There’s a toy in it. It’s a dog and it eats a bone. There’s a bone in it too.

(Daddy’s in the bathroom, and Mommy tells Alex not to go in there.)
Alex: But I wanna be with Daddy! He’s my best friend.


Claire: Mommy. Aw cake. Aw cake.


(Daddy brings Claire’s stuffed toys downstairs. Daddy didn’t bring Alex’s toys because Alex had claimed they were sleeping.)
Alex: Oh – Daddy, I hear my friends wakin’ up. They’re crying. They want me. So can you go get them?


(Alex and Claire are playing with Play-Doh.)
Alex: Here’s a present for you, Daddy.
Daddy: Oh, I like it! What is it?
Alex: It’s a present.
Daddy: Oh!
Alex: There’s a toy in it. It’s a dog and it eats a bone. There’s a bone in it too.

Alex: This one’s a butterfly, Daddy. And this one’s a snake. And this one’s another one, and this one is another one!
Daddy: Thank you.


Alex: I like bread, Mommy.
Alex: I like bread, Mommy.
Alex: Mommy?
Mommy: Yes?
Alex: I like bread, because it’s my best… food.


(At Neer’s birthday party, Alex is coloring a picture of a castle. For the first time, he colors with regard to the picture itself.)
Alex: The bricks are purple.

(Alex is so enrapt with coloring the bricks purple that he doesn’t stop when they bring out the bubble machine.)
Alex (looking up): I missed the bubbles.
(Alex continues to color.)


(bed time)
Alex: I miss the museum.