Fish!

Claire (to Alex): No, no, no. Be nice to me, Alex. Remember Santa?


Claire: You know what really doesn’t drive cars?
Daddy: What?
Claire: Fish!

That’s okay, Claire. It’s not easy at first.

(Playing soccer in the back yard. Claire misses her first shot at the goal.)
Alex: That’s okay, Claire. It’s not easy at first.

Alex: See I did it too.

Claire: I got a goal!


(Daddy is watching a ball game.)
Alex: Daddy! I think that Virginia’s not gonna win.
Daddy: Oh they’re not?
Alex: Yeah. I think that, um, Georgias, is gonna win.
Daddy: Georgias?
Alex: Yeah, we’re playing with them.


(Daddy is walking on the treadmill.)
Alex (laughing): Daddy, it looks like you’re walking on the moon!


(Callum is eating an orange.)
Daddy: I can eat your orange for you if you don’t want it, it’s okay.
Alex (to Callum, laughing): He always does that.

Santa came!!

Claire: Santa came!!

Alex: Merry Christmas, Daddy! I was excited to give you this.

Alex: I hope he didn’t bring me coal.
Claire: I hope he didn’t bring me coal.
Alex: He didn’t bring you coal, Claire. You’ve been very good this December.

Claire: Merry Christmas, Alex!
Alex: Merry Christmas, Claire!

Alex (to Daddy): I gave you a holiday hug.

Claire: Daddy! Mommy doesn't have a shirt on!

Alex: Can everybody see what I got them?

Claire: I hope it’s a doggie. But it won't be.

Claire: I hope it's a cat.


(Claire got a baby doll.)
Claire: I'm my baby’s mommy.

(Alex got a Spider-Man toy.)
Alex: Hey, we need to save somebody!

(Claire got a puppy.)
Claire: A puppy!

Claire: Alex! Look what I got!


(The family is riding in the car.)

Claire: How do you make hills?
Daddy: How do you make hills?
Claire: How do you make hills on the road?
(Daddy does his best to explain.)
Claire: How do you make trees?
(Daddy does his best to explain.)
Claire: Oh. But Daddy -- how do you make grass?
(Daddy does his best to explain.)

Claire: Daddy? How do you make a sign?
(Daddy does his best to explain.)
Claire: Daddy? How do you make... toys?
Alex: How do you make toys: elves. And toymakers.
Claire: How do you make shoes?
(Mommy does her best to explain.)
Claire: How do you make a skyscraper?

Claire: Daddy, how do you make the sun?

(Mommy explains something about hydrogen making up the sun.)
Claire: But how do you put it in the sky?

Claire: How do you make a mailbox?

Daddy: How do you make a mailbox?
Alex: Well, you need wood, metal, and screws.
Claire: How do you make -- I saw a tree, that bends like this, and it was about to fall down. How do you make mulch?

(Mommy does her best to explain how mulch is made.)
Claire: How do you make a ball of hay?
(Mommy does her best to explain.)
Claire: Oh.

Claire: How do you -- how do you make fence?
Alex: You need lots of wood, and you need screws, and you, hammer the screws into the wood, and then you, um, you dig holes into the ground and then you stick the poles in.
Claire: Oh. How do you make a potty?
Alex: Um. I don’t know.
Claire: I know how you make a window.

Alex: Do you wanna know how to make a chair? Claire?
Claire: Yeah, you put, you --
Alex: I can tell you if you want
Claire: I can do it. You put wood on it, and you screw, nails in, and you put wood on the bottom and you screw nails in, put, some on the, more on the side, and, you, pay – pay – and you paint it brown, and, you, screw, some more, screws in, with a screwdriver... and you, paint it brown.
(Pause.)
Claire: And, you... you... um, you put glue on it, and so it can stick. And you, and you let it dry.

Claire: How do you make – how do you, make... a playset? How do you make a playset?
Alex: Well, you need lots of materials. You need lots of wood, you gather some sheets, and, um, you get some, uh... um... Daddy, can you tell me how to make the swings? I don’t know how.
Daddy: You get some, seats, made out of, like plastic and rubber, and you, attach some chains to them, and you hang it up from the, wood, so it swings.
Alex: And then you put on the sheet, after you put up long flat wood, and then, lay the sheet over it, and, tape it on, or you glue it on.
Claire: Daddy, ice is slippery.
Daddy: Yeah, ice is slippery.
Claire: When you pick it up, it falls out of your hand and it slips out.
Daddy: We can probly take that ice off now. Okay? You don’t need it anymore.

Alex: Don’t touch it.
Claire: But it hurts right now.
Alex: It’ll be okay.

Claire: I saw a cut down tree that was only – it wasn’t a stump it was – it was – I can t – I can – well, (unintelligible), and there was, this, on the, side of it. It was a cut down tree, with no leaves, and it wasn’t a stump.
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: Uh-huh. It wasn’t a usually stump, it was a (inaudible) old one, and you might slide in it.
Daddy: Oh.
Claire: And you can’t get out. It won’t get out – you won’t cut it up, it’ll stay there forever. Can’t get up there, you might fall off. If you stand on the side, it might – you’ll fall off the side, and you’ll hurt really bad, and have to go to the hospital.
Daddy: Oh. Okay.
Claire: So don’t get on a tree that’s like that.
Daddy: I won’t get on a tree that’s like that. You think you could try to sleep for a little bit?
Claire: Yeah, but I am sleeping.
Daddy: You are sleeping?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Then how is it that your eyes are open and you’re talking?
Claire: I don’t know.
Daddy: Could you maybe close your eyes and rest for a little while?
Claire: Yeah.


(Several minutes pass in silence.)
Claire: How do you make fingernails?
Daddy: What?
Claire: Daddy, how do you make fingernails?
Daddy: Well, I’ll tell you after we get to Grandma’s. Right now we need to rest, okay?

Daddy, after you make your coffee, can you play babies with me?

Claire: Mommy! I put on my socks and shoes all by myself!


Daddy: On Sunday when we get up, we can see what Santa brought!
Claire (eyes wide): Yeah!
Alex: Well, I think you should move our presents, so he can have some room.


Claire: Daddy, after you make your coffee, can you play babies with me?
Daddy: Okay. How do you play babies?
Claire: You get a baby, and you play with it, and we – and I’ll tell you what to do.

(Daddy sits down at his computer.)
Claire: Daddy, while you do your computer you can look at my gingerbread man. And me too.
Daddy: Okay.
(Daddy works on his computer.)
Claire: You’re not looking at it!

Claire (to Alex): I made a gingerbread man, it’s so pretty. It has to dry, you can’t touch it.

Claire: When I’m under the table and I do this, when I put it up, you say, “Who did that?!”
Daddy: Okay.
(Claire crawls under the table and then puts her bib up on the table.)
Daddy: Who did that?!
Claire (poking her head out): I did that!

Mommy! Somebody gave us a whole buncha presents!

Alex: Mommy! Somebody gave us a whole buncha presents!

Claire: My favorite color is purple, and pink, and green, and blue, and red.

Claire: Alex, my favorite color is pink, and yellow --
Claire: My favorite color is pink, and purple, and green, and blue, and red.


(riding in the car)

Alex: This is the way we go to Meg's old house.

Alex: That's where Meg dances there. Right there.

Alex: That one. That's where Meg dances, right in that building.

But, can we go to the Milky Way?

Claire: The Milky Way is up on the moon, right?
Daddy: Um, the Milky Way’s in outer space.
Claire: Oh.
Claire: But, can we go to the Milky Way?
Daddy: Um, yeah.
Claire: The Milky Way’s in Virginia?!


Claire: Daddy, after it rains, a rainbow comes up.
Daddy: Yeah, that’s right.
Claire: But Daddy, after it comes up, does it stay up?

Daddy, I put my shoe on by myself!

Claire: Daddy, I put my shoe on by myself!
Daddy: Good!
Claire: I’m learning how to put shoes on now!
Daddy: Good for you!

Claire: I’m gonna tell Mommy that I put my shoes on all by myself!



Alex: It’s been there for like a thousand days. (Pause.) Or maybe two days now.

Alex: I can’t wait until Aunt Sheridan gets here.
Claire: Me too. It’s gonna be fun shopping with her.

(Claire calls Mommy on the phone, to tell her about the card she made at school.)
Mommy: Hello?
Claire: Mommy?
Mommy: Yeah?
Claire: My card, I made a card, I made a card from school I made a card from school.
Mommy: What did you do?
Claire: I made a card from school.
Mommy: A card?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Oh!
Alex: For Mommy and Daddy.
Claire: Yeah, and for you, Mommy.
Mommy: Oh, great!
Claire: When you come home you can open it. Both of you can open it.
Mommy: Okay.


Claire: Alex, you can’t put a giraffe in a boat!


(After bath, Alex and Claire shout down the stairs to Mommy.)
Alex: Mommy!
Claire: Mommy!
Mommy: What?
Alex: Come smell us!
Claire: Come smell us!

Claire (giving Mommy a hug): You’re my best mommy in the world!
Mommy: Aw, you’re the best kids in the world.

Claire (giving Daddy a hug): Daddy, you’re the best daddy in the world!
Daddy: Thank you!


Alex (carrying a chair to the front window): Daddy, I’m gonna watch out the window, to see if Aunt Sheridan comes! She’ll be here any minute!


(The doorbell rings.)
Claire: She’s here! She’s here!

Those stuff are dead.

Claire: Is that your wake-up shirt?

Alex: Are we going to the place where they help people?
Mommy: No, that’s on Thursday.

Claire (to Alex): That hat looks pretty.
Alex: Thank you.
Claire: You’re welcome.

Claire: Daddy, will you play the Ladybug Game with me?
Daddy: Yeah.

Claire: Daddy, why aren’t you playing the Ladybug Game with me?
Daddy: Because you haven’t set it up yet.
Claire: Oh.

Alex: Mommy? It’s better than presents and cupcakes. It’s the biggest one of all, is a cake. Not muffins or cookies.

(Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree comes on the radio. Alex runs into the other room.)
Alex: Look what I’m doing, Daddy.
(Daddy goes to look.)
Daddy: What are you doing, Alex?
Alex (walking in circles around the Christmas tree): I’m going around the Christmas tree.


(Alex and Claire finish doing the barn puzzle.)
Claire (jumping up excitedly): Daddy, we’re done!
Alex (jumping up excitedly): We’re done!
Alex: We did the puzzle!
Daddy: Good job, guys!
Claire: Let’s do it again!
Alex: Okay!


Alex: Daddy, where does a cow like to swim in?
Daddy: I don’t know.
Alex: Milk Lake! Milk Lake.


Alex: Let’s wash our hands!
Claire: Let’s wash our hands!
Alex: To the bathroom!
Claire: To the bathroom!


Claire: Daddy, I ‘m gonna keep the Band-Aid on, and when it falls off, I’m gonna throw it away.
Daddy: Okay.


(Daddy, Alex, and Claire drive around looking at Christmas decorations. Claire wants every decoration she sees.)

Claire: I want that, and the snowman that waves all by itself. That’s all I want.

Claire: Daddy, who lives in space?

(At one house, there are several inflatables in the yard, but they’re all deflated.)
Claire: Those stuff are dead.

Alex: Well they’re just turned off, Claire. They’re not dead.

Can you stop growing mustaches?

(At bed time, Claire gives Daddy a kiss on the cheek.)
Claire: Why did you -- why you -- tomorrow, can you shave your cheeks?

Claire: I see a mustache. Did you grow another mustache?

Claire: Can you stop growing mustaches?

What is six?

Claire: What is six? What is six, Alex? Is six a number?
Alex: Yes.

At school I learned that animals hibernate.

Claire: At Circle Time we did the chicken dance.

Claire (out of the blue): At school I learned that animals hibernate.

Kirk's not a pilgrim. But he used to be one.

(Mommy and Daddy are driving Alex and Claire to their surprise activity: the Santa Train to Colonial Williamsburg. On the way there, Alex and Claire try to guess what the surprise is.)

Claire: The beach house!

Alex: Apple picking!

Claire: Peach picking!

Claire: Pear picking!

Alex: No picking.

Claire: Going to school!

Alex: Don't guess church.
Claire: Church!

Mommy: We're gonna see somebody really special.
Claire: Nana and Pop!

Claire: Grandma and Grandpa!

Alex: Santa!


Claire: I saw chopping down trees.
Claire: Surprise! We're gonna go chopping down trees!


Alex (to Claire): People don't ride on freight trains, they ride on express trains.

Alex: Freight trains carry coal and milk. And other stuff.


Alex: Daddy, if we get cold on the train, there's hot chocolate in one of the cars.



(on the train)

Claire (reading the train magazine): I look like a daddy. I'm a daddy.


(The kids tell Santa what they want for Christmas.)
Claire: A doll with purple and pink and green on it.

Alex: A dinosaur.

(Santa asks Alex if he wants anything else.)
Alex: A handkerchief.


(Santa and Mrs. Claus sing Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer.)
Alex: Daddy, you should forget that song.
Daddy: What?
Alex: You should forget that song, because that's part of my surprise.
Daddy: Oh, okay. I already forgot it.
Alex: Good.



Alex: But the pilgrims died. Except for Kirk. Kirk's not a pilgrim. But he used to be one.



(back on the train again)
Claire: It's like a airplane, 'cause, there's windows.
Mommy: That's right.
Claire: But it's not really a airplane.
Mommy: That's right.



(Alex puts his pen behind his ear.)
Alex (smiling): I'm Handy Manny.


(Crossing the train aisle, Alex trips and falls on Daddy's shoe. He isn't hurt.)
Alex: Santa saw that. He saw you hit me.
Daddy: I didn't hit you!
Alex: Well, with your shoe you did.



Alex: Daddy, do you wanna count to one hundred with me?
Daddy: Yeah.



Alex: All there is is just one, little, hallway.
Alex: I wanna go see a different car.
Daddy: They all look the same.
Alex: No caboose?
Daddy: That’s right.
Alex: Every train has a caboose. But some trains -- some trains, have gas. Excuse me.
Daddy: Did you have gas?
Alex: For real I did.


Alex: Thank you for the surprise, Mommy.

Claire: A Christmas tree on top of the building?! That's funny.

Claire: That was fun.
Mommy: Good. But it was tiring, wasn't it?
Claire: It was so long.


Alex: The Berenstain Bears are greedy.
Mommy: What?
Alex: The Berenstain Bears are greedy.
Mommy: They're greedy?
Alex: Yeah.
Mommy: Oh.
Alex: You know why?
Mommy: Why?
Alex: Because they want everything at the store. Like candy. And stickers.


Claire: How do you make a light, for the cars to go and stop? And go slow.

Claire: Why's the lines there?
Alex: So, if you get in the middle of it? You will get a ticket from the policeman.


Claire: I want some stuff outside too.
Alex: That's what I said.

A handkerchief and a dinosaur.

Alex: Daddy, yesterday I was being bad the whole day yesterday, wasn't I?
Daddy: Yeah, when I came home from work you were bad the whole day. Why were you?
Alex: I just felt crazy.

Claire: Daddy, I wanna grow up to be a mommy.
Daddy: Good, that's a good idea!
Claire: And I'm gonna grow up to be a doctor too!
Daddy: That's a great idea!
Alex: And Claire, you're gonna have to, you're gonna have to stay in school a few more days, though.
Claire: Yeah.

(Daddy asks Alex what he wants for Christmas.)
Alex: I just want one thing. Well, two things. A handkerchief and a dinosaur.

Claire: I think I want a bike, a new bike, for Christmas. Because my other one, is too small. So I decided I want a new one.


Alex: You shouldn’t be listening to Feliz Navidad, Daddy, because that’s one of my song surprises.
Alex: And you should forget what I said right now.
Daddy: Okay.


(Alex and Claire are playing in the backyard. Alex comes bursting in the back door.)
Alex: Mommy?!
Mommy: What?
Alex: Can you come play with me?
Mommy: Okay.
(Alex goes back outside.)
Mommy (to Daddy): I was just gonna relax for the first time today.
Daddy: I know. But how can you refuse that?
Mommy: I know.
(Mommy goes outside and plays with Alex.)

I really love that vent. ‘Cause it’s so brown.

(Getting up first thing in the morning)
Alex: I can't wait until tomorrow! We're gonna do some Daddy stuff!


(Breakfast)
Alex: Daddy, if you're so so so thirsty, you would drink all day.


(Claire gives Daddy a kiss on the cheek.)
Claire: It’s too crumbly on your cheek.
(Daddy laughs.)
Claire: Why is it too crumbly?
Daddy: I don’t know.
Claire: Because you didn't shave?
Daddy: Yeah.


Claire: I really love that vent. ‘Cause it’s so brown.


(Alex and Claire are watching A Charlie Brown Christmas.)
Alex: It looks like they were just waving their hands around, but really they were decorating the Christmas tree.

(Daddy is opening the candy canes.)
Claire (whispering): It’s exciting!

Alex: Mommy, the candy canes are sort of like bricks. There's red, and then there's yellow between it.

Mommy: Do you like it?
(Claire shakes her head no.)
Mommy: No?
Claire: It’s different.

We're like big kids!

(Leaving for school, both kids are wearing their backpacks.)
Claire: We're like big kids!


Alex: On Friday night, you want to wake up, because the next day is gonna be Saturday.

Yay! Nana, Nana, Nana!

Alex: Daddy, we're building our house.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: We're gonna live in fairy land, because we wanna live with unicorns!

Mickey: Can a ladder help us get across the water?
Claire: Uh-huh.
Daisy: I think so.
Claire: See, I told you. It will!

(Mommy is leaving for work.)
Claire: Can you pick me up?
Mommy: Nana's gonna pick you up today.
Claire: Yay! Nana, Nana, Nana!

Alex: I'm taking care of people.
(Alex explains to Daddy that he gave away $25.)
Alex: It's for their Christmas dinner. And some people will say, do you know why we have this dinner? It's because of Alex Thomas Gatewood.

Alex: Now, if somebody has no money, they can buy a Christmas dinner.

We can't give away the refrigerator.

(Alex shows Daddy something he made at school.)
Alex: I forget what it is.
(Pause.)
Alex: It's a mary modguther.
(Pause.)
Alex: Fairy modguther.
(Pause.)
Alex: Fairy godmother.



Alex: Daddy, did you know that breakfast is the important meal of the day?
Daddy: Where did you learn that?
Alex: I learned it at school.

Claire: I had eight money.

Claire: We can't give away the refrigerator.
Mommy: No.
Claire: We can't make it fit in the box.

Claire: Daddy, today at school I had fish sticks, but --
Alex: Me too.
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: I can't -- I can't have the fish sticks at school.

Daddy: Why can't you, Sweetie?
Claire: Because I just have to have chicken nuggets there when everybody else has fish sticks.
Alex: You're allergic?
Claire: No. But I can have the animal fish sticks.

I have a good brain.

Alex (to Daddy): You’re soon gonna be a grandpa, because you’re getting old.


(Dinner. Alex wants to say grace.)

Alex: I'm really excited for this food we're gonna eat. We made some of it. Pause. Imen.
Claire: I hope we like much the food. I hope we like the food Mommy made.
Alex: Grace.


(getting ready for bed)
Mommy: I know, you guys are tired.
Claire: I'm not tired.
Mommy: I thought you said you were.
Claire: All the sudden, I'm not tired.


Mommy: Okay, put it on the thing.
Alex: Bookshelf.
Mommy: Bookshelf. I forgot the word. Does that ever happen to you?
Alex: Nope. I have a good brain.
(Mommy laughs.)
Mommy: Are you implying I don't have a good brain?
Alex: No. You have a good brain. I like it.

How do you make a road?

(in the car on the way to Grandma's and Grandpa's house)

Claire: How do you make a road?
Alex: You make concrete.
Claire: What else?
Alex: You need paint. Rocks.
Claire: But how do you - how do you drive on it?

Which one was Kirk?

Alex: Are dolphin fish?


(Alex and Claire are playing.)

Alex: Claire, do you see that sign? It says: “Little farm, no books allowed.”

Alex (reading the invisible sign carefully): “Little… farm… no books allowed… for animals… to read.”
Claire: I’m gonna get some more animals!
Alex: Well Claire, don’t get sheep, or pigs.


(Alex is watching Peanuts’ “The Mayflower Voyagers”.)
Alex (not joking): Daddy, I saw the pilgrims. Which ones were Kirk? Which one was Kirk?


(Claire is coloring, and having trouble putting the cap back on the marker.)
Claire: Daddy, it has to say click when, the marker. But these won’t say click.

(Claire is coloring a connect-the-dots picture.)
Claire: Eleven is, two ones!
Daddy: That’s right! You’re very smart, Claire!


Alex: Are those construct– [Alex can’t think of the word] um, you use them for building… and it’s sorta like a map.
Daddy: Instructions?
Alex: Yeah, constructions.


(lunch)

Claire: Grommie’s wishing I’ll drop something.

Alex (anticipating his birthday present): If Nana thinks I’ll like it, maybe it’s a dinosaur.

Alex: Is my yogurt all gone?
Daddy: You can probably get one more scoop out.
(Daddy scoops out the last bite of Alex’s yogurt for him.)
Alex: Don’t feed me like a baby, Daddy.
Daddy: Okay. Why not?
Alex: Because… I don’t like being a baby.

Claire (to Alex): You’re just like a grown-up. You’re just like a grown-up.
Claire (to Mommy): Alex is just like a grown-up.

(Claire is talking about the things she will be able to do when she grows up.)
Claire: And put on my shirt.
Daddy: Uh-huh.
Claire: When I’m a grown-up.
Claire: And make things. Like spaghetti, or sun butter and jelly.
Daddy: Yeah. You can already make sun butter and jelly.
Claire: And read the words.
Daddy: Yeah, that’ll be fun.
Claire: In books.
Daddy: Uh-huh.
Claire: And tie shoes.
Claire: And zip up zippers.
Daddy: Yep.
Claire: And put on my jacket.

Claire: And, I can make coffee.
Claire: And, the last thing I can do: go to work!


Alex: My eye hurts.
Daddy: Oh. Well I’ll stop by the store later and get you a new one.
Alex (having heard this joke before): Thanks, Daddy.

(Claire comes home to see that Daddy is watching a football game.)
Claire: A baseball game! A baseball game!


Claire: What number is none balloons?
Daddy: Zero.
Claire: Lots of zeroes?


Claire: Daddy, I have a secret.
(Daddy leans down so Claire can whisper in his ear.)
Claire (whispering): Um, say that, no three people can’t… um, can’t… bump their toes.
Daddy: Okay.
(Claire steps back.)
Daddy: No three people can’t bump their toes.
(Claire giggles.)


(dinner)

Claire: Can I have some more spaghetti, please if you be so kind?

(Daddy gets Claire more spaghetti.)
Claire: Can I have sauce, and cheese on it please if you be so kind?


(bed time)

Claire (to Mommy): Make a lap. That's not a lap.
Claire (demonstrating): You have to do this a lap.

Today’s my birthday! I’m five!

Alex: I’m practicing juggling.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: I’m gonna be Daddy. I’m gonna try to be like Daddy.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: And I’m gonna practice juggling every day. So, um – I can be Daddy when I grow up.

Alex: Can you give me another present under a blanket?

Alex: Claire, you can have a turn on my scooter if you want. After I try it out.

Claire: I want a scooter too.

Mommy: Well maybe Santa will bring you one.
Alex: I think he’ll put a blanket on it.


(While playing outside, Alex sees Simon walking home from school.)
Alex (shouting to Simon down the street): Today’s my birthday! I’m five!
Alex (shouting to Simon down the street): I got this scooter! For my birthday!

(As other people pass, Alex announces to each of them:)
Alex: Today’s my birthday!


(dinner)

Alex: Daddy, uh…
Daddy: Yes, Alex?
Alex: One hundred is sorta like ten.
Daddy: Yeah, how’s that?
Alex: Because it has a one and a zero, but, it has two zeros in it.
Daddy: Yeah!

Claire: How do you count to one hundred?
Alex: You go through all the numbers, and then you go twenty, and then --
Claire: Twenty-one!
Alex: No, go through twenty --
Claire: Twenty-one!
Mommy: Let him finish, Claire.
Alex: No, you go through twenty numbers, and then thirty, and then you go through thirty numbers, and then you go forty, and then you go through forty numbers, and then you go fifty, and you go through fifty numbers, and you go through sixty, and then you go through sixty numbers, then you go seventy, then you go through seventy numbers, then you go eighty, then you go through eighty numbers, then you go ninety, then you go through ninety numbers, and then you – and then it’s one hundred!

Now that I'm five, Mommy, I can do lots of stuff.

Daddy: Where are we going?
Alex: To Chuck E. Cheese's!
Claire: To Alex's party!

Claire: Daddy! You did all of your shave off! All of your mouth!



Claire: I like going to Chuck E. Cheese's!


Daddy: Did you have fun at Chuck E. Cheese's?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: What was your favorite thing to do?
Claire: Eat the cake!


Alex: And we get to take the rest of the cake home. 'Cause I'm the birthday boy.


Alex: Daddy, why do we hafta give 'em to the crunch machine?


Daddy: Alex, did you have fun at the party?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: Did you have a little fun, or a lot of fun?
Alex: A lot of fun.
Daddy: Good.

Daddy: Alex, what was your favorite thing to do there?
Alex: Um... Play games.
(Pause.)
Alex: And eat cake!

Claire: Daddy? Daddy?
Daddy: Yes, Claire?
Claire: I saw shiny stuff, on a tree, and it was for Christmas.



(Alex opens his cheese stick wrapper by himself.)
Mommy: Good job, Alex. You are a big kid.
Alex: Now that I'm five, Mommy, I can do lots of stuff.



Alex: Daddy, you know what I should write on Tyler's thank you card?
Daddy: What?
Alex: I really like your Spider-Man, and I like that he swings that pole around.