Madeleine Gains New Vocab Words

Madeleine's vocabulary is expanding daily, and she often takes us by surprise with the words she pulls out (like her whole "self-conscious" pony thing the other day.) 

This morning, as Auntie Shannon came downstairs to get ready for work, Madeleine engaged her in this conversation:

MADELEINE: Auntie Shannon?  (peeking around behind Auntie Shannon's body.)  Oh!  I thought I heard a little BUDDY behind you!
AUNTIE SHANNON: You thought you heard a little bunny behind me?
MADELEINE: No, I thought I heard CLARA behind you.
AUNTIE SHANNON:  Oh.  No, Clara's not here.  She's at Yiayia's house.
MADELEINE: I just thought I heard her!
AUNTIE SHANNON: (imitating Clara's barking) Rrrruff!  Rrrruff!
MADELEINE: Uh, no, Auntie Shannon, I mean I thought I heard her RUSTLING and slipping her FEET down the stairs.


Later in the day, Madeleine was finishing up yet another marathon poop fest, and as I helped her off the potty, she informed me of the "games" she had been playing to pass the time (which basically amounted to her combing through the drawers below the bathroom sink.)

MADELEINE: (pointing to a half-opened drawer) Mom?  Some of the HAIR THINGS were just LURKING around in the drawer!

Ugh, creepy.  I hate when the hair things just lurk around in the drawer.  Why not just pop on out and say hello, for God's sake??

After pooping, Madeleine got busy coloring in her My Little Pony activity book.  Taking a green marker out of our marker box, Madeleine inquired, "Mom?  What KIND of green is this?" 

ME: What kind of green?  It's, uh...well, I guess you could call it lime green.
MADELEINE: Okay.  LIME green.  (coloring away happily.)  Okay.  Now... (taking a yellow marker out of the box)  Golden Shine.  Mom?  I think I'll just call this yellow "Golden SHINE."
ME: Great idea, honey!
MADELEINE: (focusing earnestly on coloring with her Golden Shine marker)


Then, in the afternoon, we headed out in the cold to walk to Julia's school for pick-up.  As we were making our way through neighborhood streets, we passed a woman who was pounding her shovel into the snow in her driveway to break up the ice.

MADELEINE: Hey Mom!  Look what THAT person is doing!
NEIGHBOR WOMAN: (sarcastically) This is loads of fun, can you tell?
ME: Ugh, I know.  This winter is killing me.
MADELEINE: (chiming in) Yeah, winter is my NON-FAVORITE season.

Oh, I hear ya, Madeleine.  Winter is MY non-favorite season too.  You captured my sentiments exactly.