From Mom: Today was another happy day in the land of Princess Madeline. We started off the day with a walk in picturesque downtown Ann Arbor to enjoy 25-cent milkshakes at the 75th Anniversary Party at the Washtenaw Dairy (complete with classic cars and announcers from the local golden oldies radio station). We played at the park on the hill next door until it started to rain. Then we sought shelter the bookstore where Madeline sat quietly (!) eating a snack while I read two chapters (!) of my book. After our morning adventures we headed home home for a nap. I can't be certain but I think Madeline played by herself for an hour in her room after she woke up. (I can't be certain because I fell asleep reading on the couch during naptime.) Then it was over to the swimming pool for much jumping and squealing. After that, dinner and then our neighbor came up for a glass of wine. By the time we were done visiting (and playing with the dollhouse) it was time for bed ... and a quick video chat on the computer with Daddy, of course.

New developments? Well, in addition to an ever-expanding vocabulary and budding attention span, I think Maddie's got herself an imaginary friend. Her name is "Elizabeth" and Madeline's been talking about her for a couple for a couple of weeks now. Adam and I noticed it before he left. Her teachers tell us that there is no Elizabeth at school or in any of the songs or books they read. We can't account for it anywhere at home either. Madeline tells me about how Elizabeth goes swimming too and jumps of the buildings. When I ask, what I've learned so far is that Elizabeth is a "little girl," is very "happy," likes to "swim," and "jumps off buildings ... kaboom." Oh, and when asked, Maddie says that Elizabeth is "mean" (though I'm almost 100% sure that Maddie doesn't know what "mean" is). When I was little I had an imaginary friend name "Reesa" but only for a little while. Like mother, like daughter?