Madeleine and I Discuss Genes

Madeleine and I have had some interesting discussions about genes lately, all beginning with her comments about a particular friend at preschool being too fast to keep up with while running. 

ME: Well, Madeleine, you know what?  I know that her mommy is a reeeeally fast runner, so I bet she got her mommy's fast running genes. 
MADELEINE: (after a thoughtful pause) Well Mama?  Did her mommy's jeans SHRINK?

Yes, that's right, this pair of jeans bears MAGICAL powers, bestowing the fastest feet on anyone who chooses to wear them.

I attempted to explain the concept of genes to Madeleine, giving such examples as her having brown eyes like me, or having artistic skills like Daddy. 

Turns out this only confused her more.

MADELEINE: But Mama?  If Daddy grew inside NANA'S tummy, then...why does he have BROWN hair?

Apparently she believes Daddy should have been born with gray hair like Nana.  I told that both Nana and Gramps had brown hair when they were younger, which then led her to ask me if boys can grow babies in their tummies, so you can see she's just totally in tune with the topic of genes all across the board.

We then moved onto the subject of preschool recess, during which one of Madeleine's friends always wants to ride on the coveted pink bike first.  This discussion allowed Madeleine to get REALLY creative with her adjectives.

MADELEINE: So Mama, she ALWAYS wants the pink bike first, and when we get outside, she just goes DAZZLING over to grab the pink bike and she always just GOBBLES it up before I can get a turn.
ME: But you still get a turn on the pink bike when she's done, right?
MADELEINE: Yes, but...sometimes after I ride it, me and Lilly just go DAWDLING off together to play something else.

Is dawdling the opposite of dazzling?

I love the fact that even if Madeleine isn't totally sure of the meaning of a word, she just GOES FOR IT anyway. 

I would expect no less from a child who wears her fashions with wild abandon:

Now THAT'S style!