Vocabulary

So we just finished one of those epic parenting/childhood moments. The sit-at-the-table-'til-you're-finished-eating standoff. At one point, I talked with Madeline about her behavior. I realized we had never really talked about what it means to be stubborn, and I thought this was a teachable moment. 

Madeline, there's a word for your behavior right now, do you know what it is? 

(immediate) Yes. 

Oh! You do? Tell me. 

(immediate answer with crying and half-screaming): DRAMATIC! But this is horrible and you're being awful!

As you might imagine, I laughed. She's making me laugh all the time lately, but mostly at really inopportune times. I then went on to explain the word stubborn, but the teachable moment may have been lost. 

Madz on the Way to School

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Ballet for the Littles

Madeline and Hadley started ballet today. Pure joy for both of them.




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Waiting

Meredith. Spinning--and waiting impatiently--for guests to arrive for her 8th birthday.


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Madeline Today

Driving, discussing nothing related to food or meals.
"Mom. Donuts are not just for breakfast. They're not. They're for lots of other times, too."

Late. Girls in bed. Me, nearby, folding laundry.
"Mom. Watcha doin? Foldin'?"
Yep, Madz. Foldin' the laundry.
"Welp. If you're not done in the morning, I'll help ya finish."
Thanks babe. You're the best.
"You're welc, mom."

Cause abbreviations are always better. Night, y'all.


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Big Girl

She wakes up before everyone (but me) and dresses herself. This morning she also made her breakfast. I can even hear her in there putting the peanut butter away.


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MLK Day, 2013

Yes, I'm late. But I'm cleaning and I found this. Meredith made this before school one day when they were celebrating MLK's birth. She found a pin and pinned it to her shirt. That is all.


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Not Asleep

Madi is rarely asleep as early as I think she's asleep. Tonight she called out to me from her dark room.

Madz: Hey Mom. Mom. I want some of those square things with sugar on them.
Me: What? What, you mean some kind of candy? Go to sleep, kid.
Madz: No, not candy. You know, with the sugar. Like we had in Disney while Daddy and Mer rode the roller coaster.
Me: Oh! Beignets!
Madz: Yeah, beignets. I want some beignets, mom.
Me: Me too, babe, me too. Go to sleep, kid.
Madz: You go to sleep, kid.


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Candy Land

Hadley came over to play while Matthew and Lyndi went to see the Grizzlies trounce the Clippers. After dinner, we sent the girls upstairs to play Candy Land while we watched an episode of Parenthood. They, however, had different plans. Nothing like Candy Land with 5 players.



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Night at the Harpers

Dan made pizza. The kids played ping pong, Temple Run, and outside. Flannery wrapped up the evening with a little Bach. Madeline admired her.


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Madeline Dresses with Defiance

This afternoon, Madeline wanted to change clothes. We were heading out to run errands and go to a meeting. I didn't have time for her fashion input, or her inability to chose weather-appropriate clothing. I told her that it was too cool for her requested tank top and shorts and that we didn't have time to change. 

I was then distracted, as mothers are, from time to time. 

Five minutes later, I called the girls to the front door. Madeline arrived, wearing completely different clothing than when I had last seen her. Ladies and gentlemen, she seized her independence and dressed herself entirely on her own for the first time, in complete defiance of everything I had told her. She has not been in a hurry to take this developmental step. Apparently she just needed to be told "no." 

I have a feeling this may be prophetic. 

Madeline is FOUR!

It seems that in the Sugg family (I can't speak for the Lareaus, so I'll go ahead and claim this genetic weakness) we prefer to lull folks into a false sense of security by skipping the terrible two's. We then drop the hammer at 4. Madeline is following suit and the hammer has been dropped. The last couple weeks she's been quite a piece of work. 

But let's be fair, it can be hard to be the baby. Sometimes you're expected to be all mature and 4-ish; sometimes your parents practically beg you to crawl into their laps and cuddle. Sometimes your sister lets you be the teenager in the living room dance recital; sometimes you're only allowed to be a kindergartner. 

Today I asked her a few questions about being 4. Favorite food? Mac n cheese and Doritos. No surprises there, my little health fanatic. Favorite thing to do? Dance with my sister and play with my whole family "in the world" (a phrase tacked on to things she feels passionate about). Least favorite thing to do? A quick answer: wait, sit down, listen. 

More news about the girl? She's in the 96th percentile for height and 76th for weight. She grew two inches in 2 months. I just pretty much don't buy pants. We'll stick with skirts and shorts until we plateau a bit. She's sounding out short words, writing her name, and counting about as high as she wants (though she's not partial to 30-33 for some reason). I love to watch her paint and color; she's good, and she creates beautiful things. She started soccer a few weeks ago and is taking off; she loves kicking the ball with her dad when they're at Rhodes, although (full disclosure) she has an equal love for climbing on the football training sleds on the sidelines. And she's still an incredibly loving, affectionate girl. Every once in awhile one of us catches her staring at us and asks "Madeline, why are you staring?" She answers, "Because I just love you so much." No kidding. 

We love you, too, Madz. 

Fun with Russian

Meredith has a 30 minute Russian lesson 4 days a week. Madeline has a friend in her class whose mother is from Russia, and they learned about Russia in class this week. The girls were full of Russia, so we made a movie.