I'm gonna count to H.

Alex: I’m gonna count to H. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, H!
(Alex laughs.)

Alex: P… A… P… T… W.
Alex: I was doing the alphabet backwards.
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: I was being silly.


(breakfast)

Alex: Why do you have a flower on your shirt?
Claire: This – this not a shirt! This a bib!

(Claire comes home from school.)
Claire: I ate pasta.
Daddy: You ate pasta?
Claire: Yeah. It was really yummy.
Daddy: It was really yummy?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: You’re really cute.
Claire: I like pasta.

Alex: Can I read a book to you, Claire? Pleeease?
Claire: No.
Alex: Please, Claire? I don’t get to. I don’t very get to.


(Claire is crying. Alex is trying to read.)
Alex: You’re giving me a headache, Claire.


(Alex walks through the kitchen carrying a picture he just drew.)
Daddy: Wow, look at that!
Alex: Sh. It’s for Mommy.
(Alex finds Mommy in the dining room.)
Alex: Look what I made for you, Mommy.
Mommy: Oh I like it! What is it?
Alex: It’s Mommy, and Grommie, and Alex going for a walk.
Alex: But Mommy has a boo-boo.

Stop saying strawberries!

(Daddy is getting Alex out of bed.)
Alex: Can I go tell Claire what she wants to watch downstairs?

(Alex and Claire are watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.)
Claire: Him mad at her.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Well, hi -- his name is Charlie Brown, and her name is Lucy.


(Alex finds chocolate muffin crumbs in his bib, from a prior meal, and begins eating them. Claire searches her own bib, in vain.)
Daddy (to Claire): It’s just a crumb. You’re not missing anything, Claire.
Alex: But there was a big piece, and it was called chocolate muffin.

Alex: Daddy, one day can I ride a fast boat, like this?
(Alex shows Daddy his waffle.)


(Alex and Claire are playing the “time out” game.)

Alex: You’re supposed to be in bed!
Claire: No!

Alex: Go upstairs!
Claire: No!
Alex: Time out!
Claire: No!
Alex: Pretend time out!
Claire: No!

Mommy (making sure it’s really just a game): Claire, do you want to go to pretend time out?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Okay.


Alex (pretending): I got a big giant sandwich to eat.
Claire (sounding extremely impressed): Wooooow!!


Alex (to Claire): I’m gonna read you a book.
Alex (beginning to read a book to Claire): Cinderella’s Time.
Claire (observing correctly): It upside down!


(Alex reads an ABC picture book to Claire.)
Alex: Apples and Pears.
Alex: Airplane is for A. Airport is for A. Ambulance for A. Ant for A. Apple for A.
Claire: That’s a shirt.
Alex: No that’s a apron.
Claire: Oh that apron.
Alex: Apron for A. And eggplant for A.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Bear for B. Boat for B. Bread for B. Baby for B. Button for B. Banana for B. Books for B. Ball for B. Bicycle for B. And… butterfly for B. Boat for B. Bowl for B. Bracelet for B. Beads for B. And… that’s all.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: C for camera. C for clown. C for cake. C for crown. C for car. C for camel. C for cucumber. C for cactus. C for crab. C for comb. C for crown.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Elephant for E. Egg for E. Envelope for E. D for dog. D for Dress. D for drum. D for dog. D for flower. D for…
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: G for um, grapes. Guh. Guh. Gorilla. Guh. G for, guh, guitar. Um, water. Fire engine. Ladder. Fox. Fan. Frog. And, fish. And… fire ladder. And fork.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Ice cream. For I. Doctor. Eye doctor. I. Ice, jelly. Hat. Brush. Horse. Helicopter.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Leg. Giraffe. Jelly. Juice. Pants. (Inaudible.)
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Motorcycle. Acorn.
Alex (to Claire): Hey don't! Don't touch the book!
Alex: Ladybug, and… light. Lion. Lemon. Leaves. Lamb. Mask. Motorcycle. Milk. Butterfly. Mushroom. Mouse.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Oranges. Octopus. Um, no. Ostrich. Owl. Crab. Nest. Acorns. And, beads. Nail. And, strings.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Um, O. Brush. Penguin. And -- peach -- um -- um -- um -- um… what is this, Daddy?
Daddy: Pineapple.
Alex: Pineapple. And what is this, I don't really know it.
Daddy: Potatoes.
Alex: Potatoes. Train. Peas. Pig. Pencil.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Bunny rabbit. Crown. Flower. Measure. Measure. Measure foot thing. Um rocket ship.
Claire: Rocket ship.
Alex: Um, well then. Um bracelet. Queen. Queen. And -- and bed.
Claire: And bed.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Um, socks. Slide.
Claire: Slide. Strawberries.
Alex: And measuring suit -- spoon.
Claire: Strawberries. Strawberries. Strawberries. Strawberries.
Alex: Stop saying strawberries.
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex (annoyed): Can you stop please?
Claire: No.
Alex: Sunglasses.
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex: (inaudible)
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex: Snail.
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex: Snake.
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex: Shovel.
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex: Strawberries.
Claire: Strawberries.
Alex: Stop, I said strawberries now.
Claire: Okay.
(Alex turns the page.)
Alex: Train.
Claire: Choo choo train.
Alex: Can you not say everything I say?!
Claire: Choo choo train. Choo choo train.
Alex: I know Claire, so listen to the book!
Claire: Choo choo train.
Alex: Stop!
Mommy: Claire. Stop doing that.
Claire: No.
Alex: Listen to the book!
Claire: No!
Alex: Claire's not listening to the book!
Claire: No.
Alex: Well then I'm putting it down.
Claire (upset): No! No!
Alex: Well then, listen to the book. Are you listening?
Mommy: Guys, it's time to wash hands.
Alex: I don't wanna wash hands.
Claire (running into the kitchen): Uh wash hands!
Alex (upset): I wanna go on that stool!
(Alex throws the book aside and runs into the kitchen.)

(Mommy explains that the "popular" step stool has been stashed away because Alex and Claire always fight over it.)
Alex (whining): We never whine!


(dinner)

Claire (excited): New plates! New plates! New plates, Alex!

Mommy: And new bowls too.
Claire: New bowls! New bowls!
Alex (jumping up and down): Yayyyy! New bowls!!

Claire: I like ketchup! You like ketchup?
Daddy: I like ketchup. Do you like ketchup?
Claire: Yeah, I like ketchup.
Daddy: Alex, do you like ketchup?
Alex: Yeah. Ketchup is my favorite thing to eat.

Alex: I have something stuck in my teeth.
Mommy: Well, we’ll get it all out when we’re done.
Alex: Well, I want dental floss.

Alex: I like french fries.
Alex (talking to his french fry): Hi, french fry. Are you talking to me?
(Alex laughs.)

(The dinner game is to name words starting with specific letters. Alex decides to start with “A”.)
Daddy: A is for… acrobat.
Alex: No. That’s not a word. A for… ax.
Daddy: What is an ax?
Alex: Ax is kind of like a hammer.
(Daddy nods.)
Alex: It looks like a hammer.

Alex: Let’s do E. Eggplant.

Daddy: Ed.
Alex: That’s not a word, Daddy!
Daddy: Oh.
Alex: Egg!

Claire (eating french fries with ketchup): Yummy! Yummy more, more, more, more, more, more.

Claire (reaching toward the ketchup bottle): Uh touch it. Uh touch it.
(Mommy moves the ketchup bottle closer to Claire.)
Claire (turning the bottle slightly): No this way!
Mommy: Okay, Mr. Monk.
Claire (smiling): Don’t say Mr. Monk. Don’t say Mr. Monk.

But ants are more tiny than spiders.

(Daddy sighs.)
Claire: Why you say “nnn”?

(Daddy points to Peppermint Patty.)
Daddy: Claire, do you know who this is?
(Claire stares blankly.)
Alex (to Claire): It starts with P.

Claire: The leaves are gone.
Alex: Yeah.
Claire: Yeah, they fell down. The wind blew all them down on the grass.


(Daddy comes home from work.)
Alex (running to Daddy): Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!
(Daddy picks up Alex and gives him a big squeeze.)
Alex: Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! I missed you, Daddy!
Daddy: I missed you too!
Alex: I had fun with Nana.
Daddy: You did? Good!
Claire: I like Nana!

(Alex is playing at the toy kitchen.)
Alex: Who wants apple pie?
Claire and Mommy: Me!

(Alex walks around wearing Mommy's shoes.)
Alex: I'm a Mommy.
Alex (to Daddy): You have a boo boo, let's take you to the hospital.

Alex: Hey Claire, do you wanna help me drop this soup off, for Grandma?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: Okay.
(Alex and Claire walk down the hallway together.)
Alex: Now, which way do we hafta go: left, right, or straight?

Alex: [unintelligible] green beans. That's how you say "I like green beans" in Spanish!

(Claire asks Alex to play with her.)
Alex: But I'm not doing that, I'm gonna eat pretend food.
Daddy: And I'm gonna get you some real food in a little bit.
Alex: Yeah you are.
(Pause.)
Claire: I gonna I go to sleep by myself.

(Alex and Claire are preparing pretend dinner.)
Alex: Feast, feast! Feast, feast! Turkey Day! Thanksgiving!
Claire: Chanksgiving! Sanksgiving! Chanksgiving!

(dinner)

(Everyone is playing “the dinner game.”)

Mommy: What's something you like about Daddy?
Alex: Um… I like Daddy… to take care of me when… when I have a booboo and I'm sad!
Daddy: Aw… I like that too.
Claire: I like you get my Juju!
Daddy: Aw… thanks, Claire.

Daddy: What's something that you like about Mommy?
Claire: Um… bye-bye train.
Alex: I like about Mommy…
Daddy: What'd you say, Claire?
Claire: I like about Mommy, uh carry me.
Alex: I like about Mommy, um, to make me dinner.
Mommy: That's very sweet, guys.

Daddy: Now, what's something that you like about Claire?
Alex: I like about Claire… to help me when I crash and pre -- and to pretend, things when my stroller crashes, and Claire helps me. I like that.
Daddy: That's nice. And Claire? What do you like about Claire?
(Long pause.)
Daddy: Claire Bear? What do you like about Claire Bear?
(Long pause.)
Alex: Claire must be too tired.
Daddy (to Claire): Do you wanna say something you like about yourself?
Claire: No.
Daddy: Okay, you don't have to answer it.
Alex: Can you do one about me?
Daddy: Yeah. Just a minute.
Alex: Okay.

Daddy: Okay. What's something that you like about Alex?
Alex: Can Claire go first?
Claire: I wanna go first!
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: I wanna do about Alex, uh help me run into his stroller.
Daddy: You like for Alex to help you run into his stroller?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: That's nice.
Claire: Like him help me.
Alex (mumbling to himself): I haven't seen -- I haven’t -- Claire haven't seen me do that. I didn't do it. I didn't do it before.
Daddy: Okay Alex. What's something that you like about Alex?
Alex: Um… I like about Alex, to always be healthy.
Daddy: That's a great answer.
Claire: May I have more peaches please, Daddy?

(Alex's cup squeals when he drinks out of it.)
Claire (smiling): Why you say, "ehhh"?
Alex (being silly): Who's in our house, who did that?!
Claire (being silly): Meg!!
Alex (being silly): Meg! Stop doing that!

Daddy: We forgot Grommie.
Alex: Oh.
Daddy: Okay. What’s something you like about Grommie?
Alex: I like about Grommie -- I like to play with Grommie. And he catches the ball.
Claire: I like about Grommie, uh how, pet him.
Daddy: Aw, that's nice, guys.
Alex (to Claire): You like to play with Grommie? Grommie's a good dog to play.
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: Grommie loves playing ball.
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: Know he does, he catches it… rolls it… give it back to you… everything.
Alex: Except we don’t do it. Daddies always do it.
Claire: Yeah.

Claire: I don’t like honey mustard. I like barbecue sauce.
Alex: That says: No me gusta!

Alex (talking to no one in particular): Always David’s mom says: “No David! Be quiet!”
Alex: What’s in the big big – what’s in the bag at the store? Peanuts, yuck, yuck! I’m allergic. Some others can eat peanuts.

Alex: Um, Daddy. Spiders are very tiny.
Daddy: Yeah, they’re tiny.
Alex: But ants are more tiny than spiders.
Daddy: Yeah.


(Daddy is playing trains with Alex.)
Daddy’s train: Chhhhhh.
Alex: No, don't say chhh, cause he didn't stop.

Alex (jumping on his bed with its new Toy Story blanket): I like Toy Store!

Alex (about Woody): Where’s he going?
Daddy: I don’t know. To infinity?
Alex: Maybe he's going to a baseball game!! I llllooove baseball games!

Alex: My blanket’s lotsa comfier, Mommy!

Dog eating his bone. Dogs eat bones. No biting!

(Claire is reading a book.)
Claire (indicating her book): They on a train.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: I went on a train at the museum yesterday. Uh Mommy.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: It really fun.

(Claire reads “Teeth Are Not For Biting” to her doll.)
Claire: Dog eating his bone. Dogs eat bones. No biting!
Claire: Uh – no biting!
Claire: No biting. No biting! Boy.
Claire: No biting, Daddy.
Claire: No biting!
Claire: "No biting," said boy.
Claire: Get a hug.
(After a brief interruption, Claire returns to her book.)
Claire: When no biting! Said, uh, on a gate.
Claire: No biting! No biting, no biting! I get a hug.
Claire: No biting! A bird! Look Daddy, a bird, right there!
Daddy (from the breakfast table): Yeah.
Alex (from the breakfast table): Show me! Show me! Show me!
Claire: No biting.
Alex: I wanna see!
Claire: Okay.
Claire: It’s right… here.
Alex: There?
Alex: I can’t see when you move.
Alex: I’ll have to look at it after I’m done.
Claire (reading again): Wuh no biting, no biting!
Claire: Smile!
(Claire grins.)
Claire: The end.

(Claire reads a Thomas book.)
Claire: Thomas book. Thomas on a train.
Alex: Thomas is the train. Thomas doesn’t ride the train, silly!
Claire: People ride trains.
Claire: I like trains.
Alex: I like trains, too!
Claire: Yeah.
(After a brief interruption, Claire continues.)
Claire: When I was on a train with Thomas.
Claire: Uh train is Thomas.
Alex: The train was broken, Claire.
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: So, that’s part of the words, so say it.
Claire: “The train is broken,” said Thomas.
Claire: Uh train is broken!
Claire: Uh go fix him.
Claire: When I go fix Thomas? Aday. [Today.]
Claire: Him – he – him really long.
Alex: Yep, because he has lots of coaches.
Claire: When him got really long.
Claire: A cow right there!
Claire: When a cow right there. A cow was gone.
Claire: Thomas was sad.
Claire: Thomas was sad aday.
Claire: When Thomas was happy aday! Dat was Topham Hatt right there. The End.


(Claire comes home from school.)
Claire: I ate my sandwich, Daddy.
Daddy: You ate your sandwich?
Claire: Yeah. There was no food in it.
Daddy: There was no food in it?
Claire: Yeah.
(According to the school menu, Claire ate a dinner roll at lunch.)


(Claire gets her baby stroller.)
Claire (to Daddy): Can you go with me to… a cupcake store?

(Claire and Daddy go to the cupcake store, aka the laundry room.)
Claire: Uh go to another cupcake store.


Alex (to Claire, trying to affect a deep voice): Ho ho ho. I’m Grandpa. You be Grandma?
Claire (trying to affect a deep voice): I’m not Grandma.
Alex: You be Grandma, okay?
Claire: No.
Alex: Let’s eat our dinner.
Claire: No!

(Alex learned about baby teeth at school.)
Alex (to Daddy): I don’t want my teeth to fall out.

(Daddy is clarifying some things about the Tooth Fairy.)
Daddy: You put your tooth under the pillow, and then the Tooth Fairy comes and gives you a present.
Alex (sounding concerned): And then I still have my pillow?
Daddy: Yeah, you still have your pillow. The Tooth Fairy doesn’t take your pillow.

Alex: Pretend – pretend fairies take pillows?
Daddy: No, nobody takes pillows.


Alex: I like building with blocks.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: It’s my favorite thing to do.


(Alex retrieves some blocks that rolled behind the sofa.)
Alex: Now they’re all hairy. They’re all dirty, and they’re all hairy. It’s dirty back there.


(Grommie licks Claire.)
Claire: Him love me.


Alex: You need to shave, Daddy! To get the sprinkles off. They’re prickly.


Claire: Can you play with us, Daddy? Can you play with me?


Alex: Did you open these, Claire? Did you open these?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: You’re not apposed to open these, they get all messed up.
Claire: Okay.
Claire: I won’t open it again.

(After pretending to talk on the phone, Alex runs into the train room.)
Alex (alarmed): I told Grandma! That the green beans were baking! And then steam came outta the oven! And there was a fire!
Daddy: Oh, okay.
Alex: And the firemen had to come!

Alex: Hey Claire? It’s almost twenty so we have to hurry up.

(Claire is trying to get Daddy to come eat the birthday dinner she made for him.)
Claire: You better eat, Daddy!

Claire: You better eat!
Daddy: Okay.
(Daddy sits at the table.)
Claire (apologetically): I ate a little bit of your water.


(bed time)

(The following remarks occurred during Daddy’s reading of The Complete Adventures of Big Dog and Little Dog.)

Claire: They takin’ a bath. They dirty.

Daddy: What do they see?
Claire: A fox!
Alex: It’s not a fox, Claire, it’s a skunk.

(Alex asks several clarifying questions about what precisely the substance is that the skunk sprays on Big Dog and Little Dog.)

Daddy: They are very dirty.
Claire: Her dirty too.

Daddy: Uh-oh. Big Dog is in big trouble. Little Dog is in big trouble, too.
Claire: They got a big mess. They need to clean it up!

Alex: Why do they need a new couch?

Daddy: Now Little Dog has a sweater. And Big Dog has a sweater.
Alex: Yay!


(The following new additions appeared unexpectedly in the middle of Alex’s bedtime “words”.)
Alex: …And play coffee… and play X-ray… and play ball…

(Alex’s words also included the following, which were introduced to the litany about a week or two earlier.)
Alex: … And play A, and play Z, and play W, and play X.

Chug chug! Chug chug, choo choo!

(Claire is pushing trains across the floor.)
Claire: I’m going to this station!
Claire: Chug chug! Chug chug, choo choo!
Claire: Clicky clack! Clicky clack!
Claire: Clicky-a-clack! Clicky-a-clack!


(Alex is eating chocolate-covered pretzels.)
Daddy: Is your pretzels yummy?
Alex: It sure is, but I don’t like the inside.

Why is it very dark out? On this day?

(Alex observes the overcrowded goldfish tank at Petsmart.)
Alex: This is a lotta fish. It's like circle time.

Alex: Why is it very dark out? On this day?

That was hard work, wasn't it, Mommy?

(Mommy finishes vacuuming.)
Alex: That was hard work, wasn't it, Mommy?

Mommy: What did you guys do?
Claire: We got new books, at the library!
Mommy: You got new books?
Claire: We go on the playground, too!

Mommy: What story did you hear?
Claire: Um, the owl.
Mommy: The animals?
(Claire nods.)
Alex: About the owls, and the bats.


Daddy (singing): Football, football, football!
Alex: That's the whole song, it must be from a commercial.


(Claire sees a monkey in a book.)
Claire: Monkeys climb up trees.

I'm Mommy.

Claire: I want Home Juju, you put 'Chool Juju away.

(Claire has a play book.)
Claire: It really fun.

Claire: Can you open it for me, Daddy?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: It too hard. I can't open it uh me.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: I'm not big for it.

(Claire takes off her favorite socks: one has stripes, the other has polka dots.)
Claire: I like these socks.

Claire: Bye-bye stripes. Bye-bye polka dots. They going away.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: I putting my shoes away.


Alex: May I eat a healthy dinner so I can be healthy?
Mommy: You wanna be healthy?
Alex: Yeah.
Mommy: We're gonna have fish sticks and carrots.
Alex: Yeah, those make me healthy.


(Alex and Claire walk around with blankets over their heads.)
Alex: I'm a bear.
Claire: I'm Mommy.


(dinner)

Alex: A dog and a cat is my favorite animals. I mean a dog and a duck.

(Claire has something stuck in her teeth.)
Claire: With dental floss. We'll get it out with dental floss.

Give me a big squeeze.

(Mommy brings Alex and Claire home from school.)
Daddy: Hi Claire Bear!
Claire: I ate my sandwich.
Daddy: You ate your sandwich?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Oh good!
Daddy: Can I give you a hug?
Claire: Yeah.
(Daddy gives Claire a hug.)
Claire: Give me a big squeeze.
Daddy: Okay.
(Daddy gives Claire a big squeeze.)
Claire: Do it again, a big big big one!
(Daddy gives Claire another big squeeze.)


(Alex is having a lollipop while Claire still naps.)
Alex: Daddy, when Claire wakes up, can you open her a lollipop?
Daddy: Yes. I will.
Mommy: You lookin’ out for your sister?
Alex: Mm-hm.


Claire: I love taking pictures.
Daddy: You love taking pictures?
Claire: Yeah, I was crying.
Daddy: You were crying?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: Why?
Claire: I was crying (mumble) pictures.


(Alex and Claire are shouting out the side window. There’s nobody out there.)
Alex: Hi!
Claire: Hi!
Alex: Hi!
Claire: Hi!
Alex: Hi!
Claire: Hi!
Alex: Hi!
Claire: Hi!
Alex: It's not going outside. Why is it not going outside?
Daddy: What's not going outside?
Alex: My voice.
Daddy: It's going outside.
Alex: Oh.

By the signs of the 'Nited States.

Claire: May you help me get down please, Daddy?

Claire: I move this chair. It really in the way.


Alex (to Claire): You don't wanna go to school, Claire?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: You want to play with your cow?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: But we have to, we learn lotsa new things there.
(Pause.)
Alex: And it makes you smart!


(snack time)

Alex: Is it my birthday today?
Mommy: Nn-nn.
Alex: Why?
Mommy: Remember your birthday is after Thanksgiving.
Alex: Oh.

Daddy: How do you know Mommy's a girl?
Alex: By the signs of the 'Nited States.

Mommy: By the signs of the United States?
Alex: Yeah.
Mommy: What does that mean?
Alex: Jet planes.

Daddy: Alex, is Daddy a boy or a girl?
Alex: Girl.
Daddy: How can you tell I'm a girl?
Alex: Boy.
Daddy: How can you tell I'm a boy?
Alex: Jet planes.

(Claire and Mommy are playing "BJ!" on the sofa.)
Alex (to Daddy): Can you get me down? So I can play the game with Mommy and Claire?
Claire (to Mommy): I don't want Alex to play.


(dinner)

Alex (referring to his beef Stroganoff): I don’t like this.
Daddy: Did you taste it?
(Alex touches it.)
Alex: I touched it and then saw I didn't like it.

Mommy: May I have your pasta, Alex?
Alex: Uh, no, I -- I wanna put it in the sink after dinner.


(Alex, Claire, Daddy, and Grandma are getting ready to go for a walk.)
Alex: Let's go for a walk with Daddy!
Claire: Let's go for a walk with Daddy!
Daddy: Let's go for a walk with Daddy!

Alex: Not too long and get lost!
Grandma: I don't wanna get lost.
Alex: Daddy does that when he walks.

Claire (pointing at a Halloween decoration): That the moon!

Claire: A cat on that moon! That orange moon!

Claire: Bye bye cat! Bye bye cat!

(Claire sees a car of the same model and color as Mommy’s.)
Claire: That like Mommy’s car. That someone else's car.

Daddy: I like going for walks.
Claire: Yeah I like going for walks too!


(Claire and Alex play at the picnic tables under the trees. There is a big picnic table and a little picnic table.)
Claire: C’mon, you are big! You can sit on this big one!
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: I little, I sit on this one.

Claire: We’re over here, Alex! Whoa!
Alex: What are you doing?
Claire: I just sitting. I'm tired.

Alex (touching a leaf on a tree trunk): Will this make you itch?

Alex: Can we get a rocket ship and fly up to the moon?

I have a nose. Right beside my mouth.

(Daddy wakes up Claire.)
Claire: Mommy, I play – Daddy, I playing cars.
Daddy: You’re playing cars?
Claire: Yeah. Dey in timeout. Dey was pushing.

Claire: Dere a monkey on my PJ shirt. I like my PJ shirt.

(Daddy opens Claire’s diaper to change it.)
Claire: Dat big poop!

(Daddy is changing Claire’s diaper.)
Claire: You can’t eat poop.

(After Claire’s diaper has been changed.)
Claire (to Daddy): You need wash your hands, dey have poop on dem.

Claire: Dat my shirt. I pick out it.

Claire: Put those up uh I don’t trip on them.
Daddy (rolling up Claire’s pant cuffs): There you go.
Claire: Thank you.


Claire: I choked yesterday. I choked yesterday.
Alex: What did you choke on?
Claire: I choked on a grape yesterday.
(Alex says something inaudible in response.)
Claire: I choked on a grape at dinner.
(Alex says something silly in response.)
Claire: When I eat it, when I eat it, and I choked on it.
Alex: And then it fell out.
Claire: Yeah, it fell out.
Alex: It got stuck in your throat?
Claire: Yeah, it was in my tummy.
Alex: Did it hurt?
Claire: No.
Alex: Did it hurt when it was in your throat?
Claire: No, it (mumble) was in my tummy, it was in my mouth, and, I choked on it, the grape!
Alex: And it popped out!
Claire: Yeah. I choked on it, I choke on a grape, I choke yesterday, I choke yesterday, I choked on it, at dinner.


(Daddy makes Juju talk to Claire.)
Claire: Her talk with her mouth.
Daddy: She doesn’t have a mouth.
Claire: Juju doesn’t have a mouth. Mallory doesn’t have mouth either.
Daddy: No.
Claire: Mallory have a nose.
Daddy: Yeah, she has a nose.
Claire: I have a nose too.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: I have a nose. Right beside my mouth.

Claire: And I have teeth. Teethies.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: And I have eyes.


(Claire plays with Matchbox cars.)
Claire: I’m pretending to be Alex, and drop him off. I’m pretending to be Alex, with my cars.
Daddy: Oh!

Claire: This is Alex. The green car is Alex. The black car is Claire. And the green car is Alex.
Daddy: Oh, okay.
Claire: Let’s go.


(After nap, Claire runs into Alex’s room.)
Claire: What is you doing?
Alex: I’m reading this book.
Claire: Oh.


Daddy: Claire, how many chuckles are in a chucklehead?
Claire: I don’t know.
Alex: Two!
Claire: Two.

Daddy (to Claire): How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
Claire: I don’t know.

Daddy: Alex, what’s the biggest number you know?
Alex: Sandal.
Daddy: Sandal?
Alex: No. Uh, sanzo.
Daddy: What?
Alex: Sanzo.
Daddy: That’s not a number.
Alex: Uhhhh… two? Is that a number?
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Is it big?
Daddy: It’s not very big, no.
Alex: Uhhhh… one?
Daddy: That’s a number.
Alex: Is it big?
Daddy: No, it’s not very big.
Alex: Uh, three? That’s a number.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Is it big?
Daddy: Yeah, that’s pretty big.
Alex: A thousand. That’s big.

Here you go, Alex, a baby. A baby feel you better.

(Alex hurts himself. Claire hands him a baby.)
Claire: Here you go, Alex, a baby. A baby feel you better.

(Alex is reading a book to Claire.)
Alex: Oh, you wanna see the phone number?
Alex: 9, 1 1 1.
Alex: Oh, there’s not a fire. Oh there is a fire!
Alex: Well, soon, I’ll go away.


(Daddy is reading a Clifford book to Alex and Claire. Claire interrupts.)
Claire: We go ride the train! It gonna be really fun!


(Daddy helps Claire put on her socks and shoes. Claire helps put on the socks.)
Claire: I did my socks, Mommy! I did my socks!
Mommy: Good job.
Claire: I’m really, really, big. Do my socks.


Mommy: When are you gonna stop growing?
(Pause.)
Alex: I don’t know. When I’m a daddy I’m gonna stop growing.


Claire (to Alex): Say ah-cuse me. You burped.
Alex: Excuse me. I had gas.


(Alex is playing with his balloon.)
Mommy: Don’t pop it, Buddy.
Alex: Don’t pop it, Buddy.
Claire: Don’t pop it, Buddy.
Claire: Don’t pop it – don’t pop it – pop it, Buddy!
Mommy: Alex, I don’t think you should play with it. Play with yours.
Alex: Okay. Don’t pop it, Buddy!
Claire: Don’t pop it, Buddy!


Alex: Woody, do you wanna go to cowboy camp?

Daddy: Woody, do you wanna go to cowboy camp?
Alex: I like saying “cowboy camp”. Cowboy camp!


(dinner)

Alex: Beans?! Why do I have beans?
Mommy: Because you do.
Alex: But I don’t like beans.
Mommy: Well you don’t have to eat them. You can just look at them.
Alex (sounding skeptical): Okay.

Claire: Get your spoon. Not your hand. Your spoon.
Alex: I want it. I wanted to touch it, and see how it is.

Alex: The only thing I don’t like in our dinner, is the beans.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: But I like the rice, the broccoli, and the fish. And the peaches.

(Daddy takes a bite of his dinner.)
Claire: It have tomatoes. It have fuh-matoes in it.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Yeah. And no carrots.
Alex: It’s a very healthy dinner.

Claire (sounding incredulous): We have chicken fries?!
Mommy: We don’t have chicken fries.

Claire: I like broccoli. I like broccoli. I like broccoli, Mommy.
Mommy: Me too.


(Alex sees a picture on Claire’s wall, with the letter G beside a picture of a giraffe.)
Alex: Guh. Giraffe. Guh. Giraffe.
Alex (confused): G doesn’t start with “giraffe”.

(Daddy puts Alex to bed. Alex says his words, and then Daddy starts to leave.)
Alex: Daddy, can I tell you something?
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: Tomorrow there’s gonna be other ones. There’s gonna be play X, play – play W, and… play Z.
Daddy: Okay.

Why he say “double oop”?

Alex: That’s too loud. It’ll wake up Claire, and Mommy. I don’t want to wake up my mommy and my sister.

Alex (to Claire): I was playing trains downstairs with my daddy.


Claire (watching Leapfrog on TV): Why he say “double oop”?


Claire (carrying her baby doll and a bib over to the toy kitchen): We’ll have snack. We’ll have snack. Baby’s hungry.


Claire: I can't take my baby to the playground. Her get mulch on her.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Playgrounds have mulch.
Daddy: Right.
Claire: Her have to stay in the car.
Daddy: Right.


(before dinner)
Claire: Double oops! Double oops!

(during dinner)
Claire: Double oops!

(Alex is waving at the TV.)
Daddy: What are you doing?
Alex: I’m waving at the man.

(Later, Alex and Claire are both waving at the TV. Alex suddenly stops and freezes.)
Alex: I ran outta waving.

Claire (smiling): Wakey wakey double oops!
Claire (smiling): Wakey wakey double oops!

I no go to school. I no go to school. I’m sick. I can’t go to school.

Alex’s dinosaur (to Alex’s other dinosaur): Hi Farmer Pickle. Can you put the hay away?
(Alex laughs.)
Claire: You put the hay away? Pickle. Get uh – get uh – get uh the hay away?
(Claire laughs.)

Claire: I no go to school. I no go to school. I’m sick. I can’t go to school.


(Because Claire is sick, she stays home from school, and Daddy works from home.)

Claire: I’m making you some food. To eat in my chair.
Daddy: Good.
Claire: You like milk?
Daddy: Yeah, I like milk.
Claire: Okay.
Claire: And cupcakes?
Daddy: Yeah, I like cupcakes.
Claire: It have chocolate.

Claire: I’m making dinner!
Daddy: Oh good!
Claire: I’m making cupcakes and dinner and ‘mato.

Claire (bringing a cupcake to Daddy): This have chocolate.
Daddy: Oh, thank you!
Claire: You’re welcome.

(A car honks in the distance.)
Claire: I hear a car! I hear a car, Daddy!
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: It say: “urp!”
(Claire laughs.)

Claire: I gonna go to my grocery stores. Bye-bye, Daddy.
Daddy: You’re gonna go to the grocery store?
Claire: Yeah. I gonna go to two grocery stores.

Claire: I be right back, with my – with me, bring, this, can. I be right back!

Claire: I be right back! Eat your food, Daddy.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: I be right back!

Claire: I’m home!
Daddy: You’re home!
Claire: I got more food. For you to eat. They lollipop, for microwave.
Claire: This have lot – lotta food, in it! Let’s make it.


(Mommy and Daddy get Alex up from nap.)
Alex: I don’t feel good.
(After further questioning, Alex elaborates by pointing in his mouth.)
Alex: Something’s happening in there.
(Further diagnostic questioning includes, but is not limited to, the following.)
Daddy: Does it itch?
Alex: No, it doesn’t itch.
Daddy: Does it hurt?
Alex: No.
Daddy: Does it feel funny?
Alex: It feels funny.
(Pause.)
Daddy: Is it way in the back of your mouth [Daddy points back in his own mouth] or up here [Daddy points to the front of his mouth] on your lips?
(Alex thinks for a moment.)
Alex: The back. Yucky water’s comin’ up.

Mommy: Did you eat lunch today?
Alex: Ummm…
Alex: Yeah. Just not the lettuce.
Daddy: You didn’t eat the lettuce?
Alex: I don’t like lettuce. It’s hard to chew up for me. It’s hard to chew up.


(Claire reads “Teeth Are Not For Biting” to herself.)
Claire: No biting.
Claire: No biting.
Claire: No biting your finger!
Claire: Get a hug. (Mumble.) Get a hug.
Claire: Don’t fight. Don’t bite.
Claire: Say cheese! Cheese!

Grown-ups don’t have friends.

(After school, Claire and Daddy walk to Daddy’s car.)
Claire (pointing at a minivan): That like Mommy car.
Daddy: Yeah… it’s big.
Claire (pointing at a sedan): That like Daddy car.
Claire (pointing at another sedan): That not Daddy car.
Claire (arriving at Daddy’s car): That Daddy car, Daddy!

Daddy: Does Claire have friends?
Claire: Yeah.
Daddy: Does Alex have friends?
Claire: No – yeah.
Daddy: Does Daddy have friends?
Claire: No.
Daddy: Does Mommy have friends?
Claire: No.
Daddy: Grown-ups don’t have friends?
Claire: No. Grown-ups don’t have friends.

(The monitor shows Claire in her bed. Alex shakes the monitor.)
Alex: I’m shakin’ the monitor so Claire can shake.

Alex (to Grandma): Do you wanna play dragons?


Claire (excitedly): I’m getting a flu shot, Daddy!

Mommy: Are you gonna take Juju?
Claire: No. Her not get flu shot.

(Daddy is drinking coffee.)
Claire: When me be big, when me drink coffee!
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: When me be a daddy!
Daddy: Yeah! Or a mommy!

(Claire is doing a jigsaw puzzle by herself.)

Claire: I doing this part! Look! I doing it!
Daddy: Oh look, you’re doing it! Great!
Claire: Yeah! I doing pieces!

Claire: Come with me, Daddy.
Daddy: What?
Claire: You come with me, and help me. Come.
Daddy: Okay.


(dinner)

Claire (to Daddy, re Sloppy Joes): You bite it. You bite it like – like this, with teeth.

Mommy: What’d you guys do at school today?
Alex: I did, duck, duck, duck, goose!
Mommy: You did? Fun!
Claire: I did circle time.
Mommy: You did circle time?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: He did – he – the goose had to run away from… from the chaser who’s chase, the ducker had to run… so he could catch the duck! I mean the goose!

Alex (out of the blue): What would happen if he would, if a jellyfish would sting you?
Mommy: Um, it would hurt a little bit.
Alex: And he would chase you?
Mommy: No, they don’t chase.
Alex: If a big wave comes and he goes back in the wave, does he sting you still?
Mommy: Um, if he stings you and you keep touching him or bothering him, yeah he’ll sting you again.

Claire (to her baby): I go under the table with you.
Claire (to her baby, singsong): It be really fun!
Claire (to her baby): There a monster un, in that chair.

(Alex is playing with Claire now too.)
Claire: That my favorite baby.
Alex: Me too.
Claire: Yeah.

When the moon hits your head like a big pizza pie, moray…

(Alex and Claire are each in their own bed, but shouting to each other.)

Alex: Claire! Quiet time! You bet!
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: Claire! Quiet time! You bet!
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: Do it to me! Do it to me, Claire!

Alex: Are you being silly?
(Claire mumbles.)

Alex: I’m gonna come in your room!
Claire: Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.

Alex: Read me a story, Claire! Read me a story, Claire!

Alex: Claire, is it time to wake up?



Claire: I have a pink shirt with a flower on it. I like my flower.

Alex: The microwave is going fast.
Alex: The microwave is going fast.
Alex: The microwave is going fast.

(Alex is “biting” people with a monster made of two potholders.)
Claire: I do it to you, Mommy!
Claire (to Alex): Can I have my turn?


Claire: Mommy, I want uh sit in chair. I want a chair, and read.


(Alex looks at his dinner.)
Alex: Grapes, pasta, carrots, water!


Claire: I have my soft bunny.

Claire: I have Abby! And… my – my – my soft blanket… and I have…
Alex: Wait for me to talk!
Claire: No I’m talking.
Alex: No I’m talking.
Claire: No I’m talking.
Alex: No I’m talking.
Claire: No I’m talking.
Alex: No I’m talking.
Claire: No I’m talking.
Alex: No I’m talking.
Claire: No I’m talking.
Alex: No I’m talking.
Claire: No I’m talking!
Alex: No I’m talking!
Alex (to Daddy): May I talk first?
Claire: No I’m talking!
Alex (to Daddy): May I talk first?
Daddy (to Alex): What did you say?
Alex: May I talk first?
Daddy: Yes. We’ll take turns.
Claire: No I wanna talk too!! No I wanna talk too!! No I wanna talk too!!
(Alex says what he wanted to say, but it’s inaudible under all of Claire’s screaming.)
Claire: I wanna talk too!! I wanna talk too, Daddy!
Daddy: All right, what do you want to talk about, Claire?
Claire (suddenly perfectly calm): I like my books.

(Alex, Claire, Mommy, and Daddy make grumpy faces.)
Alex: Grumpy old troll!
(Alex laughs.)
Claire: Can’t go under my bridge!
(Claire laughs.)

(Alex, Claire, Mommy, and Daddy talk about new things they did or learned today.)
Claire: I did my toys.
Alex: I learned something new at school. I learned about owls yesterday. And I usually learn about bats, but um, yesterday I learned about owls, and that’s a new thing I did!
Daddy: Neat!

Daddy: Claire, if you could have dinner with any three fictional characters, who would they be?
(Claire makes her grape fly through the air and crash onto her cup, with sound effects.)
Claire: Waaaahhh… bop.
Daddy: You don’t wanna answer that question? That’s okay.
Alex: You can ask me.
Daddy: Alex, if you could have dinner with any three fictional characters, who would they be?
Alex: They would be Grandma, Grandpa, and… Tyrone!

(Claire is shouting/singing about her family members, ending with…)
Claire: …And Gromit.
Alex: And Gromit. Some people call him Gromit, but we call him Grommie.
Claire: Grommie.
Alex: Sometimes I like to call him Gromit.
Claire (shouting/singing): Whoa, I love Gromit, and Mommy, and Daddy, and Alex, and Claire, and Mommy, and Gromit!

(Claire holds a grape stem across the back of her wrist.)
Claire: I have a watch.
Daddy: What do you have, Claire?
Claire: I have a watch. I pretending to be a watch.

Claire (being silly): I don’t like grapes.
Alex (being silly): I don’t like grapes.
Alex (fake crying): Ehhh-hehhh-hehhh.
Claire (fake crying): Ehhh-hehhh-hehhh.
Alex: I like grapes.
Claire: I like grapes.

Alex: Hey Daddy, may I sing you a song?
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: Okay.
Alex: What – what is that song? The one you haven’t singed?
Daddy: The one I haven’t sing? Which one is that?
Alex: Um… Moray.
Daddy: Oh, okay. You can sing that one.

(Daddy reminds Alex how it goes, and then Alex takes a turn.)
Alex: When the moon hits your head like a big pizza pie, moray…

Claire (pushing her stroller): We’re going to a party house!

Alex: Can you grab stars?
Daddy: What? Can you grab stars?
Alex: Can you grab a star?
Daddy: No.
Alex: Why?
Daddy: Because they’re too far away.
Alex: But – why are they too far away?
Daddy: Because they are.
Alex: They’re not too far away. I didn’t know they’re too far away.
Daddy: Yeah.

Alex: Hey Daddy?
Daddy: Yes Alex.
Alex: Can you be nice to me um – um before I go to sleep, because I’m – I’m very tired.
Daddy: Okay.

Alex (talking to himself): First you take the Z, then you add the Ass. Now you’ve got Zap.
Alex: That’s not a word!

Alex: Claire, it’s your pick tomorrow. Do you want to pick words or letters?
Claire: We’re not at breakfast.
Alex: We’re gonna do that at breakfast. And which one do you want?
Claire: Um.. Letters.
Alex: I thought you’d pick words.
Claire: ‘Kay I can pick words.
Alex: Okay you can pick letters.
Claire: Pick words, uh, letters!
Alex: Okay, words.


(getting ready for bed)

(Claire is lying down, waiting for Mommy to change her diaper.)
Claire (to Mommy): Come on over here!

(Daddy is reading the Backyardigans story “Pirate Treasure”.)
Alex: One day can we go to a pirate island?
Daddy: You want to go to a pirate island?
Alex: Yeah, with lots of soft, soft sand. And a jungle.

(Claire is giving out kisses before bed.)
Alex: No sloppy kiss today, okay Claire?

Claire (counting smiley faces, in a funny voice): Fourteen… eighteen… eleven… twelve… fourteen… eighteen… eleven… twelve!

(Daddy tucks Alex into bed.)
Daddy (to Alex): I love you very, very, very much.
Alex: Even when I’m sad and I get a timeout?

That's not a real thing, what you said.

(Daddy and Claire wake up Alex.)
Claire (to Alex): Get out uh your bed, it's seven. It's time to wake up. Get up.

Claire: I uh show mommy my purple shirt.

Claire: Alex is sad.


(Alex is watching Leapfrog, as it runs through the seasons rapid-fire.)
Alex: It's raining. It's not raining. Now it's snowing.

(Claire is saying “no” to everything.)
Daddy: I know, you say no to everything.
Claire: I don't wanna say no. I don't wanna say no to everything.


(Daddy and Alex come downstairs after playing with Duplos.)
Alex: Mommy! We built a house, and a forest! And there were two bears, and one nice bear, and Daddy made a giant monster!
Mommy: Aw, did you have fun playing with Daddy?
Alex: Yeah. It was quiet time, for us! It was special Daddy and Alex time!


Daddy: What comes after twenty? Twenty-one!

Alex: Twenty-one… twenty-nine, twenty!
Mommy: Thirty!
Alex: Thirty!
Alex: I can count in Spanish too! Uno… doce!


Mommy: Is it hard being three? How is it being three?
Alex: It has its ups and downs.


(snack/dinner/feast)

(Alex requests jellybeans.)
Alex: And yummy beans. Color beans.

Alex: After feast, can we build a obstacle course up in the playroom? Do you wanna help me?
Mommy: Yeah, okay.
Alex: Yippee!!

Alex: It's hard to get up the yogrit.
Mommy: Do you need help?
Alex: Yes.
Daddy: Do you want to consume the yogrit?
(Alex laughs.)
Alex: That's a pretend thing.
Daddy: Oh.
Alex: That's not a real thing, what you said.

(Mommy tells Alex he can pick two friends to attend his birthday party. Alex chooses Callum and Neer.)
Alex: Can Claire pick one?
Daddy: One what?
Alex: One of her friends?
Claire: I pick Campbell and Ashleigh.

Daddy: Alex, if you could vote for anyone in the world, who would you vote for?
Alex: Pablo!
Daddy: Good! Claire, if you could vote for anyone in the world, who would you vote for?
(Claire eats her chip and stares at Daddy.)
Alex: Campbell?
(Claire eats her chip and stares at Daddy.)
Alex: Or Ashley? Campbell or Ashley?
(Claire eats her chip and stares at Daddy.)

(Daddy talks about jellybeans.)
Daddy: They come in all different colors, like maroon, and aqua… teal… and mauve… what other colors?
Alex: Those are not colors.

Daddy: Jellybeans come in lavender… periwinkle...
Alex: Those are not words.

Alex: There's toko, poko, stoker, pokos, and doks.
Daddy: Are those colors?
Alex: Yeah.

Alex: I want some more. I want some more beans.
Claire: May I have some more beans please, Daddy?
Daddy: Oh Claire, that's so nice of you to ask that way.
Alex: May I have some more beans please?

Alex: And after grapes, can feast be over? 'Cause I want to build my obstacle course with Mommy.

Alex: There was an old lady who swallowed a rooster. I don't know why she swallowed a rooster, perhaps she'll… dooster.
(Pause.)
Alex: There was an old lady who swallowed a napkin, she wasn't a bapkin, who swallowed that napkin…
(Pause.)
Alex: There was an old lady who swallowed a cup! I don't know why she swallowed a cup, perhaps she'll bup.
(Pause.)
Alex: There was an old lady who swallowed a -- a cat! I don't know why she swallowed that cat, perhaps she'll back.
(Pause.)
Alex: There was an old lady who swallowed… a car! I don't know why she swallowed that car, because, perhaps she'll hang on the bar.
(Pause.)
Alex: She whistled all the things outta her mouth. Happy fall!

Daddy (to Alex): You gotta work on saying your pleases and thank yous, okay?
Alex: Okay. “Pleases and thank yous.”

(Claire has the "runny nose" monkey cup.)
Claire: Him have a runny nose.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Look, Alex, runny nose.
Alex: Yeah.
Claire: I got him, runny nose.


(Dinner. Daddy is watching election results on TV and Alex and Claire are fascinated by the cool 3-D graphics popping up around the reporter.)
Alex (to Claire): Look. That thing went up!
Claire: Yeah. It gonna go down.
(It goes down.)
Alex: It went down!
Claire: Yeah. Uh do that again.


(after dinner)

Claire: Mommy, I take off my shirt!
Mommy: You took off your shirt?
Claire: Yeah, it wet.

(Alex sees a political commercial on TV.)
Alex: That's United States mekercial -- and it talks about the 'Nited States.
Daddy: That's right!
Alex: That's 'Nited States.
Daddy: That's right!

(Election coverage continues.)
Alex: Oh, the 'Nited States! He's talking about the 'Nited States, Daddy!
Daddy: Yeah!
Mommy: Good job, buddy!

Dat my new book. From the night witch.

Claire (referring to her new Dora book): Dat big book.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Dat my new book. From the night witch.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: It has lotta stories in it.

I wanna do Halloween.

Alex: Hey, Claire. After dinner we’re going trick-or-treating.

Claire: We’re going trick-or-treating after dinner.
Alex: Yeah. It’s a long time to wait, Claire.


(Claire and Alex are playing with the Calico Critters house.)

Claire: Let me get in!
Alex: Who’s at the door?
Claire: Me! I’m Daddy! Daddy’s home! Let me get in.
(Alex opens the door for Claire.)
Claire: Thank you.
Claire: I go to work!

Claire: There’s no place to park!

Claire: Oh bye-bye! Bye-bye, we’re going to work! It’s work time!

Alex: That’s a bowny, that’s not work.

Alex: Uh-oh. A fire. The beds are floating away! They’re not gonna have any beds, oh no!


Alex (putting on his pants): I'm needing some help.

Claire: I wanna do Halloween.

(Alex and Claire shout from the front window at some boys playing in the street.)
Alex: Happy Halloween!
Claire: Happy Halloween!
Alex: They don't hear us.
Claire: We’ll have to say it louder.
Alex: Happy Halloween!
Claire: Happy Halloween!
Daddy: Happy Halloween!
Alex:They still don't hear us.

Claire: They're still not hearing us. They're still not hearing us.

Alex: Happy Halloween!
Alex: Boy!
Boy: Happy Halloween!
Alex: He heard me!

Claire: Happy Halloween!
Boy: Happy Halloween!

Alex: He's nice.
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: He really is nice.

Boy: Happy Halloween!
Daddy (to Alex and Claire): He just said it to you.
Alex: Happy Halloween to you!
Claire: Happy Halloween to you!


(Dana and Camden come over, in costume, to go trick-or-treating.)
Alex (to Camden): I’m Buzz Lightyear!
Camden (to Alex): And I’m a pirate!


Claire (looking at a trick-or-treater): That scary.


(After very briefly trick-or-treating, Claire sits with Daddy on the front stoop and hands out candy to the trick-or-treaters.)

Trick-or-Treater: Happy Halloween.
(Claire gives candy.)
Trick-or-Treater: Thank you.
Claire: You’re welcome.
(The trick-or-treater leaves.)
Claire (to Daddy): He go back to him house.

Claire: Another one come. Uh another one come.

Claire: Uh give this uh next one.

Claire: Her go back to her house.

Claire: Where Mommy?

Claire: Where Grommie?
Daddy: He’s inside.
Claire: What he doing?
Daddy: He’s resting.
Claire: On his pillow?
Daddy: In his crate.
Claire: Oh.


(Trick-or-treating is over.)

Claire (eating chocolate-covered pretzels): Mmm. Nyum Nyum.

Alex: Now comes Thanksgiving!

Alex (singing): I’m a cowboy with a lollipop

Alex: After bed is it Thanksgiving?


(Alex is crying because he fell off the couch and hurt his hand. Daddy is comforting him.)
Claire: I wanna give him a kiss and a hug. Feel him better.

Mm. Need salt.

(Claire and Alex are having pretend dinner, and pretending to play the dinner game.)

Alex: What is your favorite costume?
Claire: Abby.
Claire: What is your favorite costume?
Alex: Buzz Lightyear.

Claire: What is your favorite costume, Grommie? Your favorite costume is…
(Pause.)
Alex: Dog!
Claire: Dog.


(Alex and Claire are playing with the Calico Critters house.)
Alex: Let’s say the things the mommy says, okay?


(Daddy, Alex, and Claire are talking a walk in the neighborhood.)

(Alex and Claire have their hoods up.)
Claire: Our head is funny!

Alex: I -- my muscles are very hard to get up!
Daddy: Oh.
Alex: And they're hard to get up here. I don't like it!
Daddy: Okay.

Alex: Only a fire truck can do that.
Daddy: That’s right.
Alex: Like only Santa can go down the chimney.
Daddy: Right.

Claire: A big truck with milk in there.


(Claire takes a break from playing trains in order to take off her shoes.)
Claire (taking off her shoes): I go faster. Hurry hurry! I go back to my train!


(Alex is playing with letters.)
Mommy: Alex. Can you spell “cat”?
(Alex sounds it out, and spells “CAT” correctly!)

(Alex spells a few more words for Mommy, with a little help here and there.)

Alex: Can we do it again?
Mommy: Yeah.
Alex: I want one with a G in it.
Mommy: Um, how ‘bout… gum.
Alex: Gum, yucky!

Mommy: Can you spell “fun”?
Alex: F.
(Alex gets the F.)
Mommy: And then “uh”.
(Alex gets the U.)
Mommy: Good job!
Alex: M. M, M. M, where are you?
(Alex gets the M.)
Mommy: Good job, buddy! You spelled lots of words!

(After playing letters, Alex runs around the house, singing.)
Alex (singing): A B C D E F G, H I J K L M N O P, Q R S, T U V, W X, Y and Z, so now I know my ABCs, next time won’t you sing with me!


(Alex sits down for lunch.)
Alex: Chicken nuggets! If I turn into a chicken nugget, I won’t be able to eat chicken nuggets, you will put me in your mouth! I don’t want to be a chicken nugget, why did you give me chicken nuggets again?


(snack)

Alex (to Daddy): Watch this.
(Alex takes a bite of his cheese and looks thoughtful.)
Alex: I need salt.
(Alex laughs.)
(Daddy laughs.)
Alex (to Claire): Watch this.
(Alex takes a bite of his cheese and looks thoughtful.)
Alex: I need salt.
(Alex laughs.)

(Mommy is wiping down the cabinets while the kids eat snack. Claire wipes up the graham cracker crumbs on her tray.)
Claire: I get it all clean.
Alex: Claire clean up like you, Mommy.


(dinner)

(Alex has being doing his “needs salt” joke with Claire and Mommy.)
Alex: This time everybody watch.
(Alex slowly looks around to make sure everyone is watching.)
Alex: Watch me.
(Alex takes a bite.)
Alex: Mm. Need salt.