Slumber party

Jeff and I had a sleep over with Maddie and Sam last Thursday night. Emily and Ben needed a night away and to actually get some sleep so we trekked over to their place to hang out with the kids.
We didn't really feel like cooking. At all. So, we ordered pizza. (It was really really really good, by the way). Jeff sat on the couch, Maddie next to him, and Sam on his lap. He was trying to feed Sam (couldn't do it as fast as Sam wanted him to), eat his own dinner, and be BFF's with Maddie at the same time. Maddie was "frilled" (that's how she says thrilled. She can say the th sound, but just uses the f sound instead).
Maddie: "Oh, Jeff. This is a great picnic. I love this picnic, Jeff." Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. She LOVES Jeff.
After dinner, we decided to put both kids in the bath because it's SO funny to watch them play together in there. Once Sam finished grabbing himself and was finally clean, I got him out to get him lotioned, diapered, and dressed in hopes that he would stay still at least long enough for the diaper part. Jeff continued splashing and chatting with Maddie. Maddie decided she wanted Jeff all to herself without me or Sam getting in the way. Here was the conversation:
Maddie: "Close the door, Jeff."
Jeff: "Nope. I'm not closing it."
Maddie: "Close the door."
Jeff: "Maddie, I'm not closing the door."
Maddie: "You can either close the door or have my mom help you close the door."
Jeff: "Did you hear what she just said to me?!"

Ah, the power of choices for a 4-year-old. She's so good at that. She does it all the time and sometimes it catches me off guard so I give in and pick one of the choices she gives me. She's a powerful little manipulator. She has everyone wrapped around her little finger.
Anyway, later that night, I said,
"Maddie, I love you."
She said, "Well, I don't love you."
"Really? Because I really love you a lot."
"Well, I love Jeff and Sam loves you."
"Can't you love both of us?"
Her response? "I'm not gonna answer that."
Bless her little heart. We were friends again a few minutes later and she really does love me, just so we all know. Sometimes I need the validation...
Jeff took her to preschool in the morning after having breakfast with Sam. He was AWESOME with the kids and will be the cutest dad in quite a few years from now.
Seriously...between nursery and babysitting, it's a great form of birth control.