Two Videos

This morning while I was watching a YouTube video that my former assistant band director had posted on Facebook, Julia came running over to join me. The video was of my high school marching band, performing a field show at the intermission of one of our home football games. Smitten with nostalgia, I began to explain to Julia what exactly she was watching.

ME: Julia, this is my old marching band, and we're performing a field show. Do you see us marching all around and making different shapes and formations?
JULIA: Uh-huh. But Mama? Are you there too?
ME: Yeah, I was there. I used to be part of this band.
JULIA: Oh. (thoughtful silence) Mama, is this what you used to do for your OLD job, be a marcher, before you decided to teach piano lessons instead?

Madeleine did not get to watch the High School band video with us, but she did watch an episode of Dora the Explorer once Julia was off at school. While she usually responds to Dora's questions with enthusiasm, today she decided to be shy. Now, I can understand her and Julia's nervousness at the My Little Pony episode in which Spike the Dragon turns temporarily evil and humongous and runs around bellowing "SPIKE WAAAAAANT!" while grabbing everything in sight. I'm not so sure I can understand being scared of Dora's patient silence after asking the audience a question, but for whatever reason, Madeleine sure got upset today.

DORA: HOW DO WE GET TO STAR MOUNTAIN? WHO DO WE ASK FOR HELP WHEN WE DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO? (Silence) RIGHT! THE MAP!
MAP: I'm the Map, I'm the Map, I'm the Map, I'm the Map, I'm the Maaaaaap! I know how to get to Star Mountain. First you need to go to the fifteen steps, then the Diamond, then Star Mountain! Step, Diamond, Star Mountain!
DORA: CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE WE NEED TO GO FIRST?
MADELEINE: (bursting into tears, running out of the room and into my arms)
ME: What's the matter, honey?
MADELEINE: Mommy, I'm scared to say "Step!"

Yeah. Okay. That is awfully scary, you have to admit. I'm sure the fact that Madeleine skipped her nap yesterday and was very emotionally fragile this morning had NOTHING to do with her reaction.

Thankfully, she is now upstairs in her crib, fast asleep, while Julia tortures herself by watching "SPIKE WAAAAAAANT!" for the thousandth time.