Is Busch Gardens over?

Alex: Yesterday when Claire was sick, she coughed REALLY, HARD.


(Riding in the car to Busch Gardens, Claire covers her face with Juju.)
Claire: Daddy! Where are you?


(The following remarks were made throughout the day at Busch Gardens.)

Alex: I wanna go see the other Sesame Street friends.

Alex: I wanna give Elmo a hug.

Alex: I gave Elmo a hug!

Claire: Bye-bye Elmo!

(While riding on the train, Alex sees the roller coaster go by.)
Alex: Wow!

Alex: And Bert tried to take your soda.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: Yeah Bert had your drink. That's someone else’s drink!

(Claire just rode her first amusement park ride.)
Claire: Uh rode a dragon!

Claire: Dinosaur!

(Claire just rode on the carousel.)
Claire: Uh ride horse!

Alex: I don't wanna go home, I wanna go on another ride.

Alex: Is Busch Gardens over?


Daddy: Hey Alex, did you have fun?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: Claire, did you have fun?
Claire (smiling): No.
Alex: I gave – I be friends, because I gave Elmo a hug.
Daddy: Yeah!
Alex: And I gave Ernie a hug and I gave Bert a hug.


(washing hands for dinner)

Alex: Hey Daddy? At Busch Gardens, that dog walked like a person!

Alex: Mommy, that dog walked like a person at Busch Gardens.


(dinner time)

Daddy: Claire, what did you do today?
Claire: Uh bug on table!
Daddy: Is there a bug on the table? Get off, bug!
Daddy: Alex, what did you do today?
Alex: Um… give Elmo a hug.
Daddy: Yeah? That’s right.
Alex: Give Sesame Street, friends, a hug.

Daddy: Let's see, what else did you do today?
Alex: I gave Big Bird hugs... Ernie hugs... Bert hugs... and Cookie Monster hugs.

Alex: But I didn't give Grover hugs, or Zoe hugs, or Abby hugs.
Daddy: Well maybe next time we can give them some hugs, okay?
Alex: Okay.

(Claire has finished her dinner and left the table.)
Claire: Uh go in circle!
Mommy: You're gonna go in a circle? Okay.
(Claire runs around in a circle.)
Claire: Fast!
Mommy: That was fast!
Claire: Uh run.
Mommy: You're gonna run in a circle?
Claire: Run fast.
(Claire runs off.)
Claire: Fast!

Claire: One two, one, two.
Mommy: Okay.
Claire: Uh jump.
Mommy: Okay.

Daddy: You ready to get down?
Alex: Um, yeah. But first I have to eat my strawberries. Strawberries don't go in trash.
Daddy: Okay.

Claire: Uh running. Uh running, uh run.
Mommy: Ok.
(Claire runs, then stops.)
Claire: Uh running. Uh running.
Mommy: You're running.

Claire: Ru -- runner. Uh fast runner.
Mommy: You're a very fast runner.
(Claire runs around some more.)
Claire: Fast runner.
Mommy: Fast runner.
Claire: Uh ran at you. Uh run, Mommy.
(Claire runs to Mommy.)

(Now Alex and Claire are both running around downstairs. They accidentally crash into each other hard, knocking Claire down.)
Alex: Sorry, Claire.
Claire: Sorry, Ay-yah. Run into you.

Alex: Hey, Mommy? Say "whoa, Alex" when I run.
Mommy: Okay.
(Alex runs.)
Mommy: Whoa, Alex!

Claire: Uh whoa Claire.
Mommy: Okay, I'll say "Whoa Claire."
Claire (running): Whoa Claire!
Mommy: Whoa Claire!


(Alex is sitting on the potty.)
Alex: Daddy, the -- the poop may come out and [in a singsong voice] I may get a piece of chocolate!

Alex: I'm gonna poop!
(Pause.)
Alex: I'm really big, I can poop!
Mommy: Yeah!
Alex: It’s almost out.
Mommy: I guess I better go get some chocolate.
Alex: Yum.


Alex: Grommie’s tryin’ to lick me.
Daddy: He is, ‘cause he loves you so much.
(Grommie very persistently tries to lick Alex’s face.)
Alex: That’s enough, Grommie.


(bed time)
Mommy: What do you wanna do after nap?
Alex: Can we go back to Busch Gardens?

Uh, sheep. Sheep! Cow, cow. Goat. Goat. Pig. Goat. Cat. Cat. Dog. Cow. Cow, cow cow cow cow. Dog. Cat!

(Daddy comes home from work.)
Alex: Daddy!
Daddy: Hey kiddo, how you doin'?
Alex: Hi Daddy!
Alex (to Mommy): That's Daddy.


Daddy: Hey Alex, where are we going after this nap?
Alex: We're going to Busch Gardens.
Daddy: That's right!

Daddy: And Alex, what are we gonna do at Busch Gardens?
Alex: We're gonna play.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: And who are we gonna see there?
Alex: Elmo, Big Bird, Bert, and Ernie.
Daddy: Are you excited?
Alex: Cookie Monster and Grover, Abby and Zoe.
Daddy: And are you excited?
Alex: Yeah.


Claire: Daddy, water!
(Claire brings Daddy an empty Gatorade bottle.)
Claire (to Alex): Uh Daddy water!
Alex: No it's a egg.
Claire: Egg water.
Alex: Egg.


(Alex and Claire are playing with shopping carts.)
Alex: Chucklehead!
Claire: Chucklehead!
Alex: Chucklehead!
Claire: Chucklehead!
Alex: We're going to Chucklehead!

(Claire is reading a book.)
Alex: Hey. Claire. Can we go to Chucklehead's?
Claire: No. I reading a book.

(Claire wants Alex to read with her.)
Claire: Ay-yah!
Claire: Ay-yah!
Claire: Ay-yah!
Claire: Ay-yah!
Alex: What, Claire?
Claire: Uh read a book.
Alex: Read what?
Claire: Book.
Alex: No.
(Alex starts looking at something else and ignores Claire.)
Claire: Uh read.
Claire: Uh read.
Claire: Uh read.
Claire: Please?
Claire: Uh read.
Claire: Uh read.
Claire: Uh read.
Alex: I can't read.
Claire: Why?
Alex: Because I'm not big, it's a too, long, story.

(Claire finishes reading a book to herself.)
Claire: The end. The eb'd. The eb'd.


(Claire is reading Big Red Barn aloud to herself. On most pages she touches each object as she names it.)
Claire: One flower, one flower, one flower, one flower, one flower, one flower. One flower. One flower.
Claire: One horse, one horse.
Claire: One cow, one cow. Dig.
Claire: One goat, one goat, one goat, one goat. Sheeps. One goat. One, uh, pig. Uh (mumble) pig.
Claire: Sheep. Goat. Duck.
Alex: Right, Claire! Claire said goat!
Daddy: Good job, Claire!
Claire: Butterflies.
Claire: Egg!
Claire: Bird.
Claire: Purple. Purple.
(Claire mumbles.)
Claire: Those. Moo. Dat! M--Mommy. Dat! Dat!
Daddy: That's a chicken.
Claire: Chickens.
Claire: Duh -- cat. Cat!
Claire: Cat. Goat.
Claire (flipping back a couple of pages): Uh goat other page.
Claire: Sheep.
Claire: Cows!
Claire: Cow, cow cow cow cow cow cow cow. Dog.
Claire: Cow, cow. Pig! Cow, cow. Pig.
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh!
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh!
(Claire whispers something.)
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh.
Claire (whispering): Moon.
Claire: The end.
Claire: Yay.
(Claire puts the book down, then picks it back up again.)
Claire: Mommy, uh reading a book!
Mommy: You're reading a book?
Claire: Yeah.
Claire: Cows. Dat! What dat, Mommy? Dat.
Mommy: Chicken!
Claire: Chicken.
Claire: Dogs. Cat! Cat.
Claire: Uh, sheep. Sheep! Cow, cow. Goat. Goat. Pig. Goat. Cat. Cat. Dog. Cow. Cow, cow cow cow cow. Dog. Cat!
Claire: Cow. Cow. Cow, cow, cow, pig. Cow. Cow. Cow. Cow, cow.
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh.
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh!
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh.
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Shhhh.
Claire: The end.

(Claire reads Blue Hat, Green Hat to herself.)
Claire: Hat! Hat. Hat. Hat.
(Pause.)
Claire (turning the page): Page!
Claire: Shirt. Shirt. Shirt.
Claire: Shirt.
Claire: Boo shirt. Pants. Boo pants. Red pants. Yellow pants. Ye -- yellow pants. Green, yellow, pants.
Claire: Coat. Coat.
Claire: One coat. Uh two coats. One coat. One, two, shoes. Feets!
Claire: Shoes. Feets. Shoes, shoes, shoes.
Claire: The… shoes, shoes. The… end.
Claire: Yay.

(Claire reads Thomas: Shapes and Sizes to herself. Page turns indicated.)
Claire: Little. Big!
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Little. Big!
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Big. Little. Bertie. Thomas.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Topham Hatt. Man. Thomas. Bye Topham Hatt.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: James. Thomas.
Claire: The end.
(Claire puts the book down.)
Claire: Uh read it again.
(Claire picks up the book again.)
Claire: Big! Little.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Li -- big. Little.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Bertie. Thomas.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Topham Hatt. Man. Bye Topham Hatt. Bye Topham Hatt. Bye Topham Hatt. Bye uh, Thomas. Bye man.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: James, Thomas.
(Claire argues with Mommy for a few minutes about something unrelated, then finally turns her attention back to the book.)
Claire: The end.

(Claire reads Blue Hat, Green Hat.)
Claire: Hat! Hat. Hat. Hat.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Shirt. Shirt. Shirt.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Pa -- red pants. Two f-- red. Red pants. Red! Yellow, pants. Yellow, yuh.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Coat! Coat!
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Shoes. Shoes.
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Shoes. Shoes. Feets! Feets! Shoes!
(Claire turns the page.)
Claire: Shoes. Shoes.
(Claire closes the book.)
Claire: The end.
Claire: Yay.

(Claire reads Big Red Barn to herself. Page turns not indicated.)
Claire: Moo-moo. Open the doors! Open the door, uh sleeping!
Claire: Bird.
Claire: Bird. Goat. Goat. Goat.
Claire: Butterfly, butterflies, butterflies.
Claire: Moo-moo, butterfly, right there.
Claire: Cat, moo-moo.
Claire: Ki -- chickens. Cows.
Claire: Cat!
Claire: Sheep.
Claire: Goat. Goat. Cow. Cow, sheep. Sheep. Cows, cows. Goat. Goat, cat, cat. Dog. Dog. Dog. Dog. Dog. Cat. Dog. Cat.
Claire: Dat!
Claire: Grass, grass. Pig.
Claire: (Mumble.) Chicken!
Claire: Cow. Goat, cow. Cow. Goat, goat, goat. Pig! Grass.
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Goat. Sh.
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire: Sh.
(Claire whispers something.)
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire (with her finger to her lips): Sh.
(Claire whispers something.)
Claire: Theeee… end there.
Daddy: Claire, you're a good reader!
Claire: No good reader! No good reader.
Daddy: Yes you are, you're a very good reader.
Claire (smiling): No good reader. No good reader.

(Claire reads Big Red Barn again.)
Claire: Open doors.
Claire: Cow, cow.
(Claire closes the book and puts it, and all the other books, into her shopping cart. Then she drives away.)
Daddy: Bye, Claire!
Claire: Bye, Daddy!
Daddy: Where you going?
Claire: Elmo's house. Go Elmo house. To Elmo house.


(Daddy is tickling Alex.)
Alex (laughing): Mommy! Mommy, save me!
Mommy: I can't save you, Alex, you'll have to save yourself.
Mommy: Maybe Claire can save you.
Alex: Claire, save me!
Claire: Uh reading books, Ay-yah.


(dinner time)

Alex: Grommie digged in the garden.
Daddy: Grommie digged in the garden?
Alex: Yeah and Mommy told him no. He's not supposed to do that.

Alex: Mommy? Mommy? Thank you for our dinner.

Alex: May I have some more milk? May I have some milk, please?
Daddy: Yes you may, Alex! I like the way you ask!
Alex: I can use my manners.
Daddy: Yes you can.

Alex: Milk makes you healthy.

Mommy (to Claire): Do you have long legs?
Claire: No! Uh have short, leg.

Alex: Expensive!
Daddy: What?
Alex: Expensive!
Daddy: What's expensive?
Alex: The trains.

(Daddy and Alex are talking about cutting Grommie's hair.)
Daddy: I don't think Grommie would like that.
Alex: Why?
Daddy: What if someone cut off all your hair? You wouldn't have any hair!
Alex: Yes you would. That's silly.
Alex: Pop doesn't have hair. He cut off, all his hair!


(at bed time, totally unprompted)
Alex: Daddy? When I'm a Daddy, I can clean up the dishes.

But you were scared because there's a bear?

Alex: And can we talk about my dream?
Mommy: One last time, okay?


(Mommy is putting Alex down for nap, and they are discussing bad dreams. Mommy tells Alex about a dream she had in which she couldn’t find Daddy.)
Mommy: And I was scared.
Alex: But you were scared because there's a bear?
Mommy: No, there was no bear.
Alex: There's a lion?
Mommy: No, there was no lion. I was scared because I lost Daddy.
Alex: But you could hear Daddy?
Mommy: No, I couldn't hear Daddy.
Alex: Did you hear a noise?
Mommy: No.
Alex: Any noise?
Mommy: No, but I finally found him.
Alex: Was he (mumble) -- behind a fence?
Mommy: He was in a building. But then I saw him --
Alex: Was he in the forest in a building?
Mommy: Yeah, he was in a building.
Alex: He was in a restaurant?


Alex (excited about a UPS delivery): I got a new thing, that the brown truck brought!


(Claire and Alex are playing trains.)

Claire (pretending not to see Rosie): Uh Rosie?
Daddy: Uh Rosie?
Claire: Right there!

Claire: Uh train, uh fast, my train, go fast!

Claire: Uh train go fast!

Alex: They raced really fast, until they got to the mighty Spencer!
Alex (to Daddy): I don't have Spencer yet.
Daddy: No.
Alex: They got to James and Rosie!
Claire: Rosie right there!

Alex: Look Daddy! They can't drive until Rocky got there.
Daddy: Yeah!

(Claire's train stops on top of the arch.)
Claire: Up on the mountain! Mommy -- Daddy. Up on the mountain!
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: Drive!
(Claire moves her train.)

Claire: Uh train to go uh first!

Claire (running to the window): Airplane's coming.
Alex (running to the window): Airplane! Where is it?
Claire: Where is it?

Alex: Up up, until they reach the top.
Claire: Up up.
Alex: Until they reach the top Claire, say that.
Claire: Reach top!
Alex: Right!

Alex: Hey Claire, move outta my way!

Claire (looking out the window): Coming!
Alex: What is coming?
Claire: Airplane coming. Airplane coming.
Alex: It's a lawwwwn, mowwww, wer!!

Alex: Can you get Rosie outta the way, Claire, so they can go?

Alex: So they raced away.


Alex: Watch this jump, Daddy!
Alex: Are you watching?
Daddy: Yeah.
(Alex jumps.)
Alex: Wasn't that big?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Watch jump.
Claire: Watch jump, Daddy.
(Claire jumps.)
Claire: Watch jump, Mommy -- uh Daddy.
(Claire jumps.)
Claire: Watch jump, Muh -- Daddy.
(Claire jumps.)


(Alex looks in the toy refrigerator.)
Alex: We don't have any cheese!


(Alex and Claire are playing with their new shopping carts.)
Daddy: Do you like your new toys?
Alex: Yeah.
Claire: Like new toy.
Daddy: Where'd you get that new toy?
(Claire fusses.)
Alex: From the brown truck!
Alex (more quietly): From Mommy.


(Alex is playing with Ernie and Bert.)
Alex: Ernie doesn't have any eyebrows.
Alex: Ernie doesn't have any eyebrows?
Daddy: No he doesn't.
Daddy: Does Bert have any eyebrows?
Alex: Yes he does he has one eyebrow.


Alex (to his bear): You're a good boy.
Mommy: You're a good boy too, Alex.
Alex: Yes I am!
Alex: And I'm Chucklehead. That's what Daddy calls me.


(bath time)
Alex: What's that?
Daddy: This is your shampoo.
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: Poo is yucky. Poo starts with yucky.

And Carter smacked Kate in the face. At circle time.

Alex: We can play trains if there’s no school. But there’s school today.
(Pause.)
Alex: What’s today?
Daddy: Today is Tuesday.
Alex: I like Tuesday!
(Pause.)
Alex: But Mondays are yucky. We don’t like Mondays.


(Claire and Alex are playing trains.)

(Claire puts Rosie in the tunnel.)
Claire (playfully pretending): Uh Rosie? Uh Rosie go?
Alex: She's in the tunnel!
Claire (still playing): Uh Rosie?
Mommy (playing along with Claire): Where's Rosie?
Alex: She's in the tunnel!

Toby: Thanks! Thanks for pulling me around the island!
Daddy: Who said that?
Alex: Toby said that. He's a tram engine.

(Toby is blocking Claire’s train.)
Claire: Uh Toby move away!


(Alex is mad at Mommy.)
Alex: You’re not nice!
Mommy: No, I'm not. I'm not always nice.
Alex (angrily): Yes you are!


Alex: Is Mommy gonna make dinner?
Daddy: Yeah.
Daddy (to Alex): Are you gonna make dinner? Are you gonna make some real dinner? ‘Cause I’m hungry.
Alex: Hahaha! That's silly.


(dinner time)

Claire (whining loudly): Mommy! Uh Mommy!
Mommy (sitting at her computer): Claire, what do you need?
Claire (whining loudly): Mommy! Uh sit! Sit with me!
Mommy (sternly): I’m not coming over there if you keep whining.
Claire (whining loudly): Please!

Zoe spoon: I’m gonna get – I’m gonna get a strawberry for you, Alex.


(Alex is telling Daddy about school today.)
Alex: And Carter smacked Kate in the face. At circle time.

Daddy! Storm coming!

(snack time)

Alex: Look, the blueberries look like thunder, Daddy. Look.
Daddy: What do they look like?
Alex: They look like thunder.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Look! Look at them. It goes up – down. That’s how thunder is.

Claire (with a big grin): Daddy! Storm coming!
Daddy: What’s coming?
Claire: Storm!
Daddy: Yeah!


(dinner time)

Daddy: Hey Alex? Claire’s already eating dinner, you wanna come?
Alex: No, I’m playing trains.
Daddy: Okay, see you at dinner.
Alex: James and Toby and Thomas. They’re tryin’ to work on their branch line.

The dentist is gonna be so proud of me.

(The neighbor’s car is parked in a different spot from usual.)
Alex: Oakley parked his car in front of that house!

(Claire jumps into the pillows.)
Claire: Big jump!

(Claire rocks in the little rocking chair.)
Claire: Rock-a-bye baby, on, tree, top
(Claire laughs.)

Claire (shaking finger): One, two, three, four, nine, ten, one, two, three! Four! Nine! Teeeen!
(Claire jumps into the pillows.)
Mommy and Daddy: Good job, Claire!
Claire: Big jump.


Alex: Does chocolate go into the potty?
Mommy: Um, it goes into your poop.
Alex: And does it go into the potty?
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex: And water.
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex: But it’s pee.
Mommy: That’s right!


Alex: But - I don't know what money is.


(dinner time)

Claire: Ah more waff – ah more toast, Daddy. Ah mo toast.
Daddy: Here’s some more toast, sweetie.
Alex: That’s why Mommy went to the bank.
Daddy: Why did she go?
Alex: Because she needs something.

Alex: We’ve forgotten the crackers!
Daddy: Oh no!
Alex: No, that’s just on the show. I was just saying part of the movie.
Daddy: I know.

Alex: Look at this long piece of cheese.
Daddy: Yeah it’s really long.
Alex: Yeah it’s huge to me. It’s huge to me, Daddy.
Daddy: Yeah.

(For the past several minutes, Claire and Alex have been running around making wubba wubba sounds.)
Alex: Claire, I’m done with that game. I’m done with that game.
Alex: Can we take a rest now and make dinner?
Claire: Yeah.
(Alex and Claire run off to make dinner.)


(brushing teeth)
Alex: The dentist is gonna be so proud of me.

(In the bath, Alex notices that he is casting multiple shadows on the wall.)
Alex (sort of singing): Hi, lotta Alexes! Lotta Alexes! Lotta Alexes dancing! Dancing dancing dancing!


Claire (talking in her sleep): Two trains. Two trains. Mommy.

Pop’s at Nana’s house. He has no hair.

(For some unknown reason, Alex is pretending that Pop is “Papa”.)

Alex: That’s not Pop. He looks like Pop, but – but – but – he has hair, so he’s not Pop.

Claire: Uh Mommy?
Daddy: Mommy’s still in the backyard, working with Pop.
Alex:That's Papa.
Daddy: Oh, okay.
Alex: Pop’s at Nana’s house. He has no hair.


(Alex talks about his dreams.)
Alex: But if the dog ate me? I would go into his poop.


(lunch time)

Alex: You’re a monster.
Daddy: I’m not a monster.
Alex: No we pretend you’re the monster.
Daddy: Okay, we’ll pretend I’m the monster.
Alex: No, we pretend you’re the monster.
Daddy: Okay, let’s pretend I’m the monster.
Alex: You’re the drinkin’ monster.
Daddy: I’m the drinkin’ monster?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: What does the drinkin’ monster do?
Alex: Nothing. He just drinks.

(Claire sees a box of Life cereal on the counter.)
Alex: I wanna see Cheerio man.

Alex’s graham cracker: Hello, Claire. I’m a graham cracker!


(Alex and Claire are playing with beach balls in the family room.)

(Alex throws his beach ball at the TV.)
Alex: I threw it at the TV!
Mommy: Don’t throw it at the TV.
Alex: I didn’t.

(One of the beach balls lands in Mommy’s computer chair.)
Alex: It’s computer ball! Workin’ on her computer!

(Alex throws his ball at Claire.)
Mommy: Alex, don’t do that.
Alex: But I said sorry.

Alex (to Claire): Sorry!


Alex: Mommy, I’m watching you bake muffins.

Dat! Chocolate! Yay!

(Alex’s two bits of waffle are touching each other.)
Alex: Look! It’s put together that way isn’t that funny like a machine?
Daddy: Yeah!
Alex (laughing): It’s like scissors.


(Claire is reading her animal magazine.)

Claire (pointing to the number 2): A!

Claire: Dat!
Daddy: F.
Claire: F. Dat!
Daddy: A.
Claire: A. Dat!
Daddy: M.
Claire: M. Dat!
Daddy: I.
Claire: I. Dat!
Daddy: L.
Claire: L. Dat!
Daddy: Y.
Claire: Y. Dat!
Daddy: F.
Claire: F. Dat!
Daddy: U.
Claire: U. Dat!
Daddy: N.
Claire: N.


(Claire is crying for her mommy.)
Alex: Mommy went to make our feast, Claire. She’ll be back in a minute.
Claire (still sad): Okay.
Alex: We’re gonna have a fruit feast and a pizza feast.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Not a turkey feast. Mommy said that.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: We did that yesterday. All my cousins came here.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: It was a big family.


Alex: Is feast a special treat?
Daddy: Yes.
Claire: Uh chocolate too.


Alex (whining): Claire’s steppin’ on the lid.
Alex (to Claire): If you – if you do things mean you won't have a feast.


Alex: Watch this Daddy, watch what the house does when I do this!
(Alex tenses his muscles and shakes.)
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: Watch this!
(Claire tenses her muscles and shakes.)


(dinner time)

(Claire sees what’s on her plate for “feast”.)
Claire: Dat! Chocolate! Yay!

(Daddy gives Claire her medicine.)
Claire (to Daddy): Uh tell Mommy.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire (to Mommy, proudly): I took my medicine!

(Alex cleans his plate.)
Alex: I want more of everything!

Alex: Is the feast over?


(Claire finds a picture which she drew this morning under Daddy’s supervision. She shows it to Mommy.)
Claire: Mommy, uh color picture! Uh color picture! Daddy!

Mommy "oh shoot".

(Claire is playing trains. Grommie is lying next to the train table, in Claire’s way.)
Claire: I want play trains.
Claire: Daddy, I want play trains.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: I want Grommie to move away, please.
Daddy: Okay. Let me get my computer.
Claire: I want watch Bob first.
Daddy: No, we’re not gonna watch Bob, we’re gonna play trains.
Claire: Okay.
Claire: I want Grommie to move away.

Claire: Uh Thomas. Uh Thomas is. Daddy, uh Thomas is?
Daddy: Where is Thomas?
Claire (picking up Thomas from right in front of her): Oh right there.

Claire (pretending not to see Thomas): Uh Thomas? Uh Thomas is? Uh Thomas?
Daddy: Where is Thomas?
Claire: Uh. See.
(Claire looks around.)
Claire: There Thomas!

(An airplane can be heard in the distance.)
Claire: Dat! Dat, Daddy.
Daddy: That’s an airplane!
Claire: Uh see it.
Daddy: You can look out the window and see if you can.
Claire: Okay.
(Claire looks out the window.)
Claire: Uh see it.
Daddy: You can’t see it?
Claire: No.
Daddy: Yeah it’s probably too far away.


(Alex and Claire are eating lunch. Mommy is in the family room, doing something on the computer.)
Mommy (muttering to herself): Oh, shoot.
Claire (laughing): Mommy “oh shoot”.


(playing trains again)
Claire (setting Elmo down on the airport): Elmo stay, right there.
Claire (setting Grover down on the airport): Grover stay, right there.


(Late at night, Claire is talking in her sleep.)
Claire: Uh go up. Uh go up.
Claire: Daddy, I wanna go up!
Claire (upset): Daddy! Daddy!

There's a new one this time. It's called bangin' on the door.

(Bed time. Alex finishes saying his words, and Daddy leaves Alex’s room.)
Alex: There's a new one this time. It’s called bangin’ on the door.
Daddy: Okay, night-night.
Alex: Bangin’ on the door.
Daddy: Okay, night-night.
Alex: Bangin’ on the door!
Daddy: Bangin’ on the door. Night-night.
Alex: Did I give you a kiss on your face?
Daddy: Yes you did. Night-night.
Alex: Did I give you a hug?
Daddy: Yes you did. Night-night.
Alex: Night-night.

Daddy, his head popped.

(dinner time)

Claire: Uh Daddy?
Mommy: Daddy?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Daddy’s right there.
Claire: Oh.
(Pause.)
Claire: Uh Grommie?
Mommy: Grommie’s eating his dinner.
Claire: Oh eat dinner.


(The last vestige of Alex’s dog-shaped balloon animal unwinds itself.)
Alex (sad): Daddy, his head popped.


Alex: Do dogs live on farms?
Daddy: Yeah. Dogs can live on farms.

Alex: And do they have bunnies?
Daddy: Yeah, there are bunnies on farms.

And mess with books and I will be mad and don’t close your door and don’t turn off your light and play in the door and…

Alex (pointing at Daddy’s computer): Hey Daddy, that – that – that’s a lotta words.


Alex: Today we talked about summer.
Mommy: You did? What did you say about it?
Alex: I don’t know. It’s too much.


(dinner time)

Alex: Mommy, can you sit with me?
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex: That’s because I like you.

(Mommy just showed Alex how to use a knife.)
Alex: Look Daddy, I’m cutting.


(Daddy is reading “Bear’s New Friend” to Alex.)
Alex (interrupting): Did Bear shrug his shoulders?
Daddy: No, Mouse shrugged his shoulders. Bear scratched his head.
Alex: Why?
Daddy: Because sometimes people scratch their head when they’re wondering about something.
Alex: And when they have a itch.
Daddy: Yeah.


(bed time)
Alex: Did I say my words?
Daddy: No. You don’t have to say your words.
Alex: But I want to! Playinthebackyardplayplayroomplaytrains.
Daddy: Playbackyardplayplayroomplaytrains.
Alex: WakeupClaireclosemydoor.
Daddy: WakeupClaireandcloseyourdoor.
(Pause.)
Alex: And mess with books and I will be mad and don’t close your door and don’t turn off your light and play in the door and… and… and play on the ceiling and play on the floor and play hair and play chickie and play doggie and now go to sleep.
Daddy: Okay, night-night.
Alex: And play with Daddy next time. That’s a new one.
Daddy: Okay.

I'm talkin’ about the circle ones, not the square ones.

Alex: Next time it’s not gonna be Monday.
Daddy: That’s right.
Alex: Every day’s not gonna be Monday, that time.
Daddy: That’s right.


(Daddy is pushing Alex on the swings.)

Alex: I never been in a rocket ship. Or a airplane or a helicopter. I never been in those things.

Daddy: Isn’t it nice having our own swings?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: Just like Nana and Pop.
Alex: If we didn’t have a swing, I would wanna swing, and I would want a swing, to swing in.


(Claire and Alex are getting ready for nap.)
Alex (to Daddy): You’re my person to put me down for nap.
(Mommy laughs.)
(Alex laughs.)
Alex (to Daddy, in his “that’s silly” voice): You’re not a person!


(Alex is lying awake in bed during nap time.)
Alex: Beep, beep, beep, beep, time to get up!
Alex (whining): I said “beep beep beep”!


(dinner time)

(Claire has the Elmo fork.)
Alex (being silly): Can I have Zoe?! Is she a spoon?!
Daddy: She is a spoon.
Alex: But I want someone who’s a fork!
Alex (completing his thought): …that’s on Sesame Street.


(Alex is talking about cookies, and wants to clarify that he refers to Oreos.)
Alex: I'm talkin’ about the circle ones, not the square ones.


(Alex notices a hair floating in his bath.)
Alex: Hair is dirty, it has to go to the landfill.

Watch me Daddy, watch me jump high. Nine ten jump.

Alex: I like Bob. I like Wendy too, but she’s not on my underwear.


Alex: Watch me jump, Mommy!
Claire: Watch me uh jump, Mommy!


(Mommy is exercising on the third floor.)
Alex: Where Mommy is, Ay-yah?
Alex: She’s exercising.
Claire: Oh. Up there?
Alex: Yeah.


(Alex and Claire are jumping into the pillows.)
(Claire jumps.)
Alex: My turn!
Claire: Okay, I moo outta way.

Claire: Watch me Daddy, watch me jump high. Nine ten jump.
(Claire jumps.)
Alex: That’s a little jump, Claire, why do you keep doing little jumps?

Alex: One two three four five six jump. Watch this jump, Daddy.
(Alex jumps.)
Daddy: Yay!
Alex: I wanna jump higher.
Alex: One two three four five six jump.
Daddy: Yay!


(Claire is supposed to be taking a nap, but she’s just playing alone in her crib. She has a stack of books next to her, and she puts her water cup on top of it.)
Claire: Nine, ten, jump.
(The cup of water jumps off of the books and onto the bed.)


(snack time)

Claire: Uh more cheese.
Daddy: You want more cheese, Claire?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Okay, I’ll get you more cheese.
Claire: No Daddy, Mommy more cheese.


Claire (to Daddy): Uh play with me.
Daddy: You want Mommy?
Claire: Uh play with me. Uh play with me.
Daddy: Oh, play with you. Yeah, I’ll play with you! Let’s make some dinner!


(The dog balloon animal has unwound itself, so now it’s just a long balloon.)
Alex: If dogs are like this, Daddy? They call them hot dogs. Isn’t that funny?


(Bed time. Claire comes into Alex’s room to say night-night to Daddy and Alex.)
Daddy: Hi Claire, can I have my hug and my kiss?
(Claire gives Daddy a hug and kiss.)
Alex: Can I have one?
Claire: No!
(Claire walks away.)
(Pause.)
Alex: Whatever, I’ll give Mommy a hug and kiss.
Claire: No!
(Claire comes back and Alex hugs her.)

You don’t say yeah! You’re not nice, Claire!

(breakfast time)

(Alex and Claire are watching “Pets”.)
Boy With Guinea Pig: It’s fun to watch them eat.
Alex: It’s fun to watch them eat. It’s fun to watch them – it’s fun to watch guinea pigs eat. Guinea pigs are my favorite pet.

Alex: Ukrop’s is changing to a different store and I didn’t know what she was calling it.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: Ukrop’s is changing to a different store.

Alex: I can drink a lotta milk because it’s healthy.

Alex: I smell some – I smell some poop and gas.
Daddy: Oh.
Alex: Claire are you poopy? I smell poop.
Claire: No.
Alex: Do you know where that’s coming from?
Claire: No!
Alex: No I was talking to Daddy!
Claire: No!
Alex: Yes!
Claire: No.
Alex: Yeah! I told him that!
Claire: No.
Alex: Yeah!
Claire: No.
Alex: Yeah!
Claire (losing interest and wandering off): Yeah.
Alex (shouting after her): You don’t say yeah! You’re not nice, Claire!

Alex: I like frogs, Daddy.

Alex: And after we go down to the landfill, and put trash in it, there’s gonna be a party at school!
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: Yeah I mean – that was another party!
Daddy: Neat!

(Claire sees a picture of herself on Daddy’s coffee mug.)
Claire (pointing): Claire! On there.
Daddy: Claire on there, yeah!
Claire: Hat!
Daddy: That’s right.
Claire: Oh shoes, walk!


(play time)

Alex: Are you not old anymore, Daddy?
Daddy: Am I not old anymore?
Alex: You said that yesterday!
Daddy: Oh, okay.
Alex: I wanna make dinner please. I wanna make dinner.
Daddy: You wanna make dinner?
Alex: Yeah. Uh make dinner.
Alex: And you can make dinner with us. Right?
Daddy: Yeah.

Alex (pointing to the toy kitchen): Daddy, are you gonna make dinner over there?
Daddy (sitting on the couch): No, I’m gonna make dinner over here.
Alex: Are you still old?
Daddy: Yeah I’m still old.
Alex: I thought you were gonna make dinner over there. How are you gonna be not old?
Daddy: I don’t know.
Alex: Because you’re tired? Because your leg is tired? Because your leg is tired every day? Why? Why is it tired every day?

Alex: Daddy c-could, why are you not gonna be old sometimes? Now why are you not gonna be old sometimes?

(Alex is standing beside the toy kitchen, holding a receipt.)
Alex: Did Santa Claus? He didn’t bring me a trash can? He didn’t bring me a trash can, Santa?
Daddy: No.
Alex: I was gonna throw this in the trash can.


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

Alex: What do they have at the landfill?
Alex (all in one breath): Just trash I never been to that playground Grommie’s excited.

Alex: Is the andfill [sic] in here?
Mommy: Yup.
Alex: Why is it in here?
Mommy: It’s just the way it is.

Alex: Grommie’s not gonna go to the party.
Alex: Grommie’s not gonna go to the party. Because he will scare my friends away.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Neer and Callum.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Maybe all of them.
Daddy: Yeah.

Alex: And, I'm gonna be a Daddy but I can't drive.

Mommy: Hey, Alex, what's my name?
Alex: Um, Stavid.
Mommy (laughing): Close! Daddy’s name is David, what's my name?
Alex: Stephanie.
Mommy: That’s right!

What – what – what holds up the floor, Mommy?

(Alex and Claire are playing trains.)

Alex: Claire, can you help me fix the crane? The leg fell off.

Claire: Emily!
Claire: Emily, Ay-yah!
Claire: Emily, Ay-yah!
Alex: No. I don’t want her.
Claire: Mines.
Alex: Yes. Yours.


(Daddy is trying to hustle both kids into the car, but Alex is lagging behind.)
Claire: Ay-yah! ‘Mon! ‘Mon!


(At lunch, Daddy is sitting in Mommy’s usual chair.)
Alex: Are you Mommy?
Daddy: Yes I’m Mommy.
Alex: You’re not Mommy.
Daddy: Did you know I’m Mommy?
Alex: No you’re not. You don’t have – your hair’s not long.


(After lunch, Alex is lying on the kitchen floor.)
Alex: What – what – what holds up the floor, Mommy?
Mommy: What?
Alex: What can hold up the floor?
Mommy: Why can you hold up the floor?
Alex: No, why – [extended stammering as Alex tries to reformulate his question] – make you walk on the floor?
Mommy: What makes you walk on the floor?
Alex: Yeah. Uh – I mean – why is – what lifts up the floor?
Mommy: What keeps it up?
Alex: Yeah, keeps it up.
Mommy: The foundation of the house.
Alex: Where is it?
Mommy: Um, you can see it outside, the bricks. And then there are boards underneath the floor that hold it up.
Alex: Why can it hold it up?
Mommy: Because it’s strong, and they use nails and cement to hold it up. Okay, give Daddy a kiss, and we can go upstairs.
Alex: I like the house.
Mommy: Me too.


(Alex makes everyone go into his makeshift “house”, because “a storm is coming.” And Alex has a poopy diaper.)
Mommy (to Daddy): Our house is stinky.
Alex (looking concerned): Is it stinky?
Mommy: Yeah, a little bit.
(Alex continues playing, and wanders off.)
Daddy (to Mommy): Aw, he was self-conscious!
Mommy: I know, I felt bad.


(It’s bath night, but Daddy is on a conference call and can’t bathe Alex.)
Alex (to Daddy): Mommy’s gonna take us both a bath, because it’s a special treat.
Daddy: Oh… well I might be able to give you a bath.
Alex: I want Mommy to take me a bath, because I love her.
Daddy: Oh, and you don’t love Daddy?
Alex: I love you Daddy but I want Mommy today.
Daddy: Okay.
(Alex runs off, then stops at the bottom of the stairs and turns back to Daddy.)
Alex: And when I go down for nap you can give me a kiss.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: And that’s all.
Daddy: Okay.

Eat it, mouth.

(Mommy and Claire go into Alex’s classroom to pick up Alex. Neer has already been picked up.)
Claire (looking around): Uh Neer? Uh Neer?


(Alex comes home to find Daddy playing a video game.)
Alex: What are you watching?
Daddy: Uh, I'm just watchin’ a little show.
Alex (shouting to Mommy): Daddy’s watchin’ a little show!


Alex: Daddy!
Daddy: Yes Alex?
Alex: On the way home from Callum’s house, a man was smokin' in his car.
Daddy: Oh no.
Alex: Yucky. His car was stinky.


(Daddy turns off the TV.)
Claire (crying): Uh watching Elmo!
Mommy: Aw, Elmo’s over. Now it’s time to eat dinner.
Claire (sad): Uh watch uh Bob.
Mommy: No Bob.
Claire (sad): Why?
Mommy: ‘Cause TV’s over.


Alex: Books –- if books didn’t open and close, you wouldn’t be able to read them, Mommy.

(dinner time)

Daddy: Claire, are you gonna be a mommy when you grow up?
Alex: I’m gonna be a daddy!
Daddy: Are you gonna be a husband?
Alex: No, a daddy.

Mommy: Tell Daddy what kind of toys Callum had.
Alex: What toys?
Mommy: Tell him –
Alex: Why did he have a train table upstairs, that’s silly.

Mommy: What else did Callum have?
Alex: Cars and trucks.
Mommy: What, um, cars did he have from the Cars movie?
Alex: I -- don’t -- know.

(Claire gives Daddy her pizza crust.)
Claire: Uh, eat it.
Daddy: Thank you, Claire.
Claire: (to Mommy): Daddy, eat it.
Mommy: Okay.
(Daddy pretends to eat the crust.)
Claire: Eat it, mouth.
Daddy: Thank you Claire!
Claire (to Mommy): Ah Daddy, want pizza.

Alex: I like to say that question.
Daddy: What question?
Alex: What – what’s pasta? That one.

Alex (to Claire): In the morning you wanna watch Bob, Claire?
Claire: Yeah.

(Claire examines a little string of dried cheese from her pizza.)
Mommy: Is it cheese?
Claire: No cheese.
Mommy: Dried cheese?
Claire: No dried cheese.

Claire: I want uh watch pictures.
Mommy: We’re not gonna watch pictures, honey.
Claire: Why?
Mommy: Because we’re eating dinner.

(Claire got pizza sauce on her cup.)
Claire: Uh wuh wipe it off. Wipe off it!

Claire (shaking head “no”): Mommy, I like it.
Mommy: You don’t like it?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Okay.

(Grommie is in Claire’s way.)
Claire: Uh move out uh way, Grommie. Out.

Alex: Do – do – do my head but not down my body?
Mommy: What? Do your head but not outta your body?
Alex: No. Do my head but not down my body.

Alex: Tickle my head.
Mommy: Like that?
Alex: Yeah.

Mommy (to Claire): Is it fun to be little?
Claire: Yeah uh fun be little.
Daddy: Is it fun to be big?
Claire: No!!

Alex: I ate your sock, I ate it off my fork.
Mommy: I’m gonna get it back.
Alex: You can’t get it back it’s in my tummy.

Alex: It’s all gone.
Mommy: It’s all gone?
Alex: It’s in my poop.

Claire: Spoon! Uh touch it.


(Alex is sitting on the potty.)
Alex (to Mommy): Pssh!! You're swimmin' in the yucky pee.

I’m pretending to be things. I’ll pretend to be some other things next time.

(Breakfast time. One of Claire’s Cheerios falls on the floor.)
Alex: Grommie!
Claire: Grommie?
Alex: Cheerios!
Claire: Uh Cheerio on floor right there!
(Grommie comes into the kitchen and eats the stray Cheerio.)


Alex (crawling): Daddy, I’m pretending to be a baby.
Daddy: Yeah. You’re doing a good job.
Alex (crawl-hopping): Now I’m a bunny. I’m pretending to be a bunny. Look at me.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: I’m pretending to be things. I’ll pretend to be some other things next time.


Mommy (singing): Bob the Builder!
Alex: Can we fix it!
Mommy (singing): Bob the Builder!
Alex: Yes we can!


Alex: My sister was sick yesterday.

Can we watch trucks and cars on the internet, Daddy?

Alex: They don't have a robot at this – the other moon. They don't have a robot. It’s just pretend. It’s not real.
Daddy: Oh, okay.
(Pause.)
Alex: But they have toys. At the toy store. They have a toy store.
Daddy: At the moon?
Alex: Yeah.


Alex: It’s cold, so I wanted to go inside.
Daddy: Yeah, it’s gotten a little cold.
Alex: Yeah it’s chilly out here.


Alex: Can we watch trucks and cars on the internet, Daddy?

Claire (to Mommy): Uh Alex pick uh Science Kid.

Claire (“jumping”): Uh high!


(Alex is playing with cars.)
Alex: That’s Ockwit, his name is Ockwit.
Daddy: Ockwit?
Alex: Yeah. Just like chocolate!


(Daddy plays Downtown.)

Alex: Claire, you wanna dance?

Alex: Look, I’m going faster, Daddy! I’m bein’ a pony! I’m tryin’ to be a pony!

(Alex runs around holding his arms straight up over his head.)
Alex: Look what I’m doin’ Daddy! Look what I’m doin’ with my arms!
Daddy: Yeah!
Alex: Giddyap! Giddyap! Giddyap, giddyap! This is the pony!

Alex: Downtown made me tired.


Alex (to Daddy): I got chocolate!
Daddy: You did?
Alex: Yeah!
Daddy: Special treat!
Alex (to Mommy): Was chocolate a special treat?
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex (to Daddy): It was!!

Knock knock?! On the door?!

(Daddy is letting Grommie out.)
Alex: I wanna tell Grommie to go poo.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: Go poo!
(Grommie runs into the yard.)
Alex: He went.


(snack time)
Claire: I want more bear, please, Mommy. I want more bear.


(Daddy and Alex are on the play set, and neighbor Anthony is talking to Alex over the fence.)
Anthony: I have a joke for you. Knock knock.
Alex: Knock knock?!
Anthony: Knock knock.
Alex (incredulous): Knock knock?! On the door?!

Anthony: Knock knock.
Alex: Why’s you say that?

Anthony: Knock knock.
Alex (now having been instructed on the proper response): Who's there?
Anthony: Who.
Alex: Who! You tell me!

Anthony: What's your dad’s name?
Alex: That's Daddy.
Anthony: What’s your dad’s name? It can't be --
Alex: David!
Anthony: David?
Alex: Yeah!
Anthony: What's your Mom’s name?
Alex: David!
Anthony: David? It can’t be.


(dinner time)

(Mommy prints something.)
Alex: Your paper’s comin’ out Mommy. Can you leave it, so I can get it for you after dinner?

(Claire coughs.)
Alex: I think you have to do mask again, Claire.

Worms.

(Claire finds Daddy’s shoe.)
Claire: Daddy. Dirty shoe.

(Daddy puts Claire’s shoes on her.)

Claire: There socks.
Daddy: What do you need Claire?
Claire: Oh there socks.

Claire: Uh sit on stool.


(Alex, Claire, and Daddy head out of the house for school.)
Alex: You're not going, Grommie.
Claire: Not going, Grommie. Stay here. Wait. Me.


(in the car)
Claire: Truck! Big truck.


(On the way home from the store, Daddy and Claire stop the car to admire a family of ducks in the grass beside the Wal-Mart parking lot.)

Claire: Flew away, flew away, baby ducks. Flew away.

Claire (referring to the baby ducks): Uh going? Uh going?

Claire: Big truck! Big. Big. Big. Big.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Uh baby truck. Uh baby. Uh baby truck. Uh baby.
Claire: Uh baby truck.

Daddy: Hi duck!
Claire: Hi duck. Uh talk to me. Uh talk to me.
Daddy: You want them to talk to you?
Claire: Yeah.

Claire: Uh talk to me. Daddy? Uh talk to me.
Daddy: You want them to talk to you?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Well ducks don't talk.
Claire: Why?
Daddy: They just don't. They quack.
Claire: Uh going? Uh ducks going?

Claire: Uh going?
Daddy: You wanna go see?
Claire: Yeah. Uh see. Oh there ducks.
Claire: Oh big duck. Eat. In grass.

Daddy: What's that duck doing?
Claire: Uh running around. Look at things.
Daddy: He's running around looking at things?
Claire: Yeah.

Daddy: What's he lookin’ at?
Claire: Worms.
Daddy: What do you think he's looking for?
Claire: A worm.
Daddy: Worm?
Claire: Yeah.

Claire: Bye, duck.
Daddy: Bye, duck.
Claire: See you later.

Daddy: Okay, let's go home and get some lunch.
Claire: No, uh bookstore.
Daddy: What?
Claire: Bookstore.
Daddy: Bookstore?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Oh we’re not going to the bookstore, sweetie.


(Lunch time. Mommy comes home.)

Claire: Mommy!
Mommy: Hi!
Claire: Uh eating uh toast.

Daddy: Tell Mommy what we saw.
Claire: Uh…duck.
Mommy: A duck?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Where'd you see a duck?
Claire: In the grass.

Mommy (to Daddy): I need to show you what Alex made me.
(Mommy walks off to get it.)
Alex: It was a tree and a butterfly.


(getting ready for nap)
Alex: Daddy, tell the dreams to be about food. In my brain.


Claire (pointing at something in the corner): Uh! Futterfly!
Mommy (unhappily): It's called a dust bunny.
Claire: Oh.
Claire (pointing at it again): Bunny!

Daddy? Dreams have all kind of food.

(breakfast)

Claire: Daddy, uh medicine.
Daddy: Yeah, you had some pretend?
Claire: Yeah, pretend medicine.

Claire: Dat!
Daddy: Science Kid? There’s a dinosaur on his bed.
Claire: Oh dinosaur on bed. Push it!
Daddy: He pushed it, that’s right, Claire.


Alex: This morning, at night, Daddy?
Daddy: Yes?
Alex: I had a funny dream but I didn't like that. So I called Mommy.
Daddy: Do you wanna tell me about it?
Alex (in his silly voice): No, that was just, dream, then it went away!
Alex: It's not here yet, it's not there.

Claire: I want jelly beans, please.

Daddy: Why didn't you like your dream?
Alex: Because it was scary.
Daddy: Oh, I don't like scary dreams either.

Alex: And -– and when you have -- sometimes your dream, has food. And it's yummy. And, there's chocolate and cake. And -- and candy. That's what it has, Daddy. And it's yummy.
Mommy: Yeah, ‘cause you can have good dreams too.
Daddy: Did you have a dream about chocolate and candy?
Alex (laughing): No. One day some –- that would be…
(Alex trails off.)

Alex: Daddy? Dreams have all kind of food.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: There's cheese, and blueberries, and strawberries, and candy, and (mumble) and bananas! And bread, toast, that -- I don't think what the other food was.


Alex: I'm keeping my underwear dry!
Daddy: Yeah! You're doing a great job keeping your underwear dry.
Alex: And Scrambler is still in the back?
Daddy: Yeah, Scrambler is still in the back.
Alex: And Rollie is all done, so he's in the laundry.


(Alex talks about Mother’s Day cards.)
Alex: It’s one for Nana, and one for Grandma, not one for Pop, and one for Grandpa.


Claire: Uh medicine. Please? That uh geen!
Mommy: It’s red.
Claire: Oh red.


(Alex and Claire are eating toy dinner.)
Alex: Claire, can you get more tree branches?
Claire: Yeah.
Claire (to Daddy): Uh get tree branches.

Oh, salad.

(dinner time)

Claire: Dat!
Mommy: Salad.
Claire: Oh, salad.
Claire: Dat mah-nos.
Mommy: Salmon. Tomatoes.
Claire: ‘Matoes.

Daddy: What did you do today, Alex?
Alex: Uh, my new toys?
Daddy: You have new toys?
Alex: Yeah. I have a new truck and Claire has a truck and I have a new ball.

Claire: I like it. I like it, Mommy.
Mommy: Good. Are you chewing it up and swallowing it?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Or just keeping it in your mouth.
Claire: Kee ih mouth.

Mommy: Are you still hungry, Alex?
Alex: Yeah. I want something sweet.
Mommy: You want some carrots?

Alex: I want – I want something that’s really sweet.

Alex: I love you, Daddy.
Daddy: I love you too, Alex!

(Daddy gives Alex his medicine.)
Alex: I had medicine.
Mommy: Good job, buddy.
Alex: It was yummy.
Daddy: Good.
Alex: Thank you, Daddy.


(Claire sees a bug on the window.)
Claire: Fly away bug! Fly away! Bug fly away!


(bath time)
Mommy (to Claire): You wanna stand in the big tub, like a big girl?
Claire: Yeah, big girl.


(Alex is talking to the baby doll.)
Alex: Nothing’s wrong, baby. It’s just your dream.
(Long pause.)
Alex: It’s just a dream. I said it’s just a dream.


(bed time)
Alex: This is our house. This is a rocket ship.
Daddy: This is a rocket ship?
Alex: Yeah. I’m gonna blast off. In a minute. I'm gonna count down.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: One two three four blast off!

So can you say you’re prending you’re a dentist and you can’t fly?

(When Alex comes downstairs in the morning, he immediately rushes to the back door and looks out.)
Alex: We still have our new playground, Daddy!


(dinner time)

Alex: I don’t want the pasta to go all the way in the blueberries.

Alex: Can I have some milk with a straw in it?
Daddy: I’m not gonna get you a straw, but I can get you some milk.
Alex: But I never had a straw before
Daddy: I’m not getting you a straw.
Alex (whining): May I please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please?
Daddy: Alex, please stop whining.

Alex: Hey – on the way to the doctor, Mommy got a special treat!
Daddy: She did?
Alex: It was Elmo in the car!

Alex: We watched a lot of Elmo, and when we got to the doctor, we turned it off. It was a lot. And when we got there, it was a man, cutting the grass.

Alex: I got – I got my medicine, Daddy! And it was yummy.

Alex: Hey Daddy? I like the medicine.
Daddy: Oh good.
Alex: Thank you.


(Alex sees his clothes that Mommy has laid out for tomorrow.)
Alex (excitedly): Daddy! Daddy! Next time, I'm gonna wear a turtle shirt!

(Alex puts on his pull-up for bed time, all by himself.)
Alex: No more diapers anymore. Now I wear underwear!
Daddy: That’s right!
Alex: And I got a turtle shirt!
Daddy: That’s right!

(Alex begins to put on his PJs.)
Alex: What are these new PJs – [sharp intake of breath] – Fish!! PJs!!
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: I got fish PJs, yay!!

(Alex is putting on his Cars slippers.)
Alex: I wanna be Stickers, and I will drive into you. And crash.

(Daddy gives Alex a kiss at bed time. Daddy is unshaven.)
Alex: You have those scratches on your face.
Daddy: Oh I'm sorry, did I scratch you?
Alex: No you bumped it. Those black dots are the scratches.
Daddy: Oh okay, I'm sorry.
Alex: You have to get those off next time.


(Mommy talks to Alex in bed.)

Alex: Can – can we talk about a little bit of plants? Please?

(Mommy does the plant game with Alex. Alex laughs.)
Alex: I want again.
Mommy: Okay.
(Mommy does the plant game with Alex. Alex laughs.)
Alex: I want again.
Mommy: Okay.
(Mommy does the plant game with Alex. Alex laughs.)

Alex: And then where does the water go?
Mommy: Um… it goes into the plant’s (inaudible).
Alex: Mouth?
Mommy: Well, no. It goes like all through the plant’s body. The leaves and the stem. And it makes (inaudible). And when there’s no water in the leaves, the leaves shrivel up. And then when you put water in them, the leaves get all perky again.
Alex: Why?
Mommy: Um……I don’t know.

Alex: So can you say you’re prending you’re a dentist and you can’t fly?
Mommy: I’m a dentist and I can’t fly?
Alex: Yeah – no, the duck is the dentist.

Mommy: Okay, listen, I’m gonna tell you about tomorrow. Um, Claire has school. But Alex doesn’t.
Alex: Oh, do I don’t have school!
Mommy: Oh, you can’t go to school tomorrow because of your rash.
Alex: Oh. Because I went to the doctor?
(Mommy explains.)
Alex: And I got medicine!
Mommy: And you got medicine.
Alex: And it was so yummy!
Mommy: Well you have to take it again tomorrow morning, so you have to remind us to give it to you, okay?
Alex: Now?

(Mommy talks about tomorrow’s agenda.)
Mommy: And then we’ll eat lunch, and go get Claire, okay?
Alex: But – I don’t want Claire to be at school next time too, and with me, okay?
Mommy: Well she’ll be at school in the morning. And youll be with me. ‘Kay?
Alex: ‘Kay in the morning.

Alex: And next time can you gi – can you give me a special treat?
Mommy: No.
Alex: I love – I love some special treat that Abby was playing in here. She told you – she told Pablo that. Hey Abby told Pablo that.

Mommy: I love you.
Alex: I love you too uhhhhhhh.

(Alex mumbles his night time litany.)
Alex: Did you hear me Mommy?
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex: Oh.

Uh new playground! Uh swing!

(Daddy goes into Claire's room to wake her up, to find that Grover and a car have fallen out of Claire’s bed.)
Claire: Grover fell on floor. Car.

(Claire drops Juju. Daddy picks it up and gives it back to her.)
Claire: Drop it. On floor. Get it.

(While going down the stairs, Claire hears the TV.)
Claire: Ay-yah watch uh TV.


Daddy: And then we pull your underwear up.
Alex: Underwear. I’m a big boy now.
Daddy: That’s right.
Alex: I’m gonna wear underwear at school.


(Alex and Claire come home from school.)
Claire: Daddy’s home!
Claire: Daddy’s home!


(The workmen are building a new playset in the backyard.)
Alex: They’re almost done, Mommy! They’re almost done, Mommy!
Mommy: They’re what?
Alex: They’re almost done, they’re tryin’ to build the rest! They’re almost done!

Claire: Almost done! Yay!

Mommy: You wanna go play?
Alex: Yeah on that new playground.
Claire: Uh new playground! Uh swing!
Mommy: You wanna see?
Claire: Yeah, uh swing! Uh swing, please.
Mommy: You wanna swing?
Claire: Yeah.


Alex: I like the swings.


(Claire gets ready to go down the slide, but first she sets her water down.)
Claire: Bye water. Bye water. Uh slide down.


(dinner time)

Claire: Uh more.
Daddy: Can you eat a carrot?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Are you gonna do it?
Claire: No.


Claire: Uh tell Mommy... sorry... uh Ay-yah.
Claire: Sorry... timeout...

(Claire and Alex are jumping off of diaper packages onto pillows.)
Claire: One two three nine ten jump.
(Claire jumps.)

Claire: Nine ten, uh nine ten, uh nine ten, jump.
(Claire jumps.)

Alex: I'm gonna jump in the water!
Claire: Uh jump in water. Uh jump in water. Uh jump in water.

Alex: Watch me, Mommy!
Claire: Uh watch me. Daddy.

(Claire climbs into the rocking chair by herself.)
Claire (quietly to herself): Rock baby Ay-yah, Daddy, Mommy, Claire Ay-yah.

I choose to eat lunch.

Alex (smiling): I have underwear on.

Daddy: Balloons and balls! And Alex is wearing underwear!
Alex: I’m not – I’m not peein’ in it! It’s a underwear party!

Alex: And I’ll still see Angelina, and Everett? And Kate?
Daddy: Yeah. And Neer.
Alex: Neer loves to play with me.


Daddy: Guys, did you hear what Mommy said? You can go eat lunch or you can go upstairs for nap. You choose.
Alex: I choose to eat lunch.


Alex: Can gas go in my diaper?
Daddy: Yeah, gas can go in your diaper.
Alex: I like to hear my gas.
Daddy: Okay.


Alex: When you’re really, really little, Daddy, you can’t talk!


(Claire is playing trains by herself, while Daddy watches.)
Claire: I like trains.
Claire: I like trains, Mommy.
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: I like trains, Daddy.


(dinner time)

Daddy: Where did you guys go with Mommy?
Alex: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

Daddy: What did you guys see?
Alex: Nothing. No houses were built.
Daddy: Did you see anything else?
Alex: No. Mommy just drove around.
Daddy: Well didn’t she drive you to see things?
Alex: But that – that was not the way we – you went yesterday.
Daddy: So you didn’t see houses, or bridges, or trees or anything?
Alex: I saw bridges. Big bridges that we went over.
Daddy: So was that neat?
Alex: No that was Mommy.

Yeah, sure.

(watching Bob)
Alex: That’s silly. Parrots don’t talk. They’re birds.


(playing trains)
Alex: “Heeeeelp!”
Alex: Said someone.
Alex: Someone’s stuck, Mommy.
Alex: “Heeeeelp!”
Alex: Someone’s stuck, Mommy.
Mommy: Someone’s stuck?
Alex: “Heeeeelp!”
Alex: Daisy gonna help.


(Claire sees Daddy’s desktop background: a picture of Alex with a big grin on his face.)
Claire: Ay-yah. Cheeese!


(lunch time)

Alex: Look at that part of the tree, it looks like a dragon – and I saw all those birds fly!

Alex: I heard the water running and now it stopped.
Alex: And then it’s gonna come outside, under the pipes! And then it’s gonna go into the potty, right?

Daddy: You ready to get down, buddy?
(Pause.)
Alex: Yeah, sure.


(riding in the car, passing the fire station)
Claire: Fire engines!
Daddy: Yeah, fire engines!
(Claire beams with pride.)


(in bed)
Daddy: Okay, night-night buddy.
Alex: If you would sled down the hill, in the snow, and go up in the air, would your sled get stuck?
Daddy: Um, yeah it would.
Alex: In the pile?
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Okay then you have to be careful.