannon is NOT a baby-sitter.
ME: Oh, well, then what is she?
MADELEINE: She's a FRIEND!
ME: Oh, I see.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  A good friend!


A few moments later...

MADELEINE: Mama?  Next time Erin's here, I'm gonna throw dirt on the ground and NOT on Julia.
ME: That's good to hear, because remember, you promised Erin that you won't ever throw dirt on anyone again.
MADELEINE: Yeah!  Because...Julia and me shouldn't HIT each other.
ME: Right.  Is hitting okay?
MADELEINE: No!  But you can only smack your BUM.  Because...that's FUNNY, right?
ME: Uh, well, I guess if you're doing it to be silly and you don't hurt anyone, it can be funny.
MADELEINE: Well Mama.  I only smack my bum GENTLY.
ME: Oh, good.  Because you know it's important to always be gentle.
MADELEINE: Mama?  Why do I not know how to play SEPARATELY?
ME: Play separately?
MADELEINE: Sometimes Daddy gets mad when Julia and me HIT each other.  But...I don't know how to play SEPARATELY.  (thoughtful) I wonder WHY?

A few moments later, Julia was dismissed, and we began our walk home.

JULIA: (pointing to a sign for The Great Bear Race) Oh, Mama, maybe THAT'S the race that everyone was talking about.
ME: The Great Bear Run?
JULIA: Because Mama.  There was this book about a race, but the name of the race was REALLY weird.  It was spelled H-U-M-A-N.
ME: Human?
JULIA: Uh, I don't know.
ME: That spells "human."
JULIA: It does?  I thought it said HUMMIN.
ME: No, that's the word "human."  Like a human being.  But in that case, the word "race" doesn't mean, like, a running race.  It's a way to classify human beings as being a separate kind of living thing from other living creatures.  Like, the human race, as opposed to other animals, or other mammals.
JULIA: (totally disinterested) So, Mama, you want to know how we knew what it WAS today?  Like, a bunch of us guessed WEDNESDAY, because it IS Wednesday, but then Mrs. Francesci did this (waving her arms hula-style) and we all shouted HULA DAY!  and that's what it WAS, but it wasn't really, like, much of a dance, because, all we did was, like, this (waving her arms) with our hands.

And then, finally:

MADELEINE: (skipping along next to Julia) Come on, sweetie.
JULIA: Did she just call me sweetheart?
ME: Maybe.
MADELEINE: No, Julia, you're Sweet BEAR.
JULIA: Oh.  Okay.

And a moment later, Madeleine, Sweet Bear, and I were back home, and conversation ceased while they sat and gaped at the tv screen, watching "Hocus Pocus" for the umpteenth time.