If you step on the light, you'll die.

Alex: I don't wanna go to 4-K today.

Claire: Hey Daddy, can you come outside after school with me, and I want somebody to visit us so I can show them how I can swing by myself.

Claire: Who woke you up, Alex?
Alex: Nobody. I woke myself up.
Claire: Oh.

Claire: Watch, Alex. I can do something cool!


(Alex and Claire play "don't step on the light".)
Claire: I'm stepping on the light!
Alex: If you step on the light, you'll die.
Claire: I'm not dying now!

(Claire slowly melts to the floor.)
Claire: I'm dying. I'm dying.

Daddy, today when I was in the back yard, I swinged by myself!

Claire (excited and proud): Daddy, today when I was in the back yard, I swinged by myself!
Daddy: You did?!
Alex: I teached her.
Daddy: Good job!



Alex: Look, I have a flower in my shoe.

Claire: Wow! That's tall with bricks!

Alex: What are they gonna build?!
Claire: I don’t know what they're gonna build!

Alex: It looks like they're gonna build a sports stadium!


Claire: Hey Daddy, I'm gonna show you how I swing!

Look Daddy, I'm doing it! I'm really doing it!

(Alex tells Daddy that when he woke up, he didn’t feel good, so he just sat down in the hallway.)
Alex: Not in the echo hallway. In the regular hallway.

(Alex’s lip hurts.)
Alex: I can’t laugh very well. But I like the show, because it’s funny.

(Claire has a gummy bear vitamin in her cheek.)
Claire: Daddy, you wanna touch my squishy cheek?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Touch it.
(Daddy does. Claire laughs.)

Alex: Mommy, when I come home from school, can you teach me how to make a paper airplane?


(after school)

(Many of Alex’s and Claire’s school friends are still without power.)
Daddy: We’re lucky that we have our power back.
Alex: Uh-huh. Now we can watch Charlie Brown.

Alex: I do feel tired, and I wanna relax on the sofa.

Alex: Guess what, Daddy? I went to 4-K today.




Mommy: My Claire Bear.
Claire: My Mommy.
Mommy: My Claire Bear.
Claire: My Mommy.
Mommy: My Claire Bear.
Claire: My Mommy.
Alex: Cut it out, you two.


Daddy (to Alex): I love my boy.
Alex (to Daddy): I love my… hat.


(Alex is trying to learn how to swing on the swings all by himself.)
Alex: I'm excited I'm practicing! I'm proud of myself!

(Soon, he gets the hang of it, and keeps himself swinging without assistance.)

Alex (thrilled): Look Daddy, I'm doing it! I'm really doing it!

Alex: I'm good at it already!

Alex: I'm proud of myself!

Alex: I like swinging!

Claire: Alex, when are you gonna stop swinging?
Alex: I do not know!
Alex: When I'm all practice-ed! Then I can swing whenever, I, want!
Alex (to Mommy and Daddy): If you're busy, I can still swing! You don't have to push me!

Alex: Look Mommy, I did it again!

(Claire says something to Alex.)
Alex: I told you, I'm swinging the whole day!
Claire: Because I don't want you to.

Alex: Daddy, I'm swinging the whole day! Because it's so much fun!

(Claire says something to Alex.)
Alex: As I said, I'm swinging the whole day!

Alex (to Daddy): Look, I'm going really high! As high as you push me!
Daddy: Yeah!
Alex: I'm proud of myself!

Alex: When we went to The Tyler Place, did we have to leave our state?
Daddy: Yes we did.
Alex: Cool.

Alex: I'll never stop going high! Ever!


(inside)
Alex: I'm tired of swinging.

(Claire wants to give Grommie a treat.)
Daddy: Why don't you give him a million dollars?
Claire: Okay.
(Claire gives Grommie a million dollars.)
Claire (smiling): I gave it to him.
Daddy: What did he do with it?
Claire: He ate it.
Daddy: What would you do with a million dollars?
Claire: I would play with it.
Daddy: Alex, what would you do with a million dollars?
Alex: I would throw it, all through the town, and up into outer space.

That wasn’t a fun game.

Alex: Daddy, at the beach house, Uncle Jimmy did something nasty.
Daddy: Oh. What was it?
Alex: He squirted the whipped cream all in his mouth.
Daddy: Oh. Yucky.
Alex: I didn’t laugh. I didn’t like it.

Alex: Sometimes Uncle Jimmy’s a little nasty.
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: Some people that are just tryin’ to be silly, sometimes they be nasty.
Claire: I don’t want be that when I be Uncle Jimmy, but I don’t wanna be that.
Alex: Uncle Jimmy?! You’re not gonna be Uncle Jimmy, you’re gonna be a girl. Uncle Jimmy’s a boy, you know.
Claire: But Alex, when I grow up… I’m gonna turn into Uncle Jimmy!
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: I’m gonna turn into Aunt Sheridan when I grow up.
Alex (sitting up tall in his chair): Look, Claire, I’m growing up fast…. Aunt Sheridan!
Claire (sitting up tall in her chair): I’m… Uncle Jimmy!
Claire: I’m still Uncle Jimmy!
Claire (slumping back down in her chair): And I’m Claire again.
Alex: And I’m Alex again.
Claire: Now I’m Uncle Jimmy again!
Alex: No, you say – “I’m Aunt Sheridan again!”
Claire: I’m Claire again.
Alex: I’m Uncle Jimmy again!
Claire: I’m Aunt Sheridan again!
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: That wasn’t right.
Alex: Say “I’m Aunt Sheridan!”
Claire: I’m Uncle Jimmy!
Alex: Now I’m Alex again.
Claire: And I’m Claire again.
Alex: Now you’re Aunt Sheridan again!
Claire: I’m Aunt Sheridan, I’m Aunt Sheridan!
Alex: I’m Uncle Jimmy, I’m Uncle Jimmy!
Claire: I’m Aunt Sheridan! I’m Claire again.
Alex: So am I.
Alex: That wasn’t a fun game.
Claire: No it wasn’t.


Claire: Don’t buh-peet.
Alex: Don’t buh-peet.
Claire: Don’t buh-peet!
Alex: Don’t buh-peet.
Claire: Don’t buh-peet!
Alex: Don’t buh-peet.
Claire: I’m fixing something on my finger.
Alex: Don’t repeat.
Claire: Don’t buh-peet!
Alex: Don’t repeat.
(Pause.)
Alex: I’m fixing something on my finger.
Claire: Don’t -- I’m fixing something on my finger, that’s not how you do it, that’s –
Alex: I’m fixing something on my finger.
Claire: Don’t buh-peet!
Alex: I am, for real.


(Alex and Claire are pretending to be preschool teachers, with their babies as the kids.)
Alex: Okay! Time to clean up!
Claire: But we didn’t play.
Alex: We’re pretending we played for a long time. But now it’s time to go outside. Let’s get on sunscreen!


(lunch)

(Hurricane coverage has been playing all morning.)
Alex: Why do you leave the TV on when you’re not even watching?

Alex: Daddy, I like to be healthy and not eat too much yummy food.

Alex (to Claire): Did you know something silly that Snoopy did? He turned Charlie Brown into a big head, and that scarf, and those shoes, and then he walked into the bathroom and said “Aaaah!”
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: That was just silly, wasn’t it?

Alex: “My dog made me invisible!” That’s what – um, um – Charlie Brown said.


(nap time)
Alex: Why do I need enough sleep?
(Daddy explains that Alex’s body needs sleep in order to grow and stay healthy.)
Alex: Why did they make it that way?



Alex: I said “Trash can, open up!”, and he opened up, and I put it in his mouth, and he said “Yum yum”, and he ate it!


(dinner)

Claire: Mommy, you can’t have more – you can’t have three of applesauces, ‘cause this is Sometimes Food too.

Alex: Mommy, look in the cabinet.
Mommy: Why?
Alex: Because I want to show you something.
(Mommy opens the cabinet.)
Alex: You see that big box sticking out? It’s making the cabinet not close all the way.
Mommy: Yeah.

I like the beach house, I wanna go back.

Claire: Do we go to school at this house?

(Claire wakes up and goes into the living room to see who’s awake. Then she comes back to the bedroom.)
Claire (whispering): Mommy, I went out there.
Mommy: Who’s out there?
Claire: Uncle Kirk.
Mommy: Oh.
Alex: He’s always out there.


(Claire plays in the surf, singing “It’s A Sunny Day.”)

Claire (to Mommy): I like going in the ocean now.

(Daddy tells Alex it’s time to say bye-bye to the ocean, because it’s time to go home.)
Alex: Because I’m bored.
Daddy: You’re bored?
Alex: Of the ocean.

Claire: Why do crabs go back in their holes?

Alex: When we go back to our regular house, we can look at all our shells we found!

(Daddy and Claire leave the beach for the final time, to head home ahead of Hurricane Irene.)
Claire: We need to hurry up, because I think the storm’s coming right now.


Claire (playing in the pool): I can jump in the water by myself!

(Claire is swimming in the pool, and Daddy tries to take her hand.)
Claire: No Daddy, I’m gonna swim somewhere, don’t do anything to me.
(Claire swims all the way to the ladder, climbs out, then walks back around to Daddy.)


(Alex notices that Grandpa’s still down on the beach by himself.)
Daddy: Yeah, he’s having fun.
Alex: He should be helping Grandma pack.


Alex: Grandma! We wanna say bye-bye to you!
Claire: Yes we do!


(driving home from the beach)

Alex: When are we going to the beach house?

Alex: Daddy? When is next summer?

Claire: Play a game, Mommy.
Mommy: You wanna play a game?
Claire: Yes.
Mommy: Play a game in the car?
Claire: Yes. Let's play a game in the car.
Mommy: Okay.
Claire: Let's find a yellow car. There’s a yellow car!

Alex: Daddy?
Daddy: Yes, Alex?
Alex: That big strong wind, that musta been the storm, it was tryin’ to come.

Alex: Maybe it was just bein’, tryin’ to blow harder than that, maybe it was, it musta been farther away, maybe that's why we felt it just a little bit, but now it’s gonna be closer, it’s gonna blow harder.

Claire: Let's find a red truck.

Claire: Hey Mommy?
Mommy: Yeah?
Claire: We found a - let's find a black dog.
Mommy: A black dog?
Claire: Yes.
Claire: But I saw a black dog.
Mommy: You already saw one?
Claire: Yes.

Mommy: Bye bye, beach house.
Claire: Bye bye, beach house.

(Alex is talking about what happens if someone gets struck by lightning.)
Alex: They might have a big hole in their back, or a big hole in their head. If the lightning shocks them. Right, Daddy?
Daddy: I don't think that'll happen.
Alex: Well what if the lightning got them?
Daddy: Then, I guess something like that might happen.
(Pause.)
Alex: That's what I was saying about the lightning.

(When stopping for gas, Daddy buys a bag of Cheetos.)
Alex: I've never had one of those tiger things; I've been waiting a long time to eat one.


Alex: I hope our beach house doesn’t get, anything breaks, because we like it, don't we Daddy?
Daddy: That’s right.
Alex: We don't want anything to have holes in it.



(at home)
Claire: Hey Mommy? Why are we coming home – but I don't want to come home, because I like the beach house.




(Claire sees a Capital One Viking commercial.)
Claire: Daddy, the people are funny, those people are funny.
Daddy: Yeah, they’re funny.
Claire: They dressed up like, another person, to sound like another person.


(Alex insists the upstairs carpet is new.)
Alex: This is new, this really feels new!


Claire: I like the beach house, I wanna go back.

I opened a popsicle shop, but there wasn’t many customers.

(Alex is playing with toys.)
Alex: Daddy?
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: This, right here, where there’s bones, right here, it’s much hard – it’s more – it’s much harder.
Daddy: Yeah.

Alex: We have a lot of people, but if we work hard, we can get it done.

Alex: If we work all together, we can get it done.



(Claire is playing with toys while Daddy tries to nap on the sofa.)
Claire: Daddy?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Can you stay waking up so I can tell you stuff?
Daddy: What?
Claire: Can you stay waking up so I can tell you stuff?
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: ‘Kay.
(Claire smiles and goes back to quietly playing with her toys.)


Alex: I opened a popsicle shop, but there wasn’t many customers. Uncle Kirk, Courtney, Virginia, and Meg. But maybe I’ll have to open it again tomorrow.

I wanna show Uncle Kirk how I can swim by myself!

Claire: I don’t want Uncle Kirk to get me.


Claire: I don’t want Uncle Jimmy to look at me.


Claire: I’m excited it’s Grandma’s birthday.

Claire: Are we invited to Grandma’s birthday?
Daddy: Yes, we’re invited to Grandma’s birthday.
Claire: Oh. So we can eat Grandma’s cake when she eats it?
Daddy: Yes.


Alex: Bye-bye, Daddy!
Daddy: Where are you going?
Alex: I’m gonna play bocce, but the grown-ups will show me where to stand.


(on the beach)

Claire (excitedly): Let’s bury Meg!

Claire (excitedly): We can bury me up!

Claire (to Daddy): I’m gonna bury you up!
Daddy (to Claire): I’m gonna bury you up!
Claire (to Daddy): I’m gonna bury you up!
Daddy (to Claire ): I’m gonna bury you up!
Claire (to Daddy): I’m gonna bury you up!
Daddy (to Claire): You’re gonna bury me up!
Claire (to Daddy): You’re gonna bury me up!
Daddy: Okay.
(Pause.)
Claire: No – you’re gonna bury yourself up.


(lunch)

Alex: Are we gonna do the…
Alex (speaking carefully, but kind of slurring his words): Chrysanthemum senimar?
(Alex then falls out of his chair.)
Mommy: Okay. I think that’s enough juice for you.

Alex: Claire, you don’t have to do the book seminar. You can play.



Aunt Sheridan: Do you know what Grandma’s name is?
Alex: I only call her Grandma, so I don’t know her whole name.


Alex: That was a fun – that was a fun seminar, Daddy.
Daddy: Well you should tell Aunt Sheridan that.
Alex (to Aunt Sheridan): I liked your seminar.


(making a birthday cake)
Claire: Am I gonna put the eggs in?
Daddy: I don’t know, Claire.
Aunt Sheridan: Yeah Claire, you’re gonna put the eggs in.
Claire (to Daddy, excitedly): I’m gonna put the eggs in!

Claire: You put them in, and it turns into a cake!

(Meg cracks an egg, and it goes all over her hands.)
Alex: You always get messy when you start cooking.

Claire (to Daddy, proudly): I dumped the eggs in!


(Claire finishes eating her cake.)
Claire: That was yyyyummy cake!


Claire: How do you make people?
Daddy: How do you make people?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Um… you have to make babies first, and then they grow up into people.
Claire: Oh.
Claire: How do you make people babies?


(Claire and Daddy are getting ready to go to the pool.)
Claire (to Daddy): Is it okay if Mommy comes too?



Alex: I liked the big gust of wind until it got stronger. It felt like a kind of big big giant bear.


Alex: I’m really good at games, too, like bocce.



Alex: I opened a popsicle shop, Daddy.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: We didn’t have very many customers. Uncle Kirk, Courtney, Meg, and Virginia. We had to ask them what color they wanted. Grandpa was there but he didn’t want one.


(Claire plays in the pool.)

Claire: I wanna show Virginia how I can swim myself.
(Claire shows Virginia how she can swim by herself.)

Claire: I wanna show Meg how I can swim myself.
(Claire shows Meg how she can swim by herself.)

Claire: I wanna show Courtney how I can swim myself.
(Claire shows Courtney how she can swim by herself.)

Claire: I wanna show Grandma how I can swim myself.
(Claire shows Grandma how she can swim by herself.)

Claire: I wanna show Grandpa how I can swim myself.
(Claire shows Grandpa how she can swim by herself.)

Claire: I wanna show Uncle Kirk.
Daddy: Well, Uncle Kirk’s not here.
Claire: I wanna show…
Claire: I already showed everybody in the pool.
Daddy: Well when Uncle Kirk comes back you can show him.

Claire: Uncle Kirk!
Claire: I wanna show Uncle Kirk how I can swim by myself!
(Claire shows Uncle Kirk how she can swim by herself.)

Claire: I wanna show…
(Claire looks around.)
Claire: I wanna show…
Claire: I wanna show…

Claire: Let’s be a shark, and get people!
Daddy: Who do you wanna get?
Claire: I wanna get everybody!
(Claire gets somebody.)

Claire: I wanna get everybody!
(Claire gets somebody.)

Claire: I wanna get Grandma!
(Claire gets Grandma.)

Claire: I wanna get Meg!
(Claire gets Meg.)

Claire: I wanna get Grandma again!
(Claire gets Grandma.)

Claire: I wanna get Grandma again!
(Claire gets Grandma.)

(After swimming, Daddy is helping her take off her bathing suit.)
Claire (proudly): I’m big, so I can swim myself.


Alex: Mommy, is it okay if Virginia and Courtney stay in my room? They’re gonna tell me boy secrets.

We had a good day.

Alex: Why are all the cups red at this house?


(Alex and Claire are playing in the pool.)

Claire: I like jumping to you, Daddy!

Alex (every time Grandpa squirts Daddy with the water gun): Do it again, Grandpa!!

(Claire is enjoying a game where Daddy picks her way up out of the water, and then splashes her back into the water.)

Claire (to Daddy): Let’s do ups-and-downs all the way down there!

Claire: Let’s do ups-and-downs down there!

Claire: Let’s do ups-and-downs again!

Claire: Let’s do the highest ups-and-downs in the world!


Claire: Hey Daddy, after lunch, are we gonna do dinner, and go to bed?
Daddy: Yes.


(Alex and Daddy return to the beach house from an afternoon at the beach.)
Alex: We had a good day.

Alex (grinning and proud): Oh Daddy. I had to pee really bad, so I peed in the sand!

Claire (to Mommy, proudly): I washed my hair in the shower.

Claire (to Mommy, proudly): I washed my hair in the shower.

Claire (to Mommy, proudly): I washed my hair in the shower.


Alex (to Claire): Why do you keep asking “Why, why, why?”


(Alex, Claire, Mommy and Daddy are driving to the store.)

Claire: Daddy, a long time ago, we went to Busch Gardens.

Alex (being silly): Dudley, when are you ever gonna learn how to drive!

(Alex sees the little church.)
Alex: That's where you got married, right?

Alex: I saw a horse. And a red shiny car.
Daddy: Neat.

Alex: When you turned off the car I stopped makin’ music, because I was pretendin’ to be a music player.

Fish don’t like to be ate. But birds like to eat fish.

Claire: Fish don’t like to be ate. But birds like to eat fish.


(Daddy creates a “water slide” in the surf.)
Alex: That’s SO COOL, Daddy!!


Alex (to Claire, at bedtime): Claire, when you're scared, you ask me, but Mommy and Daddy have to try to get some sleep.

We're going to the beach!

Claire: Daddy, we're gonna go to the beach today -- no today, when we go to the beach, you, put your goggles on and swim under the water. You're gonna do that, okay, Daddy?
Daddy: Okay.



Claire: We're going to the beach!

After we sleep it's gonna be tomorrow.

Claire (to Alex): Three shows will make your brain mushy.



Alex (angry): Claire! This is possible! This is really possible!



Claire: Is Mommy going to work?
Daddy: Yes.
Alex: She's always going to work except Saturday. No work. Beach house.
Claire: After nap. No -- after nap and school, we're gonna go to the beach house!
Alex: No we aren't, Claire. Tomorrow!
Claire: Yeah! After we sleep, we are. After we sleep it's gonna be tomorrow.

Fidgety, and beyond!!

Claire: Daddy, we need to get some donuts from the store.
Daddy: We do? Why?
Claire: Because we don't have any.



Mommy: Claire, you’re fidgety.
Claire: Fidgety, and beyond!!

I know a story about a cap.

(Alex and Claire are riding bikes.)
Daddy: Claire, you're doing it!!
Daddy: Alex, Claire's riding her bike too!
Alex (to Claire): Claire, I'm very proud of you!



Claire: We have one day, two day, and then we're gonna be at the beach house!



(Daddy mentions "decaf" and Alex thinks he said "cap".)
Alex: I know a story about a cap. There's a man who holded lots of caps. He sat down by a tree. The monkeys gathered all his hats while he was asleep. He saw his hats were gone. Then he looked all behind him and around the tree and up the tree, and he saw the monkeys had them. And he said, "Bring me back my caps, monkeys." And then they did his finger at him and they said "Tizz, tizz, tizz." And then when he was angry he walked away and they threw it down from the tree! And then… he got his caps and put it back on his head!

It's not working! I pushed the button.

(Daddy picks up Alex from school. Alex has just washed his hands, but as he holds Daddy’s hand, he comments on how his hands are still a little wet.)
Alex: I just got one paper towel. If you get too many, a tree – they have to cut down a tree, to make more paper towels.



Alex: Why do people need stop signs?



Claire: Alex, I love trains. Trains are my favorite, uh… toy.



(Claire and Alex are doing a jigsaw puzzle together, and Claire repeatedly impresses Alex with her jigsaw skills.)
Alex: Claire is so good at doing puzzles, Daddy.



(Alex and Claire are pretending to be Daddy and Mommy, working on their computers -- which consist of a book (open and turned sideways) and a Matchbox car for a mouse.)

Alex (acting frustrated with his computer): It's not working! I pushed the button.

Alex: Claire, we need a mouse.

Alex: We need a cord. You know how Daddy has a cord?

Claire: Alex, can you be quiet 'cause I'm gonna do a meeting, okay?
Claire (with a pretend phone): Hello?
Alex: Hello. No, uh -- uh sorry. I didn't mean to. 'Cause you're not talking to me.
Claire (into the phone): Hello?
Claire: Uh. Who's there?
Claire: Uh, do you need a new computer?
Claire: Um.
(Claire walks into the hallway.)
(Claire says something inaudible.)
Claire: No, I - I done with my work. I don't have any work today. So, I'm gonna go to work at the building, so I'm gonna go (inaudible) to get some food, so I'm gonna go to the store to get some (inaudible) french fries. Bye!

(Claire returns to the family room.)
Claire: I'm done with my meeting.

Alex: Look Daddy, I made my cord!
Daddy: Yeah! Good!
Alex: Now, my computer will work. Right, computer?
(Alex laughs.)
(Alex sighs audibly.)
Alex (dejectedly): I have to do all this work.

Alex: Well, grown-ups sometimes Claire, we have to be loud, and go on in our room. Okay?
Alex: I'm gonna go in my room, you be loud while I'm doing my meeting, and still be loud, because I'm over here and it'll still be loud, so I want you to stop when I'm over here, okay?

Claire: Okay.
Alex (on the phone): Hi!
Claire: Hi. Oh, sorry.
Alex (to Claire): Can you be loud when I do it -- the whole thing?
Claire (loudly): Hello! Who's there!
Alex (on the phone): Uh-huh. Yeah, of course.
Claire (loudly): Hello who's there!!
Alex (to Claire): Stop doing it now Claire because I'm in my room.
Claire: Okay.
(Alex mumbles into the phone.)
Alex (on the phone): Yeah, of course I am!
Alex (on the phone): Yeah I'm doing a lot of my work. That's why I said of course I am.
Alex (on the phone, laughing): Yeah.
Claire (on the phone): Yeah, it's not right because, I'm not there yet.
Alex (to Daddy): Daddy? What do you -- what do you say on your meetings?
Daddy: Um… I just talk to the people on the phone about my work.
Alex: How -- how do you explain about your work?
Daddy: Um, I tell them about the numbers... and the work I need to do.

Claire (on the phone again): After we -- our kids go to school, we're gonna go to work, we're gonna go to a building, and that's gonna be our work, okay? Bye!

Alex (on the phone again): I count loooots of numbers, on my knee. I say "one two three". And I write lots of (mumble) to my work. But this time I didn't write one to you, I wrote one to --

Alex (to Daddy): What do you call Mommy?
Daddy: Um, Steph.
Alex: Do you call her Sweetie sometimes?
Daddy: Yes.
Alex (on the phone again): Um, my, Sweetie. At work.
Alex (on the phone): Yes. Yeah, I need to go to sleep now. Bye.

(Now Alex pretends to sleep on the couch, and Claire pretends to wake him up.)
Alex: Claire! Um, Alex, no. It's way too early, it's five. You've gotta go back to sleep.
Claire: Okay.
Alex: I'll come and check on you in a while.
Claire: When it's time to wake up, I have -- I have to go to Chick Fil-A.
Alex: Okay Mom. Okay Mom.
Claire: Is it time to wake up?
Alex: No, not yet, Alex!
Claire: But I'm the mom.
Alex: But you -- a kid is a boy… or a girl.
Claire: I'm the girl, so -- I'm the mom, but a --
Alex: No you have to be -- I can't explain. A kid is a boy, who is… playing. It's not a person who works. It's a person who plays! Can you guess who it is?

Claire: Kid!
Alex: Yes. A kid, is somebody, who plays. And that doesn't mean that you're a grown-up, Claire.
Alex: Let's wake up now, Mom!
Claire: And I'll go to Chick Fil-A, okay? I need to go to Chick Fil-A.
Alex: You forgot to exercise!
Claire: Yeah I need to go upstairs and do exercise.
(Claire walks into the kitchen.)
Alex: Okay, but -- that's not the way upstairs, that's not --
Claire: It is, these are the stairs.
Claire: I'm exercising!
(Claire laughs.)
(Alex joins her in the kitchen.)
Alex (raising his arms up and down): You do it like this, Claire. You do it like this.
Claire: Oh, that's exercise.
(Claire repeats Alex's motions.)
Claire: And this is how you exercise.
(Claire tenses her muscles.)
Alex: Oh, but Claire, you're s'posed to take a shower after, okay?
Claire: Okay. Now I do a shower! Upstairs, okay?
Alex: Okay. I'll show you how to do a shower. Here's the shower door.
(Alex goes into the pantry.)
Alex: Here's how you turn it on.
Claire: Can I do that? Can I do that?
Alex: And, then Claire, you pretend -- pssssh, pssssh -- it's um, dripping on your head.
Claire: Pssssh, psssssh.
Alex: No um -- turn the knob.
Claire: I am turning the knob. Now um turn the shower.
Alex: You wanna get water on the floor?
Claire: I'm done with my shower!
Alex: All right!
Claire: Now I'm gonna go to Chick Fil-A, okay?
Alex: Okay.
Claire: You're gonna be the boy, okay?
Alex: Okay. You forgot -- no I'm not the boy, I'm the daddy. But Claire, you forgot to eat your breakfast!
(Claire runs off, laughing.)
Alex (chasing Claire): You forgot to eat your breakfast! You forgot to eat your breakfast!
Alex (to Daddy): Oh, Claire ran away. She --
(Claire runs around squealing.)
Alex: You want your breakfast?
Claire: No. No.
Alex: Go get it then. At Chick Fil-A. Go get Chick Fil-A for your breakfast.
Alex: I -- Claire, can I tell you something? Claire?
Claire: What?
Alex: When you go to Chick Fil-A, go, and get breakfast at Chick Fil-A, okay?
Claire: Okay.
Claire: Bye! I'm going to Chick Fil-A!
(Claire runs around downstairs.)
Alex: Be back home! Claire, come back home!
Claire: I didn't go to Chick Fil-A yet!
(Alex runs over.)
Alex: I'm coming too!
Claire: Don't come!
Claire (talking quietly to the kitchen table): Um, I need chicken nuggets, french fries, and water.
(Alex runs over to the kitchen table.)
Alex: I'm getting it!
Claire (running off): I ate it! I ate it all up!
Alex (to the kitchen table): I'm getting chicken nuggets, french fries, and water. Yum yum. I ate it.
Claire (laughing): I ate it. I ate all your food.
Alex: I ate all your food!



(dinner)
Claire: Mommy, after we go to bedtime, is it gonna be Saturday?
Mommy: It's gonna be Wednesday.
Alex: It's gonna be Cleanseday. Claire's looking forward to Saturday because we're going to the beach house.

I'm having so much fun!

(Alex is whining about something.)
Claire: Alex, what are you whining about?



Alex (riding his bike -- very well!): I'm having so much fun!



Claire: Daddy, I rode my bike by myself!
Daddy: You did! You did great!
Daddy: And Alex, what did you do?
Alex: Braked!



Claire (walking around in Mommy's shoes): I'm Mommy. Daddy, I'm Mommy.



Mommy: Hey Claire, where do we go on Saturday?
Claire: Um, nowhere!
Alex: Beach house!
Claire: Beach house!
Alex: Is it Saturday, after this day?
Mommy: No, we still have Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then Friday.

Cats aren't fun.

(Allegra the cat visits for a little while. The kids follow her around for ten minutes, trying to engage her with toys, but she just wants to explore.)

Alex: Cats aren't fun.

(A little later.)
Alex: She went through my legs!
Daddy: Wow!
Alex: I'm having fun with Allegra now.



Claire: Hey Daddy! We're gonna make Alex's bed!
Daddy: Okay!
Claire: I'm gonna help too!



(Alex pulls a sticker off of Daddy's foot.)
Alex: This might hurt a little.



(Alex's big boy bed has been assembled.)
Mommy: Well, what do you think?
Alex: Great!




Alex: And Claire, when I was going so fast, nobody ever went that fast before, I fell off and bumped my knee.



(In the bath, Daddy shapes Alex's hair into a mohawk. Alex looks at himself in the mirror and laughs.)
Alex: We could make another coffee cup with this picture!



(bed time)
Alex: Tell Mommy I'm riding my bike tomorrow.

It's so good if they want to play. If they want to play, they can.

Claire: Daddy! I have a new bicycle!

Claire (riding her bicycle, with Mommy's help): I'm riding it!



(Claire is reading the child seat instruction manual to herself.)

Claire (whispering): It says mockingbirds. So soft. Cute. And comfy. Just like Allegra.

Claire (whispering): If they're awake, they can get up.
Claire (whispering): If they're still tired, they can go back in their nests.

Claire: I am a birdie, with a funny head.
Claire: And it's silly because, he's dressed up like… Halloween.
Claire: And it's so funny that he is so funny. And he's so funny, like… people, and birdies but they don't be funny. They be… nice.

Claire: But they don't do anything what people like them to do.
Claire: They like them to do… silly stuff. Because… funny faces, but no, they don't. They don't say "no dat no dat!" but, they don't like that. So, they don't do it with people, just different kind of birdies!

Claire: Because, they wanna see birdies. And funny-looking birdies.
Claire: If they want to see a funny looking birdie, they can. If they want to.
Claire: So, they have a good time sleeping. If they want to play, they can play. But they're different kind of other birdies, so they can play if they want to.

Claire: So they can! And play, play if they want to play.
Claire: They can play if they want to.
Claire: It's so good if they want to play. If they want to play, they can.
Claire: If they want to play, they can sleep. And play in their sleep, nest. The end!
Claire (to Daddy): Daddy, this is my, um, birdy book.
Daddy: Yeah, I like your birdy book!

Claire: This is gonna (unintelligible).
Claire (Unintelligible) in the summer.
Claire: And in the fall.
Claire: And the spring.
Claire: And, in the -- summer. In the spring, in the fall, and… the… when it's sunny day.
Claire (in a sing-song voice): And when it's cloudy day, they can play. But it's, when it's sunny day they can't.
Claire (in a sing-song voice): And they can play if it's, not raining.
Claire (in a sing-song voice): And they can play if it's not raining.
Claire (in a sing-song voice): They can if it's not. No they can play if it's really not.
Claire (in a sing-song voice): They can play if it's not. They can play if it's not raining.
(Claire holds the manual outward and shows it all around the room, over and over. She giggles at Daddy when she sees him watching her.)

Claire (in a sing-song voice): And if it's not… summer time, or spring
Claire (in a sing-song voice): If it's fall…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Or, not winter, or fall…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Or not raining…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Or not… winter…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Or not, spring…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Where, or, is spring. It's close to our house.
Claire (in a sing-song voice): And it's close to the fall.
(Claire giggles at Mommy.)
Mommy: Silly girl!
(Claire once again shows the manual to the room, over and over, giggling at Daddy.)
Claire (giggling): Daddy!
Daddy: You silly.
Claire (giggling): I'm showing the pictures!
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire (to Grommie): Grom-Grom. See the picture! Picture of you, Grommie.
(Claire giggles.)
Claire: Picture of Grommie!
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Spring… fall…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Spring and fall…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Winter… and summer…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): And spring…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): And… that last day, center, summer, sunny -- and cloud… dy…
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Summer…
(Claire drops the manual and loses her place.)
Claire: Oh no! My book (unintelligible).
Claire: I don't at! What page, I was, dot.
Claire (singing a little song): Joo joo joo joo joo joo! Joo joo joo joo joo!
Claire (singing a little song): Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah hah hah hah hah.
Claire (singing a little song): Hm hm hm hm hm hm, hm hm hm hm hm. Hm hm hm hm hm, hm hm hm hm hm hm, hm hm hm hm, hm hm hm hm hm, hm.

Claire (in a sing-song voice): Okay. It says summer… fall… spring… summer!
Claire (in a sing-song voice): Little seat, big seat, for me. Little seat. I big.
Claire (giggling and singing): I lost my page again!
Claire (giggling and singing): I lost my page again!
Claire (giggling and singing and throwing her head back): I lost my page again!
Claire (giggling and singing and throwing her head back): I lost my page again!
Claire (giggling and singing and throwing her head back): I lost my page again!



Mommy: Alex is gonna come home today.
Claire: Is he home now?
Mommy: No, but he's gonna come home today.
Claire: Today?
Mommy: Yeah.
Claire: Yay!

Mommy: But, we go to the beach in a week.
Claire: Today?
Mommy: No, a week. Seven days.
Claire: But, you said eight days. Yesterday.



(Claire finds an old toy.)
Claire (to Daddy): Hey yes -- a so long time ago, you had this.

Yay! I love my big girl bed!

Claire: Do you know why I don't want to do mask?
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: Because I can't hear the TV -- my show.



Claire (out of the blue): Next, I wanna go with Al -- with Grandma. Because I like going with Grandma.



(Claire is playing cupcakes.)
Claire: Daddy, this cupcake is for me, and that cupcake is for Mommy, and that cupcake is for Alex. 'Cause he likes blue.

Daddy: Okay.
Claire: But it's hot. I'm gonna tell Alex it's hot. I'm gonna tell he it's hot but not right now, 'cause he's with Grandma.



Claire: Mommy, I wanna go with Grandma, on the mountain where Alex --
Mommy: Well I'm sure she'll take you when you're four.
Claire (whining): No I want her to take me when I'm three.



(dinner)
Claire: Daddy, you're the best daddy in the whole world!
Daddy: Aw, thank you!
Claire: That's what Casey said to Miss Gibson and Miss Kidd.
Daddy: Oh. She said they're the best daddy?
Claire: No, she's the best Miss Gibson -- no the best teacher in the whole world.
Daddy: Oh.

(A little later.)
Claire: You're the best napkin in the whole world, Daddy.
Daddy: Thanks, Claire.
Claire: No you're the best daddy in the whole world.
Daddy: Thanks, Claire.

Claire: You're the best chicken nugget in the whole world, cup.
Claire: You're the best -- you're the best daddy in the whole world, Daddy.
Daddy: Thanks, Claire.
Claire: Daddy? You're funny.
Daddy: So are you, Claire.
Claire: Daddy, you're funny.

Claire: Daddy, I wanna take my baby with Grandma next time, and my girl with Grandma next time, and Abby with Grandma next time, and, Kevin with Grandma next time.

Daddy: Okay.

Claire: Mommy? Why are you packing -- Wow! My new Dora bed!
Mommy: Yeah, you like it?
Claire: When I'm done, when my hands are clean, can I touch it?

Claire: My new blanket! My new Dora blanket!
Mommy: Go get a wipe, so you can touch it.
Claire: Okay. Yay! I like my new bed.


(Claire has a new big girl bed.)

Claire: Yay! I love my big girl bed!
Claire: Now I can sleep in my big girl bed!

Claire: And it's cute, it's so pretty!

Claire: I can play with everything! And I can reach my water!

Claire: Hey Mommy watch me, I can get in my big girl bed!

Claire: But Alex is taking a long time at Grandma's.

Claire: I'm gonna tell Alex I have a new big girl bed!



(Alex calls home from Grandma's house.)

Alex: You forgot to tell Claire to say good night to me this morning.

Mommy: Are you having fun?
Alex: Yeah. I, I climbed a mountain. All the way to the top.

Alex (to Daddy): I climbed a mountain, and I climbed all the way to the top.

Alex: Is Claire already sleeping?
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: We're not, we're staying up.

Daddy: We miss you.
Alex: I know.

Alex (to Mommy): Is there anything you wanna say to me?

Is he gonna come back?

(Claire is watching Caillou.)
Claire: Daddy, one day can we make some pie?
Daddy: Yes.
Claire: Apple pie?
Daddy: Yes.



(Nap time. Mommy is reading a book to Alex: Supermarket Mystery.)
Alex: Why do you have to pay for food?
Mommy: Everything costs money.



(Grandma picks up Alex for a two-night stay at G&G camp.)
Alex: When I'm bigger, can I still go to Grandma's house and have a sleepover?

(getting in the car)
Alex: When I drive off, I want you to stand right there, so you can wave at me.

(Alex drives off with Grandma.)
Claire: Is he gonna come back?



Claire: Hey Daddy, can you play with me with puzzles?

Elephants don't get people, right?

(Alex and Claire are playing with the toy cake.)

Alex (shouting up the stairs): Mommy! Whenever you're ready to come down, there's a slice of cake waiting for you!



(Claire and Alex prepare to watch TV. Claire takes her place on the sofa.)
Alex: But Claire, I'm gonna need to sit there too, because we both need to reach the popcorn. I made. It's in here.



(Claire is watching Blue's Clues.)
Claire: A clue! A clue!
Steve: What? Oh, that is a beautiful bird.
Claire: No! A clue!
Steve: A clue? Where?
Claire: On the sign!



Claire: Mommy, elephants are not mean? Elephants don't get people, right?
Mommy: Right.

I'm gonna paint a abstract -- abstract painting.

(Claire and Alex are playing together.)
Claire: Hey Alex?
Alex: Yes?
Claire: I need to go potty, I will be right back.
Alex: Okay.

Alex: Hey Daddy?
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: All these types of fairy tales are coming to watch the race.
Daddy: Okay.

Alex: Look it's Boots, from Dora!
Daddy: Boots from Dora!
Alex: It's another fairy tale.
Daddy: Yeah.

(Mommy comes home from the grocery store.)
Alex: Mommy, can I tell you something?
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex: Um, the cars are having a race, and every single fairy tale have come to watch!

Claire: I wanna help Mommy get the groceries!
(Claire goes to the door.)
Claire: Hey Mommy? Can I help you? Carry one?




(Claire and Alex are painting.)
Alex: I'm gonna paint a abstract -- abstract painting.
(Daddy laughs.)
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: Like on Caillou!
Alex: Is that a real thing?
Daddy: Yeah.

On the sofa?

(dinner)

Claire: Is Mommy here?
Daddy: Yeah, she's working out.
Claire: Oh. On the sofa?

Farmer Pickles, do you need a tool?

(Claire is talking on the toy pager.)

Claire: Farmer Pickles, do you need a tool? We have screwdriver, or a hammer.

Claire: Can I have one of your tools?
Claire: Do you have a tool, Farmer Pickles?
Claire: Do you have a tool for Harvey? To carry, in his digger? Or in his…. um, right in here?
Claire: Do you have one for him?
Claire: Yeah?
Claire: Okay, can I come and get one from you? Your house? No, your, building site?
Claire: Yeah?
Claire: Bye!

I gave you a hug and a kiss because you don't have any work.

(Daddy tells Claire that he has the day off from work, so he can go to the pool with Claire, Alex, and Mommy.)

Claire: I'm excited!

Claire: I'm gonna give you a hug and a kiss.
Daddy: Aw.
(Claire gives Daddy a hug and a kiss.)
Claire: I gave you a hug and a kiss because you don't have any work.



(Claire says pink is her favorite color.)
Mommy: Is pink your favorite, or is purple your favorite?
Claire: Pink's my favorite, and purple's my favorite, and black.




Claire: Daddy, one day I ate one chicken nugget, with a big… with lots of food!