studio grow

On Saturday, Maddy and I went to Studio Grow in Berkeley.  She created art, put on a puppet show and played "restaurant."  She had fun, but she wasn't as excited about it as I thought she would be.  She even told me at one point that she didn't want to return because she liked the other art studio that we go to better.

Toward the end, Maddy directed my attention to a big wooden box with a curtain in front that she insisted was magic; she said things disappeared in there.  So, to test it out, I gave her a stuffed penguin and a wooden dowel that I said was a magic wand.  We placed the penguin inside, she waived her wand and said, "abracadabra!"  When she peeked inside, the penguin had disappeared!  Maddy's eyes were wide and her mouth was open with excitement. 

"Let's do it again!"  She placed stuffed animal after stuffed animal into the magic box until all of them disappeared.  When I told her it was time to go home, she sadly hugged her magic wand and asked if she could take it home with her. 

I told Maddy that the magic wand would be safe and when we come back, we'll look for it again.  She wanted to hide it, but reluctantly put it back with all of the other wooden dowels.  

"I want to come back here again, mommy!" she said.  

It was so great to see Maddy believe in magic.  We won't tell her that mommy was the actual magician, carefully removing the animals while she was too busy waving her magic wand and casting her spells. 

 

 

three shots and one sticker

 

Maddy had her four-year-old check-up at the doctor today.  She's four pounds heavier and four inches taller than this time last year.  She had her first eye test and she happily let the nurse take her blood pressure, weight and height.  After the doctor examined her, we headed to the dreadful "other room" where she would receive three shots.  She cried as expected, but unexpectedly, she only took one sticker instead of the three the nurse said she could have.  "No!  I only want one!" she said through tears as she chose a Hawaiian Hello Kitty sticker and walked out the door. 

happy birthday maddy!

 

This morning we sang Happy Birthday to Maddy as she woke up.  What does a four-year-old say on her birthday?  Read on. 

Maddy:  "My arms and legs growed."

Daddy:  "It's grew.  Do you mean they grew since yesterday?"

Maddy:  "No, since today." 

Maddy was drinking her morning milk from a sippy cup. 

Maddy: "Moooooommy," Maddy says in a low accusatory voice. 

Me:  "Yes, Maddy." 

Maddy:  "Why am I drinking from a bottle?  I'm four years old!" 

Apparently, it was okay to drink from a sippy cup yesterday when she was three, but now that she's four, no way.      

i scream for ice cream!

Maddy's birthday party was celebrated at Tucker's Super Creamed Ice Cream.  Family, friends and a faery made it a memorable day for Maddy.  We had pizza, make-your-own sundaes and a yummy strawberry cake.  All of this makes for a very happy four-year-old.

my sanity is in the garbage

Maddy:  "Let's play lost and found!  Hello, what did you lose today?"
Me:  "My sanity."
Maddy: "Sammy?  He's right here!"  (she gives me her colorful caterpillar named Sammy)
Me:  "No, not Sammy, I said sanity."
Maddy:  "Oh!  Well, how did you lose it?"
Me: "You took it from me. Can I have it back?"
Maddy: "No, I threw it in the garbage."

stuffed dogs

While we were waiting for daddy to finish up giving Baxter a bath, Maddy decided that the stuffed doggies needed some rearranging in their kennels.