Tenacity

Madeline, Rachel Marie and my dinner conversation went something like this (Dave was MIA, on call at the hospital):

Madeline: Can I watch Veggie Tales after dinner?

Me: No, Honey.

Madeline: PEEEAAAASSS!

Rachel Marie: Ahhhhhhhhhhh… (Happy squealing.)

Me: No. What was your favorite part of the day? (Trying to distract her and provide fodder for engaging dinnertime banter.)

Madeline: Watching Veggie Tales.

Me: You didn’t watch Veggie Tales today and you’re not going to.

Madeline: The Night Before Christmas, you know that one, Mommy?

Me: It’s called The Star of Christmas.

Madeline: It’s my favorite movie.

This is news to me. Funny, she can’t even recall the correct name of her fave flick; yet, she remembers the names of every single animal figurine in her growing menagerie.

Me: My favorite part of the day was making sock puppets with you. (Again, trying the diversion technique.)

Madeline: The best part was watching Veggie Tales. (I’m obviously failing again.)

Me: You’re not going to watch Veggie Tales. Now stop talking about TV.

Rachel Marie: Arrrrrgggggg….Ahhhhhhh…. (Born an optimist, she sees humor in every situation.)

Madeline: Mommy?

Me: Yes?

Madeline: After “unch…”

Me: This is dinner.

Madeline: After dinner, can I watch Veggie Tales?

Me: N….

Madeline: Peas?