School Performances

Yesterday was a big day for Julia at school: her Music class had its performance of "The Nutcracker."  Julia has been counting down the days until the performance, and once I was there in the audience I could see why.  The music teacher choreographed dances to a few of the musical pieces from the ballet, and Julia got to spend a lot of the ballet skipping and galloping in a line or circle with the other dancers.  Her own personal Gallop Time at school!  How could she NOT love it?

Julia also had a speaking part, which was what she had wanted most of all in the performance.  Apparently, the kids were given the opportunity to list three possible parts they would most want to have.  Julia went straight for a narrator part, not bothering to opt for Clara or the Sugar Plum Fairy or any of the major roles.  She was completely confident behind the microphone as she narrated the upcoming scene, then got to jump right back into the mix of dancers:





Today was Madeleine's day to shine, as her school had its traditional Christmas play and sing-along.  Madeleine got to play the role of Mary:

Is she just the very picture of the beatific virginal mother of God or what?

Because I was in charge of leading the sing-along, being the music teacher at Madeleine's school and all, I didn't get a chance to video the performance, but never fear: I got Madeleine's own personal performance of one of the pageant songs on video before we headed off to school:



During the pageant, Madeleine was absolutely delighted to see Daddy in the audience, which for some inexplicable reason made her decide to yell "Poop Dog, Daddy!" in between songs.  And as if that wasn't enough, Madeleine then felt the need to loudly whisper to me, as I began the count-down to the next song, "Mama!  I said 'Poop Dog' to Daddy!"

Madeleine truly knows how to be the embodiment of the Virgin Mary.

After the show was finished, the kids and their families got to sit down for a pizza party lunch.  Madeleine's best friend took a seat beside her at our table, and the best friend's little sister, who is currently obsessed with Madeleine and I, climbed into my lap to eat her pizza.  Best friend's mom came over to apologize to me for the fact that her youngest daughter is so attached to me.

Um, I'll take a sweet little 2-year-old on my lap any day!

But Madeleine felt the need to set things straight and dispense a little parenting advice to her best friend's mom.

MADELEINE: Um, can I tell you this?  You should just try SNUGGLING her more and THEN she'll get more attached to YOU.

That's right, Madeleine.  You have all the world's wisdom inside you.  Especially because you're the Mother of God and all.

Now that our girls have both had their exciting performances, we are looking forward to a Christmassy weekend with Nana and Gramps!

Sparklies

As if making ten thousand home-made gifts for family members isn't enough, Julia apparently made a present for chihuahua Clara as well.  I woke up this morning to see this underneath the tree:

I'm sure Clara is going to LOVE it.


In other news, the girls are delighted by all the Christmas lights in town, which they have referred to, for years, as "sparklies."  Madeleine feels the compulsive need to point out Every.  Single.  Sparkly.  that she sees.  That means that getting Madeleine to finish a sentence while we're driving around town is near impossible.

MADELEINE: Mama?  At school today we were - sparklies!  Mama??  At school today, we were learning about - sparklies!  Mama?  At school today, we - sparklies.  We were - sparklies!  Mama?  At-at-at - sparklies!  Mama?  Sparklies.


The girls especially love the historic "Blue Tree" in the Needham Town Common.  When I told them today that this is the last year that the famous tree would be strung with lights, the girls were full of questions.  Like, to the point that they were unable to discuss any other topic all afternoon.

JULIA: But why are they cutting the tree down after this Christmas?
ME: Because the tree is old, and it's diseased and dying.
JULIA: But what happens if it's diseased and dying?
ME: Well, it could fall over, or it could lose a branch, and someone could get hurt.
MADELEINE: But Mamaaa?  How do trees DIE?
ME: Well, trees are living things, so if they get old or get diseases, they can die.  Trees don't live forever.  And this tree is really old, because the Blue Tree Lighting has been a tradition that goes back in history.
JULIA: (enthusiastically) You mean like back to 1892?
ME: Uh...well probably not...
MADELEINE: But Mamaaa?  How do trees GET diseases?
ME: Well, they can get a fungus that can cause them to rot.
MADELEINE: Hey!  Mama!  That's just like when I got PUS in my molluscum!

No, it's really not  just like that.

JULIA: But Mom?  How do they KNOW the tree is dying?
ME: Because special tree experts called arborists know what signs to look for to determine whether a tree is rotting or not.
JULIA: No.  Mom.  I mean: How do REGULAR people know to even CALL the tree experts?
ME: Uh, well, I imagine there are signs that the tree is not doing well.
JULIA: Like what??
ME: Well, maybe a tree will hang crooked, or branches will look like they might fall off, or maybe there are signs of fungus. 

Driving past the tree:

JULIA: But Mom, the tree doesn't LOOK crooked.
MADELEINE: Oh!  Wait a minute!  I think it looks a LITTLE crooked!
JULIA: But Mom. There are LOTS of crooked trees, and not all of them are dying!
ME: I don't really know if a crooked tree is a sign of a tree dying.  I'm not an expert.  But arborists know what to look for.
MADELEINE: But Mamaaa?  Why do they have to chop it down?
ME: Because if a tree is rotting and dying, it could fall down and cause damage, so it's better to cut it down before that happens.  But don't worry.  They're going to plant another tree to decorate next year.
MADELEINE: Or they could just leave a stump for sitting on!
JULIA: And everyone could decorate the stump and it would be called the "Blue STUMP Lighting!"

Now that's a marvelous idea.  What a cost-saver!  How many fewer lights would you need to string around a stump than around a huge maple tree??

Several hours later, when I was reading Madeleine a bedtime story, she interrupted me on this page:

MADELEINE: Hey!  Mama!  That's just like-like-like-like-

I thought she was going to make a comparison to the Whos from "The Grinch" standing in a circle singing around the tree.  Nope.

MADELEINE: That's just like-like-like the DEAD tree!

That's what they should have called the final Blue Tree Lighting: The Dead Tree Lighting.  I can't think of anything that captures the holiday spirit more.

The Dead Tree

Kiddie Ear-Training

Last night, Ethan put a new ear-training exercise to the test with Julia.  After explaining what an octave means, he played a pitch on the piano.  He wanted her to match the pitch and sing it back for him; however, the instructions seemed to initially confuse Julia.

ETHAN: (playing a pitch) Okay.  So.  What did I just play?
JULIA: Uh...um...a C??
ETHAN: No, no, you don't have to try and figure out what note I played.  Just sing me the pitch.
JULIA: (looking lost, as if she had no idea how to make the same sound as a piano out of her mouth)
ME: You can sing any word you want.  Just show Daddy what pitch he just played.
JULIA: (gazing around the room nervously)
ME: Just sing "la" or something.
ETHAN: Yeah.  You can just sing "da" or "doh."
JULIA: (matching the pitch perfectly) Ginge.

We all burst into laughter.  Of all the syllables Julia could sustain a pitch on, I'm pretty sure "ginge" wasn't one we had imagined.

JULIA: What??  I didn't know what word to sing and I was looking at the Christmas tree and I saw the gingerbread ornament!!

From that point on, Julia stuck hard and fast to "ginge" as the octave ear-training continued.

ETHAN: So you matched the pitch correctly.  Now can you sing an octave above that?
JULIA: (correctly singing the higher octave) Ginge!
ETHAN: Good job!  Okay. How about this note? (playing a different tone on the piano)
JULIA: Giiiinge!
ETHAN: Good.  Now how about an octave down from there?
JULIA: Giiiinge!
ETHAN: Great job!

Before I knew it, Madeleine wanted in on the game as well.

ETHAN: (playing a pitch)
MADELEINE: (in total earnestness) Giiiinge!
JULIA: Giiiiinge!

The good news: both kids were able to match pitch and sing the octave above or below a pitch without aid from the piano.

The weird news: "ginge" remained the word of choice for both kids when identifying a pitch. 

So, all you singers, voice teachers, and choral directors: looking for a new, exciting warm-up?  Try singing scales, arpeggios, and various other melodies on the word "ginge!"  Trust us, there's no turning back!


In other news, Madeleine seems to have confused herself as to what holiday is approaching, as she drew me the following picture today:

On the other hand, she seems to have realized what Jesus has to do with Christmas, as she insisted on including her stuffed Jesus in several events today, including going to the bathroom, because it's his early birthday.  Check it out; Madeleine even ate snack with Jesus today:

I guess Madeleine decided that on Jesus' early birthday, He ought to be allowed to eat WITH her rather than be eaten BY her, as He usually is at Church Communion. 

Happy Early Birthday, Jesus!

Julia Tackles Vocab

Part of Julia's spelling unit every week is to define each of her spelling words.  When Julia really isn't sure of a definition, she can ask her teacher, but otherwise she is encouraged to write out a definition in her own words. 

I'm often amused by the definitions and sentences she comes up on her own.

Here are a few recent ones:

Word: ugly


Dictionary.com definition: very unattractive or unpleasant to look at; offensive; disagreeable; objectionable; morally revolting; threatening trouble or danger.

Julia's definition: when someone is not pretty.

Sentence: "I read a Halloween book about a ugly witch!"

(I will note that I just read a sentence with a ugly use of grammar.)


Word: dislike

Dictionary.com definition: to regard with displeasure, antipathy or aversion.

Julia's definition: when you don't like something.

Sentence: "I really, really, really dislike aspagess."

She sure does.  In fact, I had a post very early on in this blog, back when Julia was three or so, about how disgusting she thinks "dasparagus" is.  The only thing that has changed since then is that "dasparagus" is now "aspagess."


Word: empty

Dictionary.com definition: containing nothing; having none of the usual or appropriate contents; vacant; unoccupied; without cargo or load; destitute of people or human activity; devoid; without force, effect, or significance; hollow; meaningless; idle.

Julia's definition: when something doesent have something in it.

Seriously, Dictionary.com.  Three or four lines of definition??  You could have saved yourself a LOT of space on that definition if you'd just had Julia writing for you.  "When something doesent have anything in it." 

Sentence: "My cookie jar is empty!"



Word: baby


Dictionary.com definition: an infant or very young child; a newborn or very young animal; the youngest member of a family, group, etc; an immature or childish person; a human fetus

Julia's definition: When you aren't very old yet.

Wait a minute.  I don't consider myself "very old" yet.  Does that make me a baby?

Sentence: "I think babys are really cute."

I think *YOU* are really cute, Julia!  And you'll ALWAYS be my baby!


Madeleine is exercising her mighty brain power tonight as well.  She seriously just asked me this, after I had sung her "The Little Drummer Boy" as her lullaby:

"Mama?  What does Jesus even have to do with Christmas anyway?"

What can I say?  These kids are gonna be rocket scientists.

Swimming and Santa

Yesterday, Julia had her second swim meet of the season, an away meet in Waltham.  Because I wound up working as a timer for the majority of the meet, I got to be up close at the end of Julia's races to give her my very heartfelt praise.  This also meant I was away from Madeleine, who spent the meet hanging out with Ethan, apparently missing me.

In fact, she had missed me so much that she wanted to mess with the bedtime schedule and get back-to-back nights of mommy bedtime. 

ME: Madeleine, who do you want for bedtime tonight?
MADELEINE: Uh, who put me to bed last night?  Is it your turn?
ME: I put you to bed last night.  So it's Daddy's turn.
MADELEINE: (thoughtful for a half-second) Still you.

I'm not sure the point of asking whose turn it was if she was just gonna pick me anyway. 

That doesn't mean that Madeleine doesn't have grand plans for some quality time with Ethan, however.  This morning she came up with a great adventure idea.

MADELEINE:  Daddy?  Do you think we could ever go out in the African savannah and find a mud wallow to push each other in??

I say go for it!  Christmas present savannah mud wallow trip!  Here they come!

Today we went to church, and on the way there I put on a Christmas CD for the kids to enjoy.  Madeleine was thrilled to discover that the first song on the CD is one of the songs she is singing at her preschool sing-along: "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."  She began happily singing along, until the wily jazz saxophonist began a middle, improvisatory section.  Then Madeleine just wasn't having it.

MADELEINE: Mamaaaa!  What's THIS music?
ME: Well, this CD is "Jazz Christmas Party."
MADELEINE: But Mamaaaa!  I don't WANT this music!  I want music that I can RECOGNIZE!

You'd think with a father who plays jazz at home ALL THE TIME Madeleine would have a little more tolerance for a momentary departure from the main melody.  Sheesh.

Church was extra special for the kids today, seeing as we had all kinds of extra events.  First up was the choir Christmas carol concert, which invited the congregation to join in on the songs they knew.  Afterwards, up in the church hall, the Greek school put on a performance of various Christmas poems, carols, and dances, all while audience members got to eat a variety of sweets and goodies.  I had figured that after both kids chowed down on donuts, they might want to head home, without sitting through the whole Greek school concert. 

I was wrong.

ME: Girls, do you want to stay and watch this or do you want to head home?
JULIA: Um, I don't know...
ME: It's gonna be all in Greek so you might be bored.
MADELEINE: Mama.  Are you KIDDING me?  Of COURSE we wanna watch it!
JULIA: Yeah, then it can help us learn some Greek!

So the show began.  Not two seconds in and:

MADELEINE: (in a loud whisper) Mamaaa? I have NO idea WHAT THE HECK they're saying.

However, the girls wound up enjoying the show, despite the language issue, especially when the school kids put on traditional Greek dances complete with ribbon/napkin twirling.  Madeleine even put on her OWN version of the show when we got home.

After the Greek school performance ended, the REAL special event took place: Santa came up to the church hall and each kid got a chance to sit on his lap and get a gift. 

Julia acted like she'd never sat on Santa's lap before.  She stood facing him stiff as a board and had to be prompted (by me) to sit on his lap for the photo op.  This may be because she has sort of figured out on her own that Santa isn't actually real.  As she told me, randomly, last week: "Mom?  I believe in St. Nicholas, but I do NOT believe in Santa Claus.  Like, we're supposed to think there's really this GUY that lives in the North Pole?  People don't even live there!"

Madeleine sat on Santa's lap much more willingly, and even stroked and twirled his beard while she gave her Christmas wishes (or lack of, as you will see...) but even she didn't fall for the idea that this guy was the real deal.

MADELEINE: (loudly, after receiving her gift and getting off Santa's lap) MAMA?  I told the FAKE SANTA that I don't KNOW what I want for Christmas!

Apparently Fake Santa told Madeleine to write him a letter once she knows what she wants.  As Madeleine contemplated this idea, Julia made sure to show her superiority in all ways of the world.

MADELEINE: Mama?  So, I'm supposed to write down what I want, but all the words that I *know* how to spell AREN'T words of things I want.
JULIA: Madeleine.  You could just have US spell them for you.
MADELEINE: Okay.  So Mama.  When I know what I want, can you write it down for me?
ME: Sure!
JULIA: Madeleine.  Do you even KNOW Santa's address?
MADELEINE: Uh...Mama can send it.
ME: (giving Julia a warning glare in the rear-view mirror) I can just send it to the North Pole.
MADELEINE: Oh, yeah!  The North Pole!
JULIA: To WHERE in the North Pole?  You can't just send it to the North Pole.  Do you even know Santa's street or his zip code?
ME: Julia.  It's fine.  Let's just let her...
JULIA: Madeleine, you'd be better off writing a letter to St. Nicholas and mailing it to HEAVEN.
MADELEINE: Uh, no, Julia.  I'm talking about a letter that you write on PAPER.

Yeah, Julia.  You can only mail prayers to Heaven, not PAPER LETTERS.  That will teach you to think you know everything about Santa and his non-existent postal address.  Except that you're totally right about that.  So...uh...

Anyway, Fake Santa aside, the girls continue to be completely immersed in the Christmas spirit, and we are eagerly counting down the last ten days until the big day is here!

Can I Tell You This?

Madeleine's latest catchphrase seems to be "Can I tell you this?"

Everything she wants to say must be preceded by "Can I tell you this?"

For example:

MADELEINE: Mama?  Can I tell you this?
ME: Sure.
MADELEINE: I'm just SO excited for opening presents so people can OPEN what I made for them!
ME: I know, it's fun giving gifts, isn't it?
MADELEINE: Mama?
ME: Yes?
MADELEINE: Can I tell you this?
ME: Sure.
MADELEINE: I can't wait to watch Julia OPEN THE PRESENTS I made her!
ME: What did yo make for her?
MADELEINE: I don't remember.
ME: Oh.
MADELEINE: Mama?
ME: Yes?
MADELEINE: Can I tell you this?
ME: Sure.
MADELEINE: The thing I like LESS than the other things is books and pictures.  I like TOYS the best.
ME: You do?  I really LOVE books.  I love to read.
MADELEINE: Well, I love books too, but I love TOYS the most!
ME: Oh.
MADELEINE: Mama?
ME: Yes?
MADELEINE: Can I tell you this?
ME: Sure.
MADELEINE: The days before Christmas...like, the days that are really close to Christmas...like, FIVE days, they go by SO fast that we might not even have TIME to buy presents!


Sometimes Madeleine asks me if she can tell me this without even knowing what she wants to say:

MADELEINE: Mama?  Can I tell you this?
ME: Sure.
MADELEINE: I don't really know what to say right now.


And sometimes she has something to say but then loses her train of thought along the way.

MADELEINE: Mama?
ME: Yes?
MADELEINE: Can I tell you this?
ME: Sure.
MADELEINE: When...when...when we opened the piñata at Lilly's birthday party, so, what happened is...that...um...so...(literally, a minute of silence) Mama?  What was I gonna tell you?


Madeleine, can I tell you this?  I can't read your mind, so I really don't know what you were going to tell me.

Birthday and Christmas

Today is chihuahua Clara's birthday, and Madeleine decided it wouldn't be a birthday without a birthday cake.

She dragged a chair up to the kitchen counter, got the mixing bowl, and began adding her own ingredients to make a cake.  Doesn't this look appetizing??:

Water, cut up chicken thigh, and strawberries.  Yummy in my tummy!

Madeleine next added some banana slices, but I stopped her at this point:

MADELEINE: (gazing at the bagels I just recently bought) Uh, do you think Clara would like a whole wheat bagel??

So after letting Clara eat some banana and chicken, I decided to re-direct Madeleine's baking interest and enlist her help as I began my holiday baking.  Together we made four dozen sugar cookies, which seemed to satisfy her need to be productive in the kitchen.

Madeleine has been productive in other Christmassy ways as well.  Just take a look at her Christmas elephants!  Nothing says Christmas like an elephant with a bow, am I right??:

Madeleine has also been busy singing carols, or perhaps I should say her OWN version of carols.  Last night she serenaded Auntie Shannon with her unique take on "The Twelve Days of Christmas."  Not only is there a partidge jingle pear tree, but there are three french fries in this version.  How creative!:




I gotta say, between Clara's cake, the carols, and the Christmas elephants, things are feeling MIGHTY festive here in the Rowe household!