Madeleine's Rankings

Madeleine is nothing if not fickle, attaching herself to one favorite outfit one week, only to abandon it for a new favorite the next.  Similarly, she goes through phases with people in our family, during which she wants exclusive rites to whichever person is her current beloved.  During a brief overlap in which Aunties Caitlyn and Shannon were both here, Madeleine blatantly eschewed Auntie Shannon in favor of her other auntie, and last week, Madeleine got tired of her usual favorite parent (me) and only wanted Daddy for EVERYTHING, because, in her words: "I just REALLY LOVE goofin' around with Daddy!"

Tonight, she had an ultimate sobbing fest over the fact that Julia had chosen Auntie Shannon to put her to bed. 

MADELEINE: But Julia ALWAYS gets Auntie Shaaaaaaannnon!  Julia doesn't LOOOOOVE me!  Julia wants to THROW me in the TRAAAAAASH!

So poor Auntie Shannon had to pull double duty, reading Madeleine an unprecedented FOUR bedtime books, then handing Madeleine over to me for her prayer and lullaby so that Shannon could then go read to Julia.

Was Madeleine grateful?  Nope!  Instead, she told it like it is.  Get ready for the harsh truth (of the current moment), folks:

MADELEINE: (bursting into tears at the sight of me in her bedroom) No Mama!  I only want Auntie Shannon!  Only Auntie Shannon!
ME: Honey, you got Auntie Shannon for four books.  Aren't you lucky?  What a great auntie!
MADELEINE: But Julia is just ALWAYS attached to Auntie Shannon and she gets Auntie Shannon for EEEEEEVERYTHIIIIIING!
ME: Well, you got Auntie Shannon for your bedtime stories tonight.  You lucky girl.  Do you love that Auntie Shannon so much?

And here's where s*&t gets REAL.

MADELEINE: (offhanded) Well, now that Auntie Caitlyn's not here, I love BOTH.
ME: You love both what?
MADELEINE: Uh, both AUNTIES.

As in, when Auntie Caitlyn *is* here, Madeleine has no use for Auntie Shannon?

ME: Well, honey, you need to love both aunties even when Auntie Caitlyn IS here.  It's not okay for you to reject Auntie Shannon and be mean to her when Auntie Caitlyn is here.  Do you understand?
MADELEINE: (solemn silence.)

Then I turned to the subject of Daddy, who was thoroughly spurned by Madeleine tonight, as he wasn't even an OPTION on her plate for bedtime at all.

ME: And don't you love that Daddy?
MADELEINE: Well, only when he's GOOFING around.
ME: But you love Daddy always, not only when he's goofing around.  Don't you love Daddy when he's taking care of you, or reading you a story, or carrying you when you get tired?
MADELEINE: Well, I really just only love GOOFING AROUND with Daddy. 

Okay.  That was going nowhere.  Clearly she loves Daddy for his goofy side.  So then I got curious to know what it is she loves doing with ME.

ME: And what do you love doing with Mommy?
MADELEINE: Well, when NOBODY else is here, and it's just YOU, then I like having you do stuff with me.
ME: Oh.  But not when other people are here?
MADELEINE: Well, I just get REALLY EXCITED to see people that I haven't seen in YEARS.
ME: Like who?
MADELEINE: Well, like Chad and Auntie Caitlyn, and, well, I still SEE Auntie Shannon a LOT, and like Yiayia because I haven't seen Yiayia for YEARS.  And I love Nana, and I love my little cousin EMILY because she really is SO cute and not like those OTHER pretend little girls.  And...oh, yes, and I love Gramps, because he likes to be really GOOFY like he was the LAST time he was here.  And Mama?  WHEN oh WHEN am I gonna have another play-date?
ME: A play-date with who?
MADELEINE: With all our FRIENDS that we LOVE!
ME: Well, which friends do you love?
MADELEINE: (brightly) EVERYONE!
ME: Okay.  Which friend do you want to have a play-date with?
MADELEINE: (thoughtful) Um...I think...Yiayia.  Because...I haven't seen her for YEARS.  And...she really is SO beautiful.

So let's see.  Caitlyn's boyfriend Chad gets top billing, even over the aunties.  Auntie Shannon is fine so long as Auntie Caitlyn's not here, otherwise she's old news.  A play-date with Yiayia is deeply coveted, and Nana, Emily and Gramps are near and dear to Madeleine's heart, especially because Emily is real and not pretend like the other little girls.  Daddy is great so long as he's goofing around, and Mommy is great so long as Madeleine has exhausted EVERY SINGLE OTHER OPTION for company.  Sounds about right.

Or, to sum it up with pictures:

Madeleine's reaction to time spent with extended family members and/or goofy Daddy:

Madeleine's reaction to time spent with boring old Mom and non-goofy Dad:

Ahhh!  Feelin' the love!