MADELEINE: Mama? When I grow up, I'm still gonna live here. Because...it would be REALLY cute to have two MORE babies here. (thoughtful silence) Mama? Will I still be cute when I'm a grown-up?
ME: Yes. And you can live here as long as you want.
MADELEINE: Yeah. Besides, Mama. If I was building my own house...I would have NO idea how to use a ladder.
Yeah, that's as good a reason as any to continue living with your parents even when you're a grown-up with babies. If you can't use a ladder to build your own house, you might as well just accept that homelessness is your only option.
Madeleine once again turned the topic to babies when I picked her up from the baby-sitting room at the Y. It just so happened that things had quieted down by the time I finished my workout, so that there were only three children in the room with four staff members. The children were comprised of a baby who was sleeping, a little girl toddling around, and Madeleine.
Therefore, Madeleine's voice rang out clear as a bell as she started interrogating me about babies.
MADELEINE: Mama? I wanna be a grown-up, because I really want to start having BABIES.
ME: (quietly) Yeah, babies are cute.
MADELEINE: (loudly) But Mama? When can you start HAVING babies?
ME: (even more quietly) Uh, not 'til you're older.
MADELEINE: (loudly) But Mama? Is it EASY to have babies get in your tummy?
ME: (nearly inaudibly) For some people.
MADELEINE: (loudly) But MAMA? Was it easy for YOU?
ME: (practically whispering) Uh, not really. (normal voice) Okay, here's your coat. Let's get going!
MADELEINE: (loudly) But MAMA. Why "NOT REALLY" for you? Why was it NOT REALLY EASY for YOU to have BABIES?
ME: (pulling open the door and hurriedly leading Madeleine out of the baby-sitting room.)
When we got home from the Y, Madeleine practiced honing her grown-up skills by getting her own lunch prepared, complete with washing an apple for herself AND for me. I would certainly take more grown-up independent actions from Madeleine, though I could do without the grand-children at this stage of the game. Madeleine is definitely gung-ho in her desire to start producing, however.
ME: Madeleine, what makes you feel like you want to have babies so much?
MADELEINE: Because then the whole house would be CUTE. (dreamily) I can JUUUST imagine it. Little babies running around EVERYWHERE.
Yikes. It sounds like Madeleine's ideal world would be a combination of "
At least Madeleine's OTHER current obsession is much more child-appropriate. She is fixated on taking a trip to the toy store, because on our LAST trip to the toy store (which was just on Sunday), she picked a toy that she doesn't actually like. Not that I hadn't tried to dissuade her from buying it in lieu of something better.
ME: Madeleine, look at these cute little baby animal figurines. Do you want to get these?
MADELEINE: Uh, no thanks. Mama. I think I picked my DECISION. I want to get this! (pointing at a password-protected plastic jewelry box.)
ME: Are you sure that's the toy you want to get most of all?
MADELEINE: (with utmost confidence) I'm sure.
Then we got home and Madeleine discovered that she can't actually figure out how to work the latch on the jewelry box after entering her password, so even though she types in her password correctly, she still can't get the box open. In other words, the toy was a big bust. And now Madeleine is determined to go back to the toy store to get something different.
It doesn't matter that I've told her repeatedly that we're not taking another toy store trip any time soon. Madeleine can't stop her mind from fantasizing about what new toys she's going to get. To be specific, she's planning on buying a Merida Lego Friends set and a stuffed puppy dog beanie baby.
Last night at bedtime, Madeleine had a great solution to her conundrum.
MADELEINE: Mama? I've got a GREAT idea! For Valentimes Day, you can get me the Merida Legos and the puppy dog!
ME: Well, Valentine's Day is more a holiday for giving things like candy and cards, not toys.
Madeleine was heartily disappointed by my statement, but she is apparently holding out hope. After about fifteen minutes of silence, during which I assumed Madeleine had fallen asleep, she piped up once again.
MADELEINE: Mama? For Valentime's Day, do you WRAP the presents like you do for Christmas?
ME: No.
MADELEINE: (broken-hearted silence)
Maybe THAT'S the real reason why Madeleine is so desperate to become a grown-up. Then she can take her own self to the toy store and buy her coveted items without needing my permission.
Although with a house full of babies running all around, I doubt Madeleine will have much time for personal recreation with her new toys.
She told me the other day her next trip to the toy store is going to be October 2nd because that's when Mommy said they can go back and because that's usually when she starts getting SICK of her other toys. Like, she's already BORED of some of them.
ReplyDelete