Madeleine's Input

Madeleine's input on a variety of topics:


On getting the house ready for a get-together we were hosting with a bunch of friends in town:

MADELEINE: Mommy?  Wanna know the FIRST THING I did when I woke up this morning?  The first thing I did was -- well, I *breathed* -- but then the first thing I did was CLEAN UP MY DOLLS!


I'm glad she cleared that up.  I was worried she started cleaning her room while holding her breath.



On Ethan's birthday gifts from family members, which included a sweatshirt, a piano book, a CD, and homemade books and crafts from the kids:


MADELEINE: Hmm. This year, nobody bought Daddy BEER for his birthday.  I guess maybe they thought he was getting tired of beer.  That's what *I* thought, so that's why I didn't buy it for him.


It's a good thing that the thought of Ethan getting tired of beer is THE REASON WHY A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DIDN'T TRY AND BUY SOME.  Good thinking, Madeleine.




On Ethan changing his mind and joining us at the pool when he had no interest in swimming:

ME: Madeleine, was it just the highlight of your day that Daddy went swimming with you?
MADELEINE: Mmm-hmm!  (thoughtful silence) Well Mommy.  The highlight of my day was doing GYMNASTICS.  Doing gymnastics at home AND at my class.


Good thing we have Honest Abe here to make Ethan feel extra good about his decision to swim in order to please the kids.  Madeleine couldn't even bother to make his swimming a *tie* for highlight of her day, huh?



And finally, another item from school; Madeleine's input on what makes her sad:

"I feel sad when my mom is sad, when my sister is crabby, when I can't find my stuffys, when I can't have the dessert I want and when I try to take something back that's already been dicided.  That's when I feel sad."


Those are pretty good reasons, Madeleine, and I'm touched by your empathy.  However, uh, not having the dessert you want is kind of not on the same tier as the other things.  Remember that whole video you made about first world problems??