Why did he climb up there to walk on the ceiling? That’s not a good choice.

Alex: Do we have more paper towers? Paper – paper – what are these?
Daddy: Paper towels.
Alex: I always call them paper buildings.


(watching TV)

Alex: That boy was hanging up high on the ceiling, on that show.

Alex: He was up in the sky with Mr. Noodle!


Daddy: Did you have fun at school today?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: What did you do?
Alex: Um… I read books, and I dance.


Claire: Nuggets.
Alex: No it’s not nuggets, it’s chinuggets. It’s not nuggets. It’s not nuggets. It’s chinuggets.


Alex (looking up the stairs after Mommy took Claire up for nap): Claire, have a good nap up there.


(snack time)

Alex: Is there no school?

Claire: Daddy! Hair.
Daddy: My hair’s dry now.
Claire: Shirt.
Mommy: Green shirt, yeah.

Alex: She got – a new –
Daddy: You got a new magazine?
Alex: Yeah, a new magazine from Grandma!
Mommy: That’s right, you remembered!

(Alex has the little Ernie and Bert toys on his tray.)
Alex: There will not be any room for the stuff.
Daddy: Why not?
Alex: Because Ernie and Bert will be in the way.

Alex: Fork! I got fork.
Claire: Fork.
Alex: Fork.
Claire: Cake.
Alex: Cake.

Alex (sliding his fork into the sides of his tray): I’m makin’ a noise with my fork.
Daddy: Mm-hm.
Alex: See? Ding ding ding ding.
Claire (moving her fork too): Ding ding ding.
Alex: It goes like this, Claire.
(Mommy serves cake.)
Alex: Cake.
Claire Cake.
(All is quiet as the cake is eaten.)

Claire: Cake. Cake.
Alex: Claire said, “Cake. Cake. Cake.”
Daddy: She sure did.
Alex: Claire said "cake".
Claire: Cake.
Alex: I want more. Cake.
Mommy: That’s all the cake.
Alex: I want more. Banana.
Mommy: No banana. If you’re still hungry, I can give you some Goldfish.
Alex (very whiny): There’s more banana, Mommy.
Mommy: Well what I mean is we’re not gonna have any more banana for snack. Do you want some Goldfish?
Alex (very whiny): Nooo!
Mommy (sternly): Okay. You do not answer me that way.


(Alex is walking around with a blanket wrapped around him, just as Mommy had done a few minutes earlier.)
Alex: I did it, Daddy!
Daddy: What’d you do?
Alex: I put the blanket on me ‘cause I’m cold! I did it like Mommy!


(dinner time)

Mommy: Claire, do you have a dog?
Claire: No.
Alex (from the stool, where he’s washing hands): Yes, we have a dog.
Mommy: Claire, do you have a brother?
Claire: No.
Alex: I’m a – I’m a brother right here on the stool!

Mommy: Do you have a brother?
Claire: No.
Alex: Yes, you do have a brother! I’m a brother!
Claire: No. Brother.

Mommy: Claire? Do you have… a shirt?
Claire (touching her shirt): No.
Mommy: Do you have a head?
Claire (putting both hands on her head): No. Head.
Mommy: Do you have a nose?
Claire (touching her nose): No. Nose.
Mommy: Do you have eyes?
(Claire touches Mommy’s eyes.)
Alex: Do you have eyes, Claire?
Mommy: Claire, do you have eyes? Do you have eyes, Claire?
Alex: Do you have eyes?
(Claire touches her own eyes.)
Mommy: Claire, are you smart?
Claire: No.
Mommy: Are you cute?
Claire: No.
Mommy: Are you silly?
Claire: No.
Mommy: Are you smiley?
Claire: No.
Mommy: Are you touching your ear?
(Claire, who is touching her ear, does not respond.)
Alex: Are you touching your ear? Are you touching your ear, Claire?
Mommy: Are you ticklish?
Mommy (tickling Claire): Tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle!
(Claire squirms and laughs.)

Alex: I don’t like the beans what’s in this pasta. The beans.
Daddy: Oh okay.
Alex: I like to eat just the pasta. And I like to eat the tomato.
Alex: Tuh, tuh, tuh, tomoato. Tuh. What does it start with? What does it start with, Daddy? Tomato.
Daddy: What do you think?
Alex: I don’t know.
Daddy: It starts with a T.
Alex: T! It starts with a T.

Alex: A “B” starts with Bert. Bert.
Daddy: That’s right!

(Alex has just asserted that Bert is walking on the ceiling.)
Alex: Why did he climb up there to walk on the ceiling? That’s not a good choice.
Daddy: That’s right.
Alex: Tell him to come down. Tell him to come down, Daddy.
Daddy: Come down please, Bert.
Alex: He won’t come down. Tell him again and he listens.
Daddy: Come down please, Bert.
Alex: He’s not coming down again. He always stays up on the ceiling when he goes, walks, up there.


(bed time)

Daddy: Can I give you a kiss?
Alex: Yeah.
(Daddy gives Alex a kiss.)
Daddy: Night-night. I love you.
(Daddy starts to leave.)
Alex: I forgot to say the words!

(Alex says the words.)
Alex: Now give me a kiss.
(Daddy gives Alex a kiss.)
Daddy: Night-night. I love you.
(Daddy starts to leave.)
Alex: Did I say “play in the backyard”?
Daddy: Yes, you did.
Alex: Okay.