Tete-a-Toddler: Conversations with a Budding Linguist

Time: Weekday evening

Place: Kitchen

Maddie: Dadeeee, whew ah ooo?

Jon (who is standing right next to Maddie): Maddie, where do you think Daddy is? Where is Daddy?

Maddie (grinning): Daddy ah wuk! (giggles)


Time: Weekday evening

Place: Kitchen

Setting: I'm cooking, and Maddie is watching me and "helping." I've given her a set of measuring spoons and an empty measuring cup.

Me: Maddie, are you cooking with Mommy? Are you cooking?

Maddie (fiercely stirring an invisible substance of some sort): Yeah!

Me: What are you cooking?

Maddie: Salt.


Time: Weekday morning

Place: Maddie's bedroom

Me: Maddie, let's get you dressed so you can go to daycare. Do you want to go see Miss Laura?

Maddie: Yeah!

Me: Who else will you see at daycare?

Maddie: a Miss Wawa, a Yandon, a Spehcer, a Caityen

Me: Yep, you'll see all your friends at daycare.

Maddie: a Pa?

Me: No, Pa won't be at daycare.

Maddie: a Nana??

Me: No, Nana won't be at daycare either.

Maddie: a Unca Chiss???

Me: What? No. Maddie, none of those people have ever been to your daycare!


Time: Sunday morning

Place: Church

Setting: At the end of our church service, the congregation stands around the outer edges of the sanctuary, holds hands, and sings a closing song. Last Sunday, my parent were visiting, so they attended the service with us. I was holding Maddie, and my dad was standing next to us. My dad tried to hold Maddie's hand.

Maddie: Nooo! (Wrinkles up her forehead, nose, and mouth, and pulls her hand away.)

Grandpa: All right. I won't touch you (puts his hand on my shoulder).

Maddie (pushing his hand away somewhat violently): Noooo! No a toucha Mommy!


Time: Weekday evening

Place: Neighborhood playground

Jon: All right, Maddie, one more time down the slide, and then we need to finish our walk and go home.

(Maddie goes down the slide.)

Me: Okay, time to go. Let's go get in your stroller.

Maddie: Nooo. A mo' sa-yide. A mo' sa-yide!

Me: No, it's time to go.

Jon: Say bye-bye, slide. Say bye-bye.

Maddie: Bye-bye, sa-yide. See ta-ma-oh.

*My apologies for the length between this post and the last. I'll be posting again in the next couple of days with some lame excuses for the delay, pictures, and general updates. I appreciate your patience!

Party Like a Rockstar: A Photo Essay

What's all this? A party? Just for me?*


Oh, you guys! You really shouldn't have. I'm so happy I could squat!


And look at everyone who's here. It's my lovely and talented aunts!


Mommy, what is that? Why is there fire on it? Why is everyone singing? Why am I half-naked? Never mind, I don't care if I'm naked. Can I touch that?


Hmmm, I find this green and brown circle intriguing. It smells delightful...


Birthday cake rocks!


Step away from my cake. I am NOT sharing.


Everyone else seems to be enjoying their cake, too.


And then, like most good parties, there was an awkward and inappropriate make-out session in front of everyone. The whole school is going to be talking about this on Monday...


Then there were wagon rides!


I'm not sure what it says about our daughter, kissing one man at the party, and then catching a ride with someone completely different.


Oh, tissue paper! How rapturous!


I love football (and my new Reesing jersey from my uncle)!


#5, small but mighty


Oh, my head feels so much better without my pig-tails. I'm not sure why everyone's laughing, but I'm just going to go along with it. It can't be at me. I look fabulous!


Fabulous, indeed.

*(All photos by Larry Stoppel and Marc Webster.)

Jon and I would just like to take a moment to thank everyone who came to her party and most of all, our parents for all their help in getting ready, setting up, getting food, and cleaning. Maddie had a great time, and so did we. You guys are also rockstars! Thanks a million!