Raccoon

Driving home from swim practice this evening, Madeleine and I saw a raccoon, and OH MY GOD was Madeleine excited.

MADELEINE: Mommy, look out for that-
ME: I know.  The cat.
MADELEINE: I was gonna say dog.
BOTH OF US, SIMULTANEOUSLY: Raccoon!

As we drove, Madeleine's excitement grew exponentially.

MADELEINE: Mommy, I thought it was a DOG, but it was a raccoon!
ME: I know.  I thought it was a cat.
MADELEINE: (bouncing up and down in her car seat) I can't believe it I can't believe it I can't BELIEVE we saw a RACCOON!
ME: I know.
MADELEINE: (continuing to bounce up and down, her voice growing more shrill) I'm gonna tell Julia that we saw a raccoon!  I can't BELIEVE we saw a raccoon!  I can't believe it I can't believe it I've never seen that before!
ME: I know.
MADELEINE: But Mommy.  I learned something that I think I already knew.
ME: What's that?
MADELEINE: Raccoons do NOT look both ways when they cross the street.
ME: No, they don't.
MADELEINE: That's crazy.  They should ADAPT to be able to do that!
ME: Yeah, they really should.
MADELEINE: Okay.  Mommy.  This is EXACTLY how I'm going to tell Julia when we get home.  The SECOND I open the door, even when it's just a CRACK open, I'm gonna shout "JULIA, WE SAW A RACCOON!"  Wait, Mommy.  Make sure I get to go inside first.


The announcement turned out to be as anti-climatic as I feared.

MADELEINE: (pushing past me, even though I was already waiting to let her go in from the garage first)
JULIA!  WE SAW A RACCOON!
(Silence)
MADELEINE: (bursting into the play basement) JULIA WE SAW A RACCOON!
(Silence)
MADELEINE: (running to the stairs) JULIA WE SAW A RACCOON!
ETHAN: (appearing at the top of the stairs, looking puzzled)
MADELEINE: JUUUUULIA!
ETHAN: She's in her room, Madeleine.  She can't hear you.


At least Madeleine got to practice a bunch of times before *actually* delivering the news to Julia.  I don't think Julia was as overwhelmed with awe as Madeleine would have liked, but at least one of the two kids was super excited about the raccoon sighting.