Little Miss Random

Madeleine has no shortage of random thoughts going through her head lately.  She even gave our baby-sitter fodder for this blog.  When I arrived home from work yesterday, Madeleine was deeply invested in an exhilarating game of "Cup and the Dove."  Now, while this title may suggest a painting of religious iconography, it turns out that "Cup and the Dove" is more or less a game of chase. 

Our sitter shared Madeleine's explanation of the game with me.

MADELEINE: We are playing "Cup and the Dove!"
SITTER: "Cup and the Dove??"  Who is the cup?
MADELEINE: ME!
SITTER: But...you're moving so fast, you can't be a cup.
MADELEINE: (assuredly) Yes I can.  Cups move REALLY fast!

After our sitter left, I got to fill in as the dove and chase Madeleine, the cup, around the kitchen.  Madeleine occasionally made random bell sounds.  When it was just ONE ring, I couldn't catch her.  But when it was TWO rings ("Ring ring!"), then I was allowed to catch her.  It was FUN TIMES.  What a great game.  And it really has EVERYTHING to do with both a cup AND a dove.


Meanwhile, Madeleine's brain was full of imagery from an imaginary shirt she truly believes she owns this morning.

MADELEINE: (hanging her head, lip drooping) Um...um...um...I wanted to wear my CHICKEN shirt with POPCORN, but I couldn't find it ANYWHERE!
ME: What chicken shirt with popcorn?
AUNTIE CAITLYN: Do you mean a candy corn?
ME: I don't think she has a candy corn shirt.  Or a chicken shirt with popcorn.
MADELEINE: (mournfully) Yes I do, but I can't find it ANYWHERE.
ME: What shirt are you talking about?  Tell me about it.
MADELEINE: It's...it's...it's...it's...
ME: What color is it?
MADELEINE: Um...it's...it's...it's...ORANGE.
ME: And what does it have on it?
MADELEINE: Um...a candy corn, and a chicken and some POPCORN!

I literally have no idea what shirt she is talking about.  I think she dreamed of it or something.  Her aunties took her upstairs to search her drawers, and a few moments later, Madeleine came down triumphantly wearing a navy blue shirt with a peace sign and flowers on it.

ME: You decided on this shirt?
MADELEINE: Uh...this IS my chicken shirt with popcorn!
ME: Where is the chicken and the popcorn and the candy corn??
MADELEINE: Uh...they're HIDDEN!

Madeleine in her chicken shirt with some popcorn and a candy corn.


And, in another display of totally random imaginings, I found this lovely coloring of the manger scene in Madeleine's new Christmas coloring book:

ME: Hey, Madeleine?  I was wondering: why do they all have blue faces?
MADELEINE: Oh!  (smiling brightly) They're BLUEBERRIES!

May the true blessings of the Bethlehem blueberries reach you and yours this holiday season.