Daddy, do -- do Aunt Sheridan have a back yard?

Claire: Daddy, do -- do Aunt Sheridan have a back yard?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Where is it?
Daddy: It's behind her house.
Claire: Behind her house?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Beside her house?
Daddy: No, behind her house.

Daddy, watch me! Daddy, watch me!

Claire: Daddy, you wanna watch me catch my ball?
Daddy: Yeah!
(Claire shows Daddy how she can throw her soccer ball up in the air and catch it, then they play ball for a while.)
Alex: Daddy! I'm good at running fast with my space shuttle, do you wanna see it?
Daddy: Yeah!
(Alex runs with his space shuttle.)
Daddy: Wow!
Claire: Daddy, watch me! Daddy, watch me!
(Claire falls down on the sofa.)

Claire: Watch this, Daddy.
(Claire makes her car roll across the floor.)
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: Watch this again.
(Claire does it again.)
Daddy: Neat!
Alex: Watch this, Daddy.
(Alex makes his space shuttle roll across the floor.)



(dinner)
Claire: Daddy, I'm eating my carrots, so my carrots gonna get me healthy and strong.

Oh, in this house?

(Alex wakes up early, and is trying to wake up Daddy. He traces his finger on Daddy's forehead.)
Alex: I wrote my name on your brain.



Claire: I like to pet… I like to pet, um… I like to pet stuff animals.
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: Not stuff animals. Stuff real animals.
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: I like to pet stuff real animals. Stuff real animals at the farm.
Alex: Well, stuff animals at the farm are not really stuff animals, they're real animals.
Claire: Yeah, real stuffed animals.




(The kids come home from school.)

Alex: Daddy! We went to the car wash!

Claire: Daddy, we go to the car wash!
Daddy:Yeah?
Claire: And we la -- we -- we -- we -- and it washed our car, and put soap on it, and, and, and we laughed at it!



Claire: Daddy, on Dinosaur Day? Um, on Dinosaur Day? On Dinosaur Day? Um --
Alex (teasing): On Dinosaur Day? On Dinosaur Day?
(Claire smiles.)
Mommy: Alex. That's not nice.
Alex: But Claire smiled at me.
Mommy: Okay.
Claire: On Dinosaur Day? Um, on Dinosaur Day? On Dinosaur Day, um, my friend said, "Let's watch Dinosaur Bones."
Daddy: Oh!



(Mommy is dressed up to go to a wedding.)
Claire: Why'd you get those new shoes?
Mommy: I just pulled them out of my closet, they were in my closet.
Claire: And why'd you get that new dress? Where'd that, new dress, came from?
Mommy: It was in my closet.

Claire: Where did that, where did that bracelet be?
Mommy: It was in my closet.
Claire: Where is it in your closet?
Mommy: What?
Claire: Where is it in your closet?
Mommy: It was in there, honey.
Claire: But where did it be, in your closet?
Mommy: It was in there, in my jewelry box.
Claire: Oh, where was your jewelry box?
Mommy: In my closet.
Claire: But where was your jewelry box?
Mommy: On the floor, in my closet.

(A little later.)
Claire: What did that butterfly come from?
Mommy: I had it in my bathroom.
Claire: U -- upstairs?!
Mommy: Upstairs, yeah.
Claire: Upstairs in our house?
Mommy: Yeah.
Claire: Oh, in this house?
Mommy: Yeah.
Claire: Where we are?
Mommy: What?
Claire: Where we are?
Mommy: For real!
Claire: Oh!
Claire: Where Daddy is?

(A little later, Mommy has already said goodbye to both kids, and is heading out the door.)
Claire: Where did you get that bag from?
Mommy: It was in the playroom, I got it from the playroom.
Claire: But where did it be?
Mommy: It was in the playroom.
Claire: But where did it be in it?
Mommy: What?
Claire: Where did it be in it?
Mommy: Where was it?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: It was in the dress-up clothes.
Claire: Oh.



(dinner)

Claire: Daddy?
Daddy: Yes?
Claire: How do -- how do grown-ups put their shirts on? By theirselves?

(Alex suddenly remembers that Mommy used to give Claire a bottle during songs, when Claire was "sort of a baby".)
Daddy: What made you think of that?
Alex: I just keep remembering.
Alex (smiling): I'll write it down in my brain.

Here's my plan: After the show's over, breakfast's over so we're not so late. Okay?

Claire: One day, can we have apple pie for snack?


(breakfast)

Alex: The show's over, and that means breakfast's over. Here's my plan: After the show's over, breakfast's over so we're not so late. Okay?

Daddy: Okay.

That's not nice to laugh. At people, when something's on their head that they don't want on their head.

(At Alex's request, Daddy checks the preschool calendar to see what today's activity is.)
Daddy: It's Cooking Day.
Alex: Cooking Day?
Claire: I love to cook!
Alex: I wanna see what we're gonna make, it might be something tasty!
Claire: Yeah, and yummy!



Alex: Mommy, I need some help, making a camper. I could make another camper, it could be somebody's uncle or something. Actually I need help making a car. A bathroom or something that you can push around.



Claire: Tomatoes make you healthy and strong!



Alex: That's not nice to laugh. At people, when something's on their head that they don't want on their head.



Alex (whining): It's not fair to not let people take bath the right way, 'cause then they won't get clean the right way.

Ding ding! Everybody stop what you're doing! There's some very exciting news.

Claire: Daddy, I'm gonna tell you a joke.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: Why did the doggie cross the road?
Daddy: I don't know. Why?
Claire: Because the train… um… ... because the train and the car… came… and… bumped him on the head!
(Claire and Daddy laugh.)

Alex: Why did I eat oatmeal and then the cow came to fetch the dog?
Daddy: I don't know. Why?
Alex: Because the dog wanted to get to the other slide, to get on the train!



Alex (upset with Claire): People don’t have to tell people how they feel about them. They have to be nice. We're not toys.



Claire: I like playing with Remy.

Alex (about Callum): He's my best friend.
Daddy: Yeah? Good.
Claire: And Remy's my best friend.




(Claire says she lost her band-aid at swim lessons.)
Alex: What swim lessons?
Claire: At swim lessons yesterday.
Alex: I don't think that was yesterday.
Claire: No after this day, and after that day… and after the other day, and after the other day, and after the other day, and after the other day, and after the other day, we had swim lessons.

Mommy: That's about right.




Claire: Why did the monster go on the road?
Daddy: I don't know.
Claire: Because the train and the car squished him.
Daddy: Oh!
Claire: So no people came and squished him too!
Daddy: Oh!
(Claire and Daddy laugh.)



Alex (playing trains): Ding ding! Everybody stop what you're doing! There's some very exciting news.

Monkeys don't have cell phones!

Claire (with her shirt on her head): I'm a clown!



(Alex and Claire are coloring.)
Alex: Claire, I can help you spell A!

Alex: Now go up -- now go down -- now go -- no -- go across here -- now go down. Then go down. You have to go all the way down the paper.

Claire: Oh. All the way down here?
Alex: No, all the way down here.
Claire: Oh. All the way down here?
Alex: Yeah. Make it go down, now make it go across. I don't think that's a very good A. How 'bout you do the paper like this and then you can. Go up, cross, down, and then across in the middle.

Claire: 'Kay.
Alex: You did it! You made a A!
Claire: That doesn't look like a A.



Alex: Monkeys don't have cell phones!




(Mommy lets Claire pick which parent she wants to escort her to her friend Cecilia's birthday party.)
Claire: I pick Daddy. Because I love him.



Alex (playing trains): I make up good stories, don't I, Mommy?



Claire: I like pink! Pink is my favorite color!

Love your money, you can buy things all day. There's great food, hugs, and you can play things today, today, today.

(Alex and Claire are watching Dora the Explorer.)
Alex: Swiper talks just like Map.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: They both have the same voice.

Claire: Mommy?
Mommy: Yeah?
Claire: Map is Super Map now!



Claire: Mommy? It's hard to build a rug.
Mommy: What?
Claire: Mommy, it's hard to build a rug.
Mommy: It's hard to build a rug?
Claire: Yeah. It's hard to build a floor.
Mommy: It's hard to build a floor.
Claire: It's hard to build a shirt.
Mommy: It's hard to build a shirt?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Is it hard to build a girl?
Claire (smiling): Yeah.
Claire (smiling): It's hard to build eyes.



(Alex built a "money machine" out of Legos.)
Alex (telling Mommy what it says on his money machine): "Love your money, you can buy things all day. There's great food, hugs, and you can play things today, today, today." That's what the money machine says.

Alex (to Daddy): It can give you food, and… great cards, for hugs on your birthday, and… it gives you, new toys, for you to play with. Only money to buy that. It only gives you three things to buy. And then puts some honey on it. Just like Pooh likes honey, doesn't it? He likes honey.



Claire: I was swimming on my back with nobody holding me in the water!
Daddy: Yeah? Wow!
Claire: And my teacher counted one two three four five and then she picked me up!

Claire (lying on her back on the floor, demonstrating): Daddy?
Daddy: Yes?
Claire: Watch me, I lied down on my back, and I swimmed by myself! In the water!
Daddy: Good! You're such a big girl.



Claire: One day can we ride a motorcycle?
Mommy: No.
(Mommy and Daddy explain that motorcycles are dangerous.)
Alex: Why do they build motorcycles around the world, then?




Claire (to Alex): Why do you always pick Bob?
Alex: I don't know. Because I like learning how to build things. If I don't watch it, I won't be a builder when I grow up.



Claire: Daddy, we swimmed, with our clothes on and our shoes on!
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: Yeah!
(Daddy laughs.)
(Claire does her crazy laugh.)

A chipmunk… is that a baby monkey?

Alex: Daddy? A chipmunk… is that a baby monkey?
Daddy: No, that's a --
Alex: What's a baby monkey?
Daddy: What's a baby monkey?
Alex: Yeah.
Daddy: Um…. I guess it's just a baby monkey, I don't know.
Alex: Maybe you can learn about it at work.

(Daddy is on a conference call, on speakerphone and mute.)
Claire: Who is that?
Daddy: That's one of my work friends.
Alex: That's one of his work friends, talkin' to him.

Claire: Where is your work?
Alex: I'm sorry you have to work all day so much.

Claire: Daddy, can I see your work? Can I see your work?
Daddy: Yeah!

Claire: Daddy, can we take some -- can we take some Legos to your work, and… um… toys to your work, and [mumble] toy, and… I can carry -- I can carry -- Mommy can carry the bunny to my work -- no, to your work -- and, um, Abby to your work and my girl to your work. One day.

(Daddy momentarily hangs up from his conference call, in order to dial into a different line.)
Claire: Are you gonna -- are you gonna stop that noise? On the phone?
Daddy: No.
Claire: Are they still gonna talk?
Daddy: Yeah.

Gavin: Okay. We're ready to rock and roll.
Alex: Rock and roll? That's what Benny says.

Alex: Daddy, one day at lunch, when we were eating lunch, at the red table, Ryan said that his food was going all the way down to his knees!
(Alex and Daddy laugh.)

Claire: At snack, Ashley said, "What are you doing up in there?! Nothing!
(Claire and Daddy laugh.)
Claire: Ashley said that. Then Ashley said "I'm not doing anything!"
(Claire and Daddy laugh.)
Claire: Then Ashley said "I didn't do that!"
(Claire and Daddy laugh.)

Alex: Do you know where Ashley's big sister's school is? It's in 4K.
Claire: It's um… I don't know her sister. Where's her -- her -- where's her -- where's Ashley's big sister, in?
Alex: 4K.
Claire: 4K, oh.
Alex: Daddy, I didn't see her when I was going outside. Today -- no, yesterday.




Claire: Daddy, after you put my pull-up on, I'm gonna play "run to the fan, and say 'That's cold!' and run away", okay?

Don't get close to a snake in the desert.

(Alex and Claire are wearing cowboy hats because it's going to be Cowboy Day at school today.)

Alex: Cowboy Alex can do magic tricks! Like standing on one foot for a very long time. Without holding anything.

Claire: When I get to school, and, my teachers say, "I love that hat!", then I can put it on!
Daddy: Yeah?
Claire: Yeah! At circle time!



(riding in the car to school) 

Alex: Claire, we can pretend this is our horsey. But you have to put your hat on. I will not pretend horseys if you don't put your hat on.

Alex: Claire. I need to tell you something dangerous that you shouldn't do. Don't get close to a snake in the desert. It will slither its tail behind you. And that wouldn't be good. And it might hit you. So don't -- so don't get close to a snake.

Alex: Don't get close to a snake. It will wag its tail at you.

I jumped in the pool with my clothes on!

(Claire is watching Caillou.)
Claire: Daddy, one day, when it storms and rains, can we do that?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Go in the kitchen, and get some lights and some candles?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: And get a flashlight?
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: If it storms and rains.



Claire: Daddy, can you swim in the ocean?
Daddy: Yeah.

Claire: Can you swim to the other side?
Daddy: No, you can't swim to the other side. It's too big.
Alex: It would take a whole week.
Alex: It's a long way, and there's sharks.
Claire: No, where was the sharks going in the ocean?




Alex: Daddy, I got a idea for today!
Daddy: What?
Alex: You can -- you can go to work, you can -- you can do the thing, but don't take too long, okay? You can do the rest tomorrow.



(Claire and Alex are excited about their swim practice.)

Claire: I jumped in the pool with my clothes on!

Alex: Daddy, why didn't you push me to the bottom?




(picking a TV show)
Daddy: I think it's Claire's pick.
Alex: No, it's my turn. Claire's been pickin' all day.




Claire: I want spoon yogurt, has a joke on it.



(Alex and Claire are playing with the Lego town that they made.)
Alex: This is the money shop, Mommy. They have money here.



(Alex and Claire are running around wearing cowboy hats. And nothing else.)
Alex: Yeeha!
Claire: Yeeha!

Mommy, why do grown-ups' mouths don't get dirty?

Alex: Claire said four, after two. So, there's three in the middle.



Claire: Mommy, why do grown-ups' mouths don't get dirty?
Mommy: They do, that's why we use napkins.
Claire: But why do they don't get messy?

Orange one.

Claire (eating gummi vitamins): Daddy, pink one.
Daddy: Yeah.

Claire: Pink one!
Daddy: Yeah.

Claire: Purple one. Daddy, the purple one matches to that! To your flower!
Daddy: That's right!

Claire: Orange one.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire (to Mommy): Orange one.
Mommy: Yeah.

Claire: Red one, Daddy.
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: Red one, Mommy.
Mommy: Uh-huh.

Claire: Yellow one, Daddy.
Daddy: Yeah.
Claire: Yellow one, Mommy.
Mommy: Mmm.

Claire: White one, rawr. Daddy, white one.
Daddy: Yeah.

Claire: No school, Daddy? Is there no school?
Daddy: No school.
Claire: Oh.

Claire: Daddy, after I eat my waffle and my blueberries, I'm gonna be done.
Daddy: Okay.
Claire: Daddy, I -- no after I eat all of my waffle and my blueberries and my sausage, I'm gonna be done.
Daddy: Okay.

Claire: Daddy, you look funny.



Claire: Mommy, one day can we go on a choo-choo train?

Just you and me, Daddy. It's gonna take a long time to build a sports stadium.

(Alex wakes Daddy up.)

Alex: I don't have Rollie, Lofty, and Dizzy. I only have Scoop, Muck, Harvey, and Big Truck. Maybe I'll call him… Packer.

Alex: Come on and wake up, Daddy. You'll have fun.

Alex: Just you and me, Daddy. It's gonna take a long time to build a sports stadium.



(Claire is playing with her toy binoculars.)
Claire: I saw a elephant! It's eating grass and drinking water. Come look!
(Mommy turns her head and looks.)
Mommy: Oh neat!
Claire: No, it's in the train room.

Claire: I couldn't find any animals, just a elephant.
Mommy: Oh.
Claire: I got a jaguar!
Mommy: Oh, a jaguar?
Claire: It's right there.
Mommy: Oh.



Daddy: What do we have to do to build a sports stadium?

Alex: There's a lot of digging, a lot of filling, a lot of, um, a lot of hammering, a lot of drilling, and a lot of… lifting.



Claire: Daddy, next time? You can put me back to bed and then wake me up. Again.
Daddy: Again? Oh I'd like that!



(Claire and Alex are coloring.)

Alex: That looks like a pretty picture, Claire.
Claire: Yeah I'm making it so pretty. So it's gonna be a big tall building. With lots of windows in it.

Claire: Daddy, look at mine!
Daddy: I love it, it's pretty!
Claire: It has lots of colors, it's a so big tall building, with lots of windows!

Claire (pulling out the new crayons from Nana): We got some of these other colors.
Daddy: Oh, those'll be fun!
Claire: Yeah. I colored yesterday with Mommy. On this table.
Daddy: Neat!

Alex: I made a tree, and some pretty colors, Daddy.
Daddy: Oh, look at that!
Alex: I mixed green, and pink together.
Daddy: I love it, that's so pretty.

Claire (offering Alex a crayon): Here, Alex.
Alex: No thank you.
Claire: You want this one?
Alex: No, thank you.
Claire: Okay.

Alex: I made a tornado around a tree!

Alex: I got all my pictures drewed.

(Alex shows his pictures to Mommy.)
Alex: Here's one. A tornado around a tree.
Alex: Here's another one. A silly face.
Alex: And here's the next one.
Mommy: What's that one?
Alex: Lots of pretty colors in a tree.



Alex: Daddy, we have a whole city now. You know what that means?
Daddy: What?
Alex: That we're ready for my celebration.

Claire: Alex, why are you playing Legos again?
Alex: I'm just getting everything together so Mr. Bentley can see.




(Daddy tucks Alex in bed at naptime.)
Alex (sadly): Daddy, I want my trucks to talk when I grow up.
Daddy: I know.
Alex: 'Cause Bob's trucks talk.
Daddy: I know.




(Alex and Claire are sitting at the little table, painting. The third chair is occupied by one of Claire's baby dolls.)

Alex (looking at the baby doll): She's sleepy.
Claire: Yeah. Maybe after she paints, I can put her to bed.
The baby: I want Claire to put me to bed!
Claire: Okay. I can put you to bed, baby.
(Claire takes her baby and gently puts it on the sofa.)
Claire: I put my baby to bed.




Claire: Daddy! I made dark gray!
Daddy: Oh! It's so pretty!
Alex: Daddy, did you know I made a bridge, with big, with big… with big... With a big storm cloud?
Daddy: Wow!
Alex: And big, big, big, big drops! Giant drops!




(Alex leaves a carrot, and a cup of water, in the yard for the bunny.)
Alex: And I made a scarecrow, so he can eat his dinner quick. And run away.




Alex: I'm all done with my hard work today.



Alex: Why do people pretend wear nighttime hats?
Daddy: Why do people pretend to wear nighttime hats?
Alex: No, why on shows do people wear nighttime hats?



Alex: Mommy, I wanna be a scientist and a builder and a daddy when I grow up.

Claire: Can I be a scientist and a Mommy and a builder?

Claire: After Twinkle Twinkle I'm gonna give Mommy a hug and a kiss and you can sing with me, Daddy.

Claire: Daddy, you're gonna put me to bed.
Daddy: Yeah.

Claire: Daddy, after we sleep, is it gonna be tomorrow?

Attaches. Thanks.

(Mommy, Alex, and Claire are playing with Legos.)
Alex: Hey Mommy, Claire has the hose. That detaches to the fire truck.
Mommy: Attaches.
Alex: Attaches. Thanks.



Claire: Daddy, when I went outside at school today, the slide was really hot.

Me and Uncle Ed at the Tyler Place, when we were on our sailboat, I saw a line with rings on it.

(Claire asks Alex about something he built.)
Alex: Me and Uncle Ed at the Tyler Place, when we were on our sailboat, I saw a line with rings on it. People don’t swim there. So I built one here with a rope.

I look out for my sister.

(Claire and Alex are watching Kipper.)

Claire: Daddy, can I ice skate, in the snow?
Daddy: Yes. That'll be fun.
Claire: And can you ice skate with me in the snow?
Daddy: Yes.

Claire: Daddy, I wanna get a snowflake on my tongue.

Claire: Daddy, is it gonna snow all weekend?
Claire: Daddy, does it always snow?
Alex: No it doesn't.
Claire: Daddy, does it always snow?
Daddy: No, not always.

Claire: Daddy, next time, can it snow?
Daddy: Next time?
Claire: Yeah, and can it snow with lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of snow?

Claire (proudly): Daddy, we got peaches from a store, the grocery store. Look behind you.



Alex: Hey Daddy?
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: How'd those cabinets get stuck to the wall? 'Cause they can't stay there by theirselves.



Claire: Daddy, I'm gonna run, and I know how to stop when I run. Watch.
(Claire runs three steps then stops abruptly.)
Daddy: Good!



Alex: I look out for my sister.
Daddy: Good.
Alex: And sometimes I'm mad at her but I still love her.
Daddy: Good.

Daddy, one day can I have a purple piggy bank, matches my sunglasses?

Claire: Daddy, you have a big -- you have holes in your shirt.

Alex: Daddy! I did the button all by myself!

Alex: How do I get out of this commercial?

Alex: I'm picking one of these Kipper the Dogs.
Claire: We always don't watch Kipper.

(Alex and Claire watch Kipper.)

Alex (sort of singing): Kipper the Dog! The dog with the slipper.
Claire (sort of singing): Kipper the Dog! The dog with the slipper.
(Claire laughs.)

Claire: There's his piggy bank. Daddy, can I have a piggy bank?
Daddy: Yes.
Alex: It's just a toy. It squeaks.
Claire: Daddy, one day can I have a purple piggy bank, matches my sunglasses?
Daddy: Yes.

Claire: Daddy, one day can we have that box, I love it.
Daddy: Yeah.
Alex: It's a musical box. You turn it, and turn it, and out pops a clown!
(On the show, the clown pops out. Claire laughs.)

Claire: I wanna have that box toy. Can we buy it?

Claire: Daddy can we have that clown box toy? We don't have it.
Daddy: I'll see if we can get you one, okay?
Claire: Okay.

Alex (sadly): I don't want Happy to go.
Daddy: I know, but he's a school dog.
Alex: He likes my house, not the school.

I had a stomachache one time. Why do I have to start all over again?

Claire: Small or big! That rhymes.
Alex: Opposites.
Claire: Yeah.



(Claire and Alex are being grumpy with each other.)
Alex: Now, please, be nice!
Claire: But I am being nice. No I'm not being nice.
Claire: No I'm not being nice.
Alex: Why?!
Claire: Because. I don't want you to play by yourself.
Alex: Well then you better be -- you better be mean, and you'll see what happens.
Claire: No!
Claire: I have your eyes, so. I have your head. I have your head because you're not being nice. You're not being nice. Alex, you're not being nice.

Alex: Daddy! Claire said I'm not being nice.



Alex (to Mommy, while playing Legos): Daddy said, "Whenever you have Legos… you're good at building things."



(Alex has a stomachache.)
Alex: I had a stomachache one time. Why do I have to start all over again?



(Bed time. Daddy is reading a Dora book to Claire.)
Claire: Mommy, why is the Grumpy Old Troll grumpy?

The person who made this cup is a mean person. They said "Let's put these words on the side, so you can't read them, and then you spill your coffee."

(Daddy and Alex wake up Claire.)

Claire: I didn't be hot in these PJs.

(Claire's new shorts have pockets.)
Claire: Daddy, and I have pockets! I can put my lip stuff in here, and Alex's lip stuff in here!

Claire: These are so fun!

Claire: Mommy. I didn't be hot in the big PJs.

(Claire is eating a donut.)
Claire: Daddy, how can you cut bagels?
Daddy: With a knife.
Claire: No, how can you cut -- how can -- how can you cut -- how can you cut -- how can you cut -- these?
Daddy: With a knife.
Claire: Oh.

Claire: We had these too, when it was Fathers' Day. It was in Miss Gibson and Miss Arnold's class.



Alex: Daddy, we're building little chairs!
Daddy: Yeah!
Alex: Yay. Yay. We get to build something special. Very first time.
Claire: Yay, we get to do something special!



(Daddy plays the song "Donuts, Go Nuts" on his computer.)
Alex (after hearing only the first few ukelele chords, with no lyrics): Donuts!



Alex: Guess what, Daddy? I'm takin' all my little friends outta my bed, because Happy's having a party!
Daddy: Fun!
Claire: Can I come to Alex's party?



(lunch)
Claire: Mommy?
Mommy: Yeah?
Claire: I tried to get the chicken nuggets out of my teeth, but it didn't come out, but now it's out now.
Mommy: Oh good.



Alex: It's a robin, Daddy! I know it's a robin, because it has a red tummy. I learned this at school, sometime. Or maybe I came up with it, and I learned it by myself.



(Daddy plays the song "On The Floor" on his computer.)
Alex: We listened to this.
Daddy: When?
Alex: Going to Chuck E. Cheese's.
Daddy: That's right!
Alex: On the floor?! Everything on the floor. You do everything on the floor.
Alex (singing): Let's sleep on the floor
Alex (singing): Let's eat breakfast on the floor
(Alex laughs.)

(Alex examines Daddy's coffee mug, which has a small copyright notice on it.)
Alex: The person who made this cup is a mean person. They said "Let's put these words on the side, so you can't read them, and then you spill your coffee."

(Alex laughs.)

(Alex, singing along to "Donuts, Go Nuts", makes up his own lyrics.)
Alex (singing): All your body likes donuts, you know I do
Alex (singing): Everybody likes donuts, you drop them on your shoe

Alex: I like the donuts song. Because we made up it.

(Alex sings along for the entire donuts song.)
Alex (singing): Really special for you
Alex (singing): Donuts are so yummy
Alex (singing): Alex and Daddy like Gatewoods
Alex (singing): Aw, they, get a chucklehead and put it in the donut
Alex (singing): That makes our one flay
Alex (singing): It makes our bait
Alex (singing): We like all the donuts
Alex (singing): We make them all the day
Alex (singing): All right
Alex (singing): All right
Alex (singing): We'll just make some more
Alex (singing): We take it all for the dinner, and they're still having more, chore
Alex (singing): I know that, I know that, we can get a donut
Alex (singing): We could sing it all day long, we know this donut is
Alex (singing): Yummy yummy, yummy yummy
Alex (singing): Yummy yummy, yummy yummy
Alex (singing): Yummy yummy, yummy yummy
Alex (singing): Yummy yummy, yummy yummy
(Alex pauses for the instrumental interlude.)
Alex (singing): That's what we eat donuts, they're really good for kids
Alex (singing): Except, except, some people could be allergic
Alex (singing): All people have a allergy
Alex (singing): They can't eat those donuts
Alex (singing): Just try one, just try one
Alex (singing): See if you'll like it
Alex (singing): There's so much to do to eat donuts
Alex (singing): There's something for you
Alex (singing): We can pick which one we want
Alex (singing): There's so many
Alex (singing): We make them so good
Alex (singing): Like, like like…
Alex (singing): Donuts are shaped like bagels
Alex (singing): They are a circle
Alex (singing): They go, I know, I know
Alex (singing): That we could eat one or two
Alex (singing): Go go, go go
Alex (singing): Go donuts, eat them up
Alex (singing): So that, is time, to find some donuts
Alex (singing): Again again, again again
Alex (singing): Agaaaaaain
Alex (singing): We'll find out which donuts we want
Alex (singing): All day
Alex (singing): Oh donuts, oh donuts
Alex (singing): Oh donuts, oh donuts
Alex (singing): Oh donuts, donuts
Alex (singing): Ohhhhhh, let's eat one or two
(instrumental fadeout)

Daddy: That was really good, Alex.
Alex: I make lotsa rhymes.
Daddy: You do.

(Daddy sings along to "So What".)
Daddy (singing): I like to eat some donuts, but that's a different song
Daddy (singing): I like to sing this song too, why don't you sing along
Alex: Good rhyming, Daddy!



(bed time)
Claire: After we do bed time, is it gonna be tomorrow?

Sorry, it didn't flip that way.

(snack time)

Alex (out of the blue): How could Virginia be so small that it's orange?
Daddy: Virginia's orange?
Alex: Yeah, its place is orange. All the other places have aaaaalll their colors.
Daddy: What plates?
Alex: No. All the places on the planet. We live on.
Daddy: They all have all their colors, but we just have orange?
Alex: Yeah. Except you can't see it. It's only on the globe.
Daddy: Well, on the globe, even big places look small, because our planet is so big.



Claire: Alex can you not play with my stuff, I have to go potty.



Claire (talking to herself): I look sooo pretty in my Dora shirt.



(Alex prepares to flip a coaster to see who gets to wash hands first.)
Alex: Claire picks yellow, I pick brown.
(Alex flips the coaster. It comes up brown.)
Alex: I go!
Claire (whining): I wanna go.
Alex: Sorry, it didn't flip that way.



Claire: Daddy, can I have more chicken nuggets? Mommy? No – can I have one of your donuts from in that box?


Claire (to Alex): When I’m sleeping, you open my door, and come in my room, and say –
(Claire whispers something to Alex.)
Alex: I’m sorry, Claire, I might be asleep.
Alex: And you always sleep and talk while you sleep. I don’t. I just lie there.


(Alex and Claire are fighting about something. Claire hits Alex in the head with Happy the Puppy.)
Alex (grabbing his head): Ow!!
(Mommy takes Claire to her room for a timeout.)
(Pause.)
Alex (to the puppy): Are you all right, Happy?

Alex: She ruins everything I build.

Alex: I’m tired of her.

American flag! It's time to go to sleep!

Claire (waving a little American flag): American flag! It's time to go to sleep!



(Alex comes in from the garden with a very big carrot.)
Alex: Daddy, look at this!!
Daddy: Whoa!
Alex: It's gigantic!
Daddy: It's huge!
Alex: We're gonna like this!

(Claire comes in from the garden with two carrots.)
Claire: Look, Daddy.
Daddy: Wow, look at those carrots!
Claire: This one is little and this one is big.
Daddy: Yeah, look at that!



Claire: Mommy? Is dinner ready now?

Um… Science Kid.

(Mommy, Alex, and Claire are looking at pictures of Baby Claire.)
Alex: Daddy made it for me.
Mommy: Made what?
Alex: Claire.

Claire: Look at her eyes. Her eyes are so tiny.

Alex: I liked Claire when she was a baby. I would always pat her, and I’d say “Mommy, Claire’s hungry or tired.” Right?


(dinner)

Claire: Alex, why do -- Alex?
Alex: What?
Claire: Why do you always, don’t like, meatballs?
Alex: I do. I just – I don’t eat them very often.
Claire: Why?
Alex: I don’t know. That’s just what I do.

Claire (pointing at her meatball): Daddy, this one looks like a TV.
Daddy: It looks like a TV? What show is on?
Claire: Um… Science Kid.


(Alex explains, sadly, that he wants to build a sport stadium with trucks.)

Alex: But I want trucks that could talk.

Alex: I want them to have eyes and a mouth.

This yummy cake is yummy.

Claire (to Daddy): Is that your mustache?
Daddy: Yeah, do you like it?
Claire: Yeah. It’s sparkly.
(Mommy laughs.)
Alex: It’s just actually pieces of hair, he needs to shave.


Claire: Daddy, can I help you play with your computer?


(During Claire’s birthday party, she paints a picture.)
Daddy: What are you drawing?
Claire:It’s a party. With Grandma and Grandpa and Mommy and Daddy and Claire and a big monster!


(Claire is eating her birthday cake.)
Claire: This yummy cake is yummy.

When we grow up, we'll be big and you'll be old.

Alex: I see our neighbor, Oakley's mommy!
(Pause.)
Alex: Daddy, Claire, Mommy, I see our neighbor, Oakley's mommy!
Mommy: Oh yeah? What's she doing?
Alex: Nothing, she's just outside.




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

Claire (to Daddy): Daddy, when I'm a mommy and Alex is a daddy, you'll be little.

Alex (to Daddy): No. When we grow up, we'll be big and you'll be old.

(Alex and Claire are wearing their wristwatches today.)
Alex: Daddy?
Daddy: Yes, Alex?
Alex: When we're at the bookstore, will it be a different kind of time?
Daddy: What do you mean "a different kind of time"?
Alex: On the watch!


(Claire is anticipating her after-dinner cupcake.)
Claire: That's so gonna be yummy.


(dinner time)

Alex: Get a napkin, Claire, you have jelly on your face.
Claire: I'm gonna lick it with my tongue!

Alex (singing slowly): A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I.
Alex (to Claire): You do it with me. Repeat after me.
Alex: J.
Claire: J.
Alex: K.
Claire: K.
Alex: L.
Claire: L.
Alex: M.
Claire: M.
Alex and Claire (together): N. O. P. Q. R. S.
Alex: T.
Claire: Y -- T!
Alex and Claire (together): U. V. Double. U. X. Y. And. Z.
Alex and Claire (together): Now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing with me.
Alex: See? Why don't you try singing it.
Claire (singing slowly): A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. N. O. P.
Alex: Q.
Claire: Q. R. S.
Alex: T.
Claire: T. U. V.
Alex: No -- no. Not TRS.
Claire: TRS.
Alex: No that's not right.
Claire: W. X. Y and Z.
Alex (to Daddy): She said TRS.
Daddy: No she didn't.
Claire: Next time won't you sing with me.
Claire: Was that right?
Claire: Alex, was that right?
Alex: Well, you did a little bit wrong, you said TX. That wasn't right -- I'll show you later.
Claire: Okay.

I'm gonna tell everyone I'm three!

Claire: I'm gonna tell everyone I'm three!

Claire: I'm not a baby anymore.

Claire: I wanna go downstairs and open my presents!


(Claire opens her birthday presents.)

Claire: Is there more presents?

Claire: I'm gonna play with all of my presents!

Claire: Thank you, Mommy.
Alex: It's not just Mommy! It's Daddy and Alex too.


(Claire chooses to watch Bob the Builder, because it's Alex's favorite show.)
Alex: That's so nice of you on your birthday.

Claire: Thank you, everybody.

Claire: I like my birthday.



(Claire comes home from school.)
Claire: Daddy, I'm three!



Claire: I like my birthday.



(Alex sees Daddy's old cereal bowl.)
Alex: Well, how was your breakfast today?
Daddy: It was very good, thank you!



Mommy (to Alex): Please stop whining.
Alex: Why?
Mommy: Because it's annoying.
Alex: It's not annoying to me.
Mommy: Well it is annoying to me.
Alex: It's not annoying to me.
Alex: It's not annoying to me.
Alex: It's not annoying to me.
Mommy: Okay.
Alex: Your choice. Don’t be annoying, or be annoying and I'll be annoying like you.
Alex: Your choice.
Alex: Your choice.
Alex: Your choice.


(dinner)

Claire: Birthday dinner.
(Mommy nods.)
Claire: I'm three!

Claire: Every day is my birthday.

Why do we always sleep?

(Mommy is straightening her hair.)
Claire: When I get bigger, when I be a mommy, I can straighten my hair.



Alex: What is that? Is that for Mommy's birthday?
Claire: No. She had a coupon so she got this.
Alex: Is that for your birthday?
Claire: I think it is.



Claire: Why do we always sleep?



Dora: What was your favorite part of the trip?
Claire: My favorite part of the trip was the… uh… school.
Dora: I liked that too!

Alex: I liked Number Mountain.
Claire: And I liked… um…



Claire: Mommy! Mommy! After bedtime, it's gonna be my birthday!



Alex: Mommy! I'm excited! I'm gonna open my birthday presents!

Claire: It has black, and brown, and green, and yellow, and red, and blue, and…
Alex: Pretty much all. And black.
Claire: Yeah and black. I said black.
Alex: Not purple.
Claire: No. Not green.
Alex: Not grey.
Claire: Not grey. There's grey, there's grey!
Alex: That's not grey, that's brown.

Claire: Mommy?
Mommy: Yeah.
Claire: Is that grey?
Claire: Mommy?
Alex: That's not grey.

Mommy: Yeah that might be grey.
Alex: It's brown.
Claire: No it's grey.

Claire's gonna be a dentist when she grows up, Daddy.

(Alex and Claire are playing with Play-Doh.)
Claire: Alex, do you have big fingers?
(Mommy laughs.)
Claire: Alex, do you have big fingers?
Alex: I can do it.
Claire: Alex, do you have big fingers?
Alex: No I don't. I still have little ones.
Claire: Oh.
Claire: But I tell my friend at school… I tell my friend at school I… think my brother has big fingers, I just told my friend.



Alex: Claire's gonna be a dentist when she grows up, Daddy.
Daddy: Oh.
Alex: 'Cause I feel like doing a dentist, but I don't wanna do that, I wanna be a builder, so Claire's gonna do that for me. My sister's nice.



Alex: You can be stuck on water.
Claire: Okay.
Alex: First I need to get a wipe.
(Claire runs over to the couch.)
Claire: I'm stuck on water! Help!
Alex: I'll come right away.
Claire: I'm stuck on water!
Claire: I'm stuck! I'm stuck on water! Help! Heeeeelp! Heeeelp!

(After Alex rescues her.)
Claire: Yeahhhhh! I'm off the water!

Alex: Now it's my turn.
Alex: Ah, I'm stuck on a rock!
Alex: Ah, I'm stuck on a rock!
Claire: Say "help, help".
Alex: Oh! I don't know how to swim!
Claire: Hold on! Hold on!
Alex: Ahhhhhh!
Claire: Now I have to pull you. I have to…

Claire: Hold on! I'm gonna pull you!
Alex: I'm gonna climb down. I've got to -- I better get there fast. Oh I'm on this rock. Now start pulling, please.

Claire: Now I will pull you and pull you!
Alex: Ohhhh! I'm toppling in the water! Hold on tight!
Claire: I got it. There. Now I have to pull you, pull you, pull you, pull you, pull you!
Alex: Oh! I'm stuck! I can't do it! Oh. I'm gonna slip! Wahhh! Wahhhhhh!
Claire: Oh no! (Mumble) and I have to call somebody!
(Claire runs into the dining room.)
Claire: Somebody! Come!
(Claire runs back.)

Claire: I'm ready, I'm ready! I'm ready! Alex, I'm ready!

Alex: I'm gonna slip! I'm gonna slip. Uh-oh! I can't hang on! I can't hang on!
Claire: I'm holding you.
Alex: Ahhhhhh! Oh! I'm in the deep ocean!
Alex: Oh! Oh-ohhhh! This puddle's…
Claire: Hold on! Hold on!
Alex: I can't! I can't!

Alex: I'm under the ground!
Alex: You need Scoop and Benny to save me!

But I’m putting two out, so he can pick.

Dora: Stand up! Stand up!
Alex: I can’t, I’m eating breakfast.


Claire (showing off her dress): Daddy, I have this shirt!
Daddy: Yeah, I like it!
Claire: Thank you, Daddy.


Alex: When people drop things on the ground, birds can eat it, if they’re crumbs, and, Claire, birds eat worms, and bugs, and, um… um… … what’s this next one? Birds eat bugs, worms, what else, Daddy? There were three things bird eats. … … Oh! And they eat seeds.
Claire: Yeah, they eat seeds. They do.
Alex: Uh-huh.

Claire: What does dogs eat?
Alex: Dog food.
Claire: Oh but – what does… what does… um… um…
Alex: Dogs eat, dogs eat, all the stuff in your back-a-yard.
Claire: But dogs… dogs… um dogs can’t… dogs can’t eat, um, bones.


Claire: I have pockets!
Daddy: Yeah, you have pockets!
Claire: Daddy, if I go outside, I can put my hands in my pockets!


(Claire keeps pulling out all of Grommie’s toys.)
Mommy (to Claire): Grommie doesn’t need all his bones out, sweetheart.
Claire: Why?
Mommy: He can only chew on one at a time!
Claire: But I’m putting two out, so he can pick.


Claire (running from the front window): Mommy! Grandma’s not here yet!

Can you stop talkin’ about me? I – I like to hear it, and I’m gonna go potty.

Alex: I have two big jobs today.
Daddy: Yeah?

Alex: No, I have three jobs. I need to build a good back yard to play in, I need to build a beach house, and I need to build a new house, because some people are moving.


Alex: Last night, I had a really bad cold. My nose was stuffed up, and nothing came out, except, little pieces of crusties. And it was too stuffed up to blow! Everybody has a cold, except Daddy’s cold is gone. Are you still a little sick?
Daddy: Yeah, I’m still a little sick.
Alex: I musta got part of your cold. If you’re still sick. Everybody’s sick this week. Everybody’s sick this week except Mommy.


Claire: Do you like my new Dora Band-Aid?
Claire: Alex, do you like my new Dora Band-Aid?
Alex: Yeah.
Claire: It has umbrellas on it.

Claire (now showing Daddy her Band-Aid): It has little tiny hearts. And drip-drops on them.


(Alex wants to do something fun this afternoon.)
Mommy: What do you wanna do?
Alex: I wanna go on the zip line at the, at the restaurant, at the Tyler Place. Please?


Alex (to Daddy): Can you stop talkin’ about me? I – I like to hear it, and I’m gonna go potty.


Alex: I paid twenty price for that TV, and you broke it.
Daddy: You paid twenty price?
Alex: I paid twenty prices.


Alex (talking quietly to his trucks): I’m sorry I don’t work with you guys so much. I just don’t like working. But I had fun today with you guys.

I think we need a man to do that.

(watching TV)

Alex: Spud loves cake.
Claire: Yeah. He really does.


(Claire is helping Mommy in the garden. Mommy is trying to clean out some dirt.)
Claire: I think we need a man to do that.


Alex: Daddy, we’re makin’ the best playset ever!
Daddy: Yeah? That’s awesome, that’s great!
Alex: We’re makin’ it a beanstalk, a jungle beanstalk with lots of vines and leaves!


(Alex and Claire have made a pretend boat.)
Alex: We’re in our boat, floating!



(after nap)

Alex: Claire, I can build you a farm downstairs.
(Claire is still sleepy and doesn’t respond.)
Alex: I have to build it really quick, because I need to build a beach house today.


(Mommy is reading a book.)
Claire: Mommy. Will. You. Play. Wi. Ith. Me.
Claire: Pleeeeease?
Mommy: Okay, I’ll play with you.


Claire: I found a green leaf.


(Claire and Alex are playing by themselves in the back yard. Alex runs inside.)
Alex: Daddy! Claire has a bug on her!
(Claire is standing atop the small slide, wailing.)


(Alex is trying hard to get Daddy to turn on the TV.)

Alex (to Daddy): If you do what I want, I’ll let you do what you want.
Alex: That’s my rule.

Alex: You listen to me, and I listen to you.
Daddy: Okay, I’m listening.
Alex: If you do what I want, I’ll let you do what you want. I said this, like, three times. And you didn’t listen.
Daddy: I don’t agree to your terms.
Alex: You need to work it out.
Alex: You need to work it out, Daddy.
Alex: You need to work it out.


(Claire's PJ shirt has a skirt-like ruffle on it.)
Claire: Daddy, watch me spin with these bumpy things on!
(She spins.)
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: I put my toes up, and I spin!
(She spins.)
Daddy: Yeah!
Claire: And my hair moves.

Claire (to Alex): Keep your toes up, when you spin, and you have to keep your toes up.

(The kids have just had a bath.)
Claire: Daddy, do you want to smell me?
Daddy: Yes I do.
(Daddy smells.)
Daddy: Mmmm, sweet and clean.

Claire: Daddy, can you get me a purple bag? Can Mommy get me, can Mommy get me a purple bag? A little purple bag?
Daddy: Um, we'll have to see if we can find one.
Claire: ‘Kay. I have purple glasses. So we have to see if we can get a purple bag for me. At the store.


(Alex is in bed, but he can’t sleep because his stuffy nose is bothering him a lot. Daddy talks to him about it, until Alex interrupts.)
Alex: Daddy?
Daddy: Yes, Alex?
Alex: I know you’re trying to make me feel better, just my brain is too mushy to think about lots of things.

Alex: Maybe I could make a medicine store tomorrow. I could try to build one.

Daddy: Try to get some rest.
Alex: Daddy, my nose is stuffed up: I can’t rest. And my brain is still thinking about my nose.



(Claire throws up in her bed in the middle of the night. Mommy is cleaning her up.)
Claire: Can I have chocolate cake for snack?

But – I’m – Par – King – Here!!

(The kids have a really cute conversation about Alex helping Claire, which concludes with the following.)
Alex: Big brothers do all things for their sisters.



(Alex and Claire are fighting.)
Alex: Claire, I'm trying to talk to you!
Claire: I'm trying to talk to you!



Alex's train: I'll take this one today.
Alex: And he went off to catch the cones.
Alex: While the freight train was waiting for Gordon, on the other side of the track, he called, um, Molly.
Alex's train: Hey, police car, can you go get Molly for me?
Police Car: But I don't know where she is.
Alex's train: She's at the shed. Or Gordon, please. Get --
Police Car: I can -- I can go get Gordon for you.
Alex's train: I want Molly.
Police Car: I think I can get Molly.
(The police car makes a beeline for the shed -- off track.)
Alex: No -- no, you have to take the track, take the track.
Claire: What track?
Alex: The track you're on right now, I'll show you the way. Come on.
(Claire ignores this.)
Alex: Right here. Over here.
(Claire ignores this.)
Alex: Come on, let's go through the tunnel.
Police Car (in an excited, high-pitched voice): Oh, yay, let's go through the tunnel!
(Alex's train and the police car go through the tunnel.)
Alex: So, he left his load, and they went through the tunnel. Then he saw Emily. Aah! She ran (unintelligible) a different track.

Alex: They went on, and on. Soon they saw Emily on a different track and zoomed off.
Alex: Where's car? Where's car? Emily zoomed into a siding.
Police Car: I'm going faster!
Alex: Here's the shed where she is.
Claire: No -- I wanna go!
(Claire swats at Alex's train and throws it a few feet away.)
Alex: Why'd you take that?!
(Claire mumbles something whinily.)
Alex: She took my train!
Mommy: Claire why did you -- why did you throw Alex's train over here, honey?
Claire (mumbling whinily): I don't want to hear about that.
Mommy: Well honey, I was gonna let you have quiet time today, but, if you can't play nicely we're gonna have to do nap, okay?

Claire (whining): Noo!
Mommy: Okay well, are you gonna play nicely?
Claire (whining): Yeah.
Mommy: Okay. Guys, we need to go up and do our bathroom stuff and then you can come back down, okay?
Alex: Okay.
Mommy: You have to listen to me though.
Claire: Why?



Alex (to Mommy): Nana calls me "yes, dear".
(Alex laughs.)
Mommy: Is that funny?
Alex: Yeah.
Claire: And -- Nana calls me -- "sweetie pie".
Mommy: Sweetie pie?
Claire: Yeah.


(Alex and Claire are playing trains.)

Alex: I was wondering if you can fly over.
(Pause.)
Alex: Nothing can fly us over like that though.
(Pause.)
Alex: I – I can jump high. Wheeeee!
Claire; Alex, can you help me put this bridge back together?
Alex: Sorry. I’m sorry. You can do it.
Claire: I can’t.
Alex: Why?
Claire: Because… I can do –
Alex (suddenly very upset): Please, Claire, I want to see you try! I don’t feel like – I don’t like this fixing the bridge all the time! I don’t like fixing the bridge all the time! That’s not right, Claire! That’s not right!
Claire: It is right! See?
Alex: That’s why you’re not doing it right, the bridge. It goes like this! Now you can do it.
Claire: You do it!
Alex: No I don’t want to, I don’t feel like it, it’s not – I – you need to practice this!
(After a moment, Alex goes back to playing.)
Alex: You go down, you slide down. That would be fun. “Let me see,” said Gordon.
Claire (whining): I can’t do it!
Alex: What are you doing, Claire?
Claire (whining): I can’t put the track back together.
Alex: Well, you have to put it over here, then.
Claire: I can’t.
Alex: Why?
Claire: Because I don’t know how.
Alex (upset again): You can do it, I want to see you try! I, I will not do it!
Alex: No! That’s not the way! That’s not the way, Claire! That’s not the way!
Alex: I – I’m not gonna help you, it goes like that. Now you put it toge – you– no, Claire! There, you put it together!
(Alex goes back to playing.)
Alex: (Mumble) “Then you tip over! There you go down!”
Claire: Alex, I did it!!
Alex: See, Claire? When you do something, it works just fine.
Claire: I fixed the track!!
Alex: See, Claire? I told you. I know, Claire.
(Alex goes back to playing.)
Alex: “Bye, Gordon!”
Alex: “Bye, Thomas!”
Alex: “Hey, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly! Molly!”
Alex: “Uh-oh, there’s another train behind me.”
Alex: “Uh – Emily! I gotta get Emily before she gets crashed!”
Alex: Make him go in the shed!
Alex: Uh-oh. He’s gonna go over the signal. I’m afraid for him to go over.
Alex: Whoo! He fell right off! He’s not apposed to go over the signal.
Alex: “Why?”
Alex: Because he’ll get stuck. “My whistle is too big!”
Alex: Then there was trouble. (Unintelligible)’s goin too fast, didn’t see Emily, then Molly saw him.
Alex: Uh, Claire, can I have Molly, please?
Claire: Um… okay, you can have Molly.
Alex: Then Molly stopped. Then Molly was going. Tried to mess up Thomas. She said “Thomas, stop!” “No no no! I want to see Emily. But!” You messed – Molly passed! Thomas… went on. Then he [unintelligible]. He turned a different way into the city. Then… he was going somewhere to see bus. “Hi, bus! Let’s go!” “Okay!” Thomas, was going up the bridge. But he didn’t want to go up. Bus didn’t fit through right, then Thomas has to go over.
(Alex makes driving noises.)
Alex: Then, they were goin’ somewhere, where Bus couldn’t, believe! He was coupling up a bridge (mumble). Then, he wanted to see another Thomas. There was another Thomas. Up high in the mountain. That, the other train, was out in the (mumble) night. It was nighttime over there. Thomas saw him. “That’s a different world! It’s nighttime over there. I need to go find out – he, he has his light on.” “Oh! I don’t see!”
Claire: “Oh, I have to go in my shed.”
Alex: “I’m sorry, we have jobs to do tonight. Come on.”
Claire: “Is it dark outside?”
Alex: “Yeah, but, we have jobs to do tonight. You – you go back to the shed and, rest if you’re too tired, okay?”
Claire: “I think I’m too tired.”
(The next part of Thomas’s adventure is inaudible.)

(A bit later in the story.)
Alex: “Oh! I don’t remember this coach!”
Alex: She saw… she saw, um – Molly saw Emily. Emily looked sad. I want everyone, was that, they were blocked up. Each train was blocked up because they weren’t moving. Rollie saw one bump that she shouldn’t get over. “No… no, going over bumps today.” Sir Topham Hatt. “Well,” said Rosie, “I will try it. We’re goin’ up hills.” “Hey, Rosie! You’re not apposed to go up that hill.” “I’m sorry, but this is the way.” “Oh, well – well you dropped it. See, you shou – wh -- I told you to go a different way today.”
Alex: Claire, can you get outta my way?
Claire: Okay.
Mommy: Good job guys, you are getting along so nicely.
Claire (proudly): I moved out of Alex’s way!
Mommy: Yeah, you guys are being nice to each other, that’s great.
Alex: And, a big (pack?) came by.
Claire: Alex, here!
Alex: No! Leave her on the signal, please!
Mommy: Okay, let’s be nice.
Mommy: Claire Bear! Honey. Do you remember the rule about stickers?
(Claire mumbles.)
Mommy: They’re allowed to be on your shirt, on your treasure box, or in the trash, honey. Okay?
Claire: Okay.
Mommy: Okay. You want ‘em back on your shirt?
Claire: Yeah.
Mommy: Okay.
Alex: You shouldn’t put it on any other things.
Mommy: She knows now.

Alex: “(Mumble),” said Rosie. “I can’t do it. But it’s good that, you’re here.”
Alex: “You’re really fast. I can’t catch up.” “I know.” “How ‘bout we have a nice break?”
Alex: Rosie said, “No, I – you’re too fast, I think.” “WAAAA-HAAAA.”
Alex: Emily was on her way back.
Claire: “Uh-oh! There’s a train in our way!”
Alex: “James!” Claire, I’ll move this train, so you can make him go on the side. Siding.
Alex: I don’t wanna keep fixing things! They’re always breaking.
Alex: Claire, make them go in the, um – make them go in the siding.
Claire: I can open that for you, I can open this for you.
Alex: No I wanna do it, I wanna do it.
Claire: There.
Alex: No – don’t put it down, keep it up.

Claire: Your train is in my way.
Alex: No Claire, you’re apposed to put it in the siding.
Alex: You.
Alex: Claire.
Alex: Claire’s apposed to put it in the siding.
Alex: Why aren’t you putting it in the siding?
Claire: Put what in the siding?
Alex: The train! So you can go. Your hands can do it.
Claire: No they won’t. See? They won’t.
Alex: No. Like this!
Claire: Naaaah!
Alex: No, Claire. That thing is in front. It’s not ‘posed to – put the car –
(All of a sudden Alex starts wailing.)
Alex (extremely upset): Hey, Claire!! You’re taking the train apart!! You’re taking the train apart!!
(Alex starts crying.)
Claire: No! No! No! No! No!
Mommy: Claire, don’t grab him.
Mommy: Okay, honey. Can you try to use words with her?
Alex (wailing): But, I’m telling her and she’s not listening!
(Alex sobs uncontrollably.)
Alex: Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah! Aaaaahaahaaa! Ohhhhhh! Aaaaahaaahaaa!

Mommy: Can you try talking to Claire?
Alex: I was! And she didn’t listen.
Claire: I was (mumble) put the train back together.
Mommy: Were you putting it back together, Claire Bear?
Alex (grumpily): There. Now you can go by. No! Not like that!
Mommy: She was trying, honey.
Alex (grumpily): There! Put it there. Put it there, no put trains there.
Claire: There.
Alex (grumpily): That’s why you get by.
(Mommy is trying to give Alex some medicine.)
Mommy: C’mere, buddy. Let me give you this medicine.
Alex: I don’t want medicine! I don’t want medicine!
Mommy: I don’t want it to get infected, honey. Need to put all the medicine on it, okay? That’s all I need to do.
Alex: I don’t want to! Wipe it off!
Mommy: Alex, please leave it on there so that it gets better.
Alex (grumpily): It’s not gonna –
Mommy: If you don’t let me put medicine on it, it’s not gonna get better and I’m gonna have to take you to the doctor.
Alex (grumpily): Why?
Mommy: Because it – it needs to get better.
Alex (grumpily): Well, what is – what is – what is the doctor gonna do?
Mommy: I don’t know.
Alex (whining): I want to know, so… so, um… so I won’t say it again. Please?
Mommy: You need to know what?
Alex (whining): Uh, I need to know it, so I, won’t say it again.
Mommy: I, I honestly am not sure what the doctor will do.
(Pause.)
Alex (whining): If you don’t know, it’s not fair, fair. It’s not fair!
Mommy: I’m sorry, Alex, I –
Alex (angrily): It’s really not fair! It’s really not fair.
Mommy: Buddy.
Alex: What?
Mommy: I don’t understand what’s wrong.
Alex: What?
Mommy: Alex, I don’t understand what’s wrong.
Alex (angrily): You do!
Mommy: Alex.
Alex (angrily): What? I already answered you, and now you should stop!
(Pause.)
Alex (angrily): Mommy. Why are you not talking to me?
Mommy: I’m talking to you.
Alex (angrily): Tell me the next word.
Mommy: What next word, honey?
Alex: I don’t really know!
Claire: Alex, your train is in the way! Your other train is in the way!
Alex (angrily): I know I know I know I know I know! Put him somewhere else then.
Claire: But I’m up here.
Alex: Well put him somewhere else so you can do it. Because I don’t feel like movin’ him.
(Pause.)
Alex (angrily): What do you think – what do you think you should put him? What do you think you should put him?
(Pause.)
Claire: Don’t.
Alex: But I have to put the train, somewhere – somewhere else, or, he won’t go away. It’s gonna tip him over. Now.
Alex (sounding happy again): You can’t go over the bridge, because there’s a train here.
(Pause.)
Alex (upset): No – no no no! There’s a train here, so you can’t go! You can’t go over because there’s a train here, see? You can’t – that’s – uh, Claire, you’re messing it up!
Mommy: Claire Bear, can you work with Alex? So that you’re both happy?
Alex: Please! Stop, Claire! Stop breaking my bridge! Stop breakin’ the bridge!
Alex: I don’t want you to go over.
Claire: But I’m parking here!
Alex: Claire, but, there’s a train here, you can’t go this way.
Claire: They’re parking here!
(Alex makes angry grunts. Claire repeats them.)
Alex: Why are you doing that?
Alex: Why’d you do that to me?
Alex: Why’d you do “Nngh! Nngh!”
(Claire grunts at him.)
Alex: It’s not funny, Claire. It’s not funny.
Mommy: Claire, can you please be nice?
Alex (whining): Ow! No, Claire! Don’t go over! There’s a train in the way!
Claire (adamantly): But – I’m – Par – King – Here!!
(Pause.)
Claire: Stop.
Claire: Stop.
Claire: Don’t! Keep it down.
Claire: Keep it down!
Claire: Alex, keep it dooooown!
Mommy: Alex, what’s goin’ on, honey?
Claire (sadly): Mommy, Alex is turning this. That green thing.
Claire: Stop!
(Claire starts crying.)
Mommy: Okay, listen. We’re gonna have to play apart… or you guys – Alex! Stop doing that, please!
(Alex makes his angry grunt.)
Mommy (calmly): Are you guys ready for some books? Do we need to do something different?
Alex (angrily): No I don’t want books!
Mommy (calmly): Okay, listen.
(Alex storms off to sit on the stairs.)
Mommy (calmly): All right. Do you wanna go do some quiet time in your room?
(Alex makes his angry grunt.)
Mommy: All right, tomorrow we’re gonna start doing naps again, ‘cause this isn’t working.
Alex: It is gonna work!
Mommy: What can – what can we do to make this work?
Alex: Nothing.
Mommy: Nothing?
Alex: Uh, um, tomorrow I – I don’t want to have nap tomorrow, and we’re not (mumble).
Mommy: Well, but I think we need it.
Alex: Why?
Mommy: Why? Because, you’re grouchy, right?
Claire (still playing trains): Mommy can, can you help me, um… can you help me… move Alex’s train off of the… um…
Alex (rushing back, upset): No, no, no! Don’t move my train! No, no, nooo! Me me me me me me me meeeee!
(Alex moves his train but makes sure it’s still blocking Claire’s train.)
Mommy: Alex. Please don’t block the track.
Alex (meanly): Look there’s a train down there, you might crash into it.
Mommy: Well that, that train needs to move into a siding, or keep going.
Alex: But there’s no siding, and, Flying Scotsman’s in the way, and I don’t wanta move him.
Mommy: Well, there’s so many trains on the track. Who’s, who’s the engineer in charge of all these trains? ‘Cause the engineer needs to get some trains off the track.
Alex :Why?
Mommy: Because they’re gonna run into each other and the other trains can’t go. Because some trains are just sitting there. Can we make a parking place for the trains? Can we make a station yard?
Claire: Mommy, I’m parking these trains here! On this.
Mommy: Well that’s fine as long as another train comes along. Right?
Claire: Yeah.
Alex: Well, there’s lots of work to do today, and there – these three trains can’t do it, we need more trains to do some. See?
Mommy: Okay, well if you’re gonna be down there to switch the trains when another train comes, that’s fine.

Claire (angrily): Don’t crash into my train.
Alex (upset): Hey, why are you doing that?!
Mommy: What’s wrong, Alex?
Alex (upset): Claire blocked me from going! I was tryin’ to help you go by!
(Pause.)
Alex (crying): I don’t – I don’t like this keeping – I don’t like this train to get trains back on the track! And Claire always doesn’t help me! Claire doesn’t even move trains for me! I always have to do all the trains, and Claire doesn’t help me!
Mommy: Hey Alex, then you can take some of the trains, take them off the track?
Alex: Claire, can you move your train?
Claire: Why?
Alex: Because you need to go that way, not this way. No – you need to go that way, so I can go this way.
Claire: Don’t! That’s not the way we’re apposed to go, I said! But I have to go to the shed!
Alex: Uh! You can’t!
Claire: I have to!
Alex (shouting): But I’m in the waaaaayyy!
(Pause.)
Mommy: All right. I’m gonna make a rule about how many trains we can have. Remember we used to have a rule that you can only have two trains? Do I need to make that rule again?
Alex (angrily): No.
Mommy: Then you need to figure something out, or I’m gonna make that rule.
Alex: I don’t want you to make that rule, never, never, never.
(Pause.)
Alex: Never, never, never. Never!
(Pause.)
Alex: Never!
(Pause.)
Alex: I said, never!

(The kids play quietly for a couple of minutes.)
Claire (firmly): Al… lex… you hafta… move… your other…
Alex: I know I know I know!!
(Pause.)
Alex (happily): I’m making more track.
Claire (happily): More track?! Why making a more track, and more track?!
Alex: Because I’m gonna make it go all around the house, do you wanna help me?
Claire: Uh yeah, yeah, I wanna help you.
Alex: Well Claire, we just have a couple more, uh, straight pieces. Some using the tur – the turn pieces.
Claire: Here’s some!
Alex: You need to go turn, and there.
(Claire and Alex happily build a new track together.)

Claire: Here’s some!

Claire: Here’s some!

Claire: Here’s some!

Alex: We’re gonna make all of these turn pieces!

Claire: I – I found one! I found one, I found one!

Claire: Mommy, I’m gonna put this piece in this space.


Claire (to Mommy): I’m sorry, Stephanie.
(Mommy laughs.)


(Alex and Claire are playing together.)

Alex: I’m just – I’m just a cowboy!
Alex: I wish I had a horsey!
Alex: How could I get one!

Alex: I pulled, the stool, away!
Claire: What stool?
Alex: Up here! Look, Claire. I pulled one away with my rope!

Alex: Claire, if your car falls down a cliff, I can get it, ‘cause I have my rope.

Alex: Let’s go to a horsey show, and then we can ride horseys. Because I’m a cowboy.


Claire: What do you do when a shark comes to you?
Mommy: Well, you swim calmly away from him. [Mommy explains further.]
Claire: But, well, it might bite you!
Mommy: Well usually when the shark --
Claire: Mommy, what do you do when you – when you – when, um – a dolphin comes?
Mommy: You say hi to it, cause dolphins are friendly.
Claire: What?
Mommy: You say hi to it, cause dolphins are friendly.
Claire :Oh.
(Pause.)
Alex: Mommy?
Mommy: What?
Alex: Um, some people don’t know it.
Mommy: Don’t know what?
Alex: Don’t know the – swim calmly away from the shark.
Mommy: Yeah.


(Daddy has bronchitis.)

Alex: Daddy, have some rest while we’re gone and you’ll feel better soon.


Alex: Daddy, I know you don’t have energy to play with me.


Mommy: Sweetie, we’re walking to the library.
Daddy: Oh, okay.
Alex: I’m sorry you can’t walk with us, because you’re sick. But I know you’re getting better.


(dinner)

Alex: Daddy, the crackers I ate, the Clifford cereal, it went into my bib, it turned into goo, because I had a water spill.



(Alex and Claire are playing with dinosaurs.)

Alex: No, Claire. Dinosaurs don’t say "bye-bye", they fight.

Alex: No. No. The dinosaur doesn't go bye-bye. No. In my dinosaur games, they be mean to each other in this game.

Alex's dinosaur: Well, I'll get up the zip line before you get there. I'll get there first.
Claire's dinosaur: I got there first!
Alex's dinosaur: Well. Bye bye, I'm goin' down.



Claire: Alex? Alex. I pee-peed in my underwear.
Alex: It’s okay, Claire.
Claire: I have a new pair. I just got some.



(Alex sings the following while playing trains.)
Alex (singing): Thomas and friends have so much fun
Alex (singing): They just keep going
Alex (singing): Just keep going
Alex (singing): Juuust, keeep, gooing
Alex (singing): Yeah yeah!


(Alex narrates as he plays trains.)

Alex: James called Sir Topham Hatt.
Alex: “Sir Topham Hatt! Sir Topham Hatt!”
Alex: “What is it, James?)

(The character of Sir Topham Hatt is played by Alex’s fingers.)
Claire: He's your fingers? He's not real.
Alex: I'm just pretending.



(Alex, Claire, and Mommy are taking a walk, and they get to a big hill.)

Alex: We could use a zip line to get down the hill.

Alex: Or stairs.

Alex: Or a crane.

(Alex suggests a couple more ideas, not listed here.)

Alex: Those are all my ideas.



(story time)

Claire (handing her book to Mommy): Mommy, you throw it all the way up in the sky and catch it!



Claire: Daddy, today can we give you a hug and a kiss?



(Gromit just finished licking Daddy’s leg. Alex starts to poke at the spot where Gromit licked.)
Mommy: Don't touch it.
Alex: But I'm putting his hair back up.



(While getting Alex ready for bed, Daddy starts singing Lullaby, and Alex interrupts.)
Alex: Daddy?
Daddy: Yes, Alex?
Alex: I can be any kind of character.
Daddy: Yeah?
Alex: I can be a builder, a doctor, a hospital, a dentist, or, uh, or any of the jobs. Aaaaany of the jobs in the city. I can be anyone.


Alex: Do buffaloes have mouths?