Julia Spaces Out

Julia is usually hyper alert to anything I happen to be saying to any other given person, even when I'm purposefully trying to talk without her hearing.  Madeleine tends to be more unaware, getting caught up inside her own head and often not even listening to things I'm saying directly to her.  This is a completely common conversation with Madeleine:

ME: Okay, Madeleine, when we get home, you need to get your swim stuff together because we have to leave for practice in 10 minutes.
MADELEINE: Okay.  Wait.  What did you say?  I wasn't listening.


Therefore, I was pretty surprised when it was Julia who went off into outer space the other day, as she, Madeleine and I were hanging out in the living room.  I was expressing my love for the girls, at first directly addressing Madeleine, who was cuddling up to me on the couch.  Julia was standing by the edge of the couch, staring out the window.

ME: Do you know that I love you so much I can't even stand it.
MADELEINE: I love you too!
ME: (pointing at Julia) And I love YOU so much too, do you know that?
JULIA: (turning to look at me blankly)
ME: (waiting expectantly for a response)
JULIA: (speaking with slow deliberation) FARM OUT.
ME: What??
JULIA: I was thinking about the song in my flute book called "Farm Out."
ME: So you decided to say "Farm Out" instead of "I love you too?"
JULIA: Wait.  I didn't know you were talking to me!  I thought you were saying that to Madeleine!

"Farm Out" (which is basically just "Old MacDonald" with a different name.)


I promised Julia that from now on, my new response in lieu of "I love you too" will be "Farm out."  And don't worry, we've all held to that.  My recent text exchange with Ethan is proof:

Little did the editors of Julia's band book know what a legend one of their song titles would become in the Rowe household.  And with that, I'm signing off.  Farm out!