More Ridiculous Things

Just a few ridiculous-nesses the kids have spouted over the past few days:

MADELEINE: (pointing to Julia's dragon bookmark) Is this for Chinese New Year?
JULIA: No, it's from Vietnam.
MADELEINE: Who's Vietnam?
JULIA: No one.
MADELEINE: Julia!  Pleeeeease tell me who she is!
JULIA: (derisively) She's not ANYBODY, Madeleine.
MADELEINE: But I wanna know what FAIRY TALE she's from!
JULIA: (scathingly) Madeleine.  Vietnam is not a person.  Vietnam is a COUNTRY.
MADELEINE: (in wonderment) It is??  I *never* heard of it!

The logical conclusion was definitely to assume that if Vietnam is not related to Chinese New Year, it must be the name of a character from a magical story.  Apparently if there's a dragon involved, it's either Chinese or from a fairy tale.

And speaking of fairy tales: after a particularly frustrating day in which both kids were giving me MAJOR ATTITUDE all afternoon, Madeleine showed some true empathy, along with a very insightful connection between literature and real life.

ME: Okay, everybody needs to go to bed.  I need to go on break from mommy duty and you girls need to get your cranky pants to sleep.
MADELEINE: Mommy!  I don't want you to move out!
ME: What on earth is making you think I'm moving out?
MADELEINE: (gravely) Well, when I think about how we're so rude to you, and you're always doing EVERYTHING for us and helping us, it makes me think you're like Winky.
ME: Winky from Harry Potter?
MADELEINE: (sadly) Yes.

But wait.  Does Winky move out?  I don't think so.  House Elves can't actually leave their position of servitude, right?  Unless their masters set them free, right?  Maybe Madeleine is just envisioning what she thinks Winky ought to have been able to do, had she not been bound by that pesky Elf Legislation.

And besides, when Winky was freed, she wasn't too happy about it, was she?  In fact, I just checked the Harry Potter Wiki and this is what it says about Winky's freedom:  Awesome.  This is what Madeleine sees as my alter ego?!?

After being freed Winky fell into a depression and began drinking heavily.


Awesome.  This is what Madeleine sees as my alter ego?!?

You have to admit, she does kind of look like me:

I know.  We're practically twins.