The Dead Chipmunk

There is a dead chipmunk lying in the driveway of a house very near to ours.  We first passed by it on our way to Julia's school a few mornings ago.

JULIA: (leaping out of the dead chipmunk's range) Eeeeeewwww!
ME: (looking down to see what the fuss was about) Eeeeeew!
MADELEINE: (stopping to gaze at the chipmunk in adoration) Awwwww! 

Ever since, Madeleine has taken great pains to acknowledge her dead chipmunk buddy.  On our way back home from dropping Julia at school, Madeleine exclaimed, in wonderment, "Hey!  Mama!  The chipmunk is still there!"

After we picked up Julia that afternoon, the girls both remarked upon the chipmunk as we passed the neighbor's driveway.

JULIA: Ew!  Mommy!  That chipmunk is SO DISGUSTING!  (thoughtful) I feel so sad for it, though.
MADELEINE: Well JULIA, it might be just SLEEPING, you know!
JULIA: Madeleine, it's NOT just sleeping. 
MADELEINE: Well Julia, I think it's so CUTE!

On the next day's walk to school, I found Madeleine lingering way behind us in the driveway of the dead chipmunk.

ME: Madeleine, come on, we're in a hurry!
MADELEINE: Uh, Mama, hold on, I just want to look at the CUTIE little chipmunk!
JULIA: (scathingly) Madeleine, a dead chipmunk is NOT CUTE.
MADELEINE: Awwww!  I just think he's SO adorable!

This morning, Ethan walked Julia to school, so I totally forgot about the chipmunk.  When Madeleine and I left this afternoon, on foot, to pick Julia up, Madeleine went sprinting ahead of me.

ME: Madeleine!  Hang on.  Don't run ahead!
MADELEINE: Uh, Mama, I just want to see if the chipmunk is still there!
ME: Madeleine, I doubt it's still lying there-
MADELEINE: (joyfully) It IS, Mama!!  It's still HERE!  (leaning over the dead chipmunk's body, which, since I last saw it, has been run over multiple times and was squashed flat against the pavement)
ME: Honey, don't go too near that.  Come on, let's go.
MADELEINE: Mama.  That chipmunk is SO cute.  But...it's kind of GROSS because it's squashed...but it's still REALLY cute.
ME: Mmm-hmm.
MADELEINE: Mama?  Don't you wish we had him for our PET??

No, Madeleine.  I don't.  In fact, I actively wish NOT to have a dead, squashed chipmunk as our family pet.  Just ew.

I have concluded that Madeleine is either destined to be an animal lover or a taxidermist.