Rapunzel...again

All morning, Alice tells me a story with many, many chapters. It starts in a land of fairies that don't serve tea. They eat fairy dust and cocoa. Everything in that land is candy and chocolate. Even the ground. The ground is chocolate and there are gummy worms living under it and you have to get a big shovel and "Nnnnghuh!" get the worms out. She tells me three chapters in the time it takes to change Robert's diaper and get him dressed. She then tells me the story has six chapters altogether.

Somehow, I don't remember how, but the story morphs one detail at a time to include toys and playthings and other morning routine elements (tooth brushing, prayer, etc.) as the morning progresses. Now she's in the story, an integral character, the queen. She rocks her baby Rapunzel to sleep and I'm assigned the role of king. She dons her regal queen voice which is half-whisper, half-song and continues to tell me the story as she dances it out. Her royal queen dress also happens to be the dress she's wearing to preschool. I shuffle around getting everything gathered to go out the door (keys, wallet, Buddy, backpack, shoes on everyone) and when I start listening to her story again she's now the princess Rapunzel and I'm the queen. We go to the car and Alice proclaims that I am the good queen and Mrs. Strom (her preschool teacher) is the mean witch who will trap her forever in the tower. I buckle her into her seat. We start driving to preschool and Alice tells me I am delivering her to the witch. She whispers more of the story to herself on the short drive over.

As we pull up to the preschool, I hear Alice whisper in a harsh and gravely tone, "This is where you'll stay for-EVER!" and then she gasps a princess gasp. Then the gravely voice says it again and the princess sigh is even more distressed. I unbuckle her and she skips to the preschool door, still quietly creating dialogue in two voices. She's so enthralled with her story that she doesn't even say "hi" to Mrs. Strom. She sweeps in and glide-dances about the room exploring this tower cell that will imprison her for eternity. She's gasping and flitting around. Mrs. Strom, not the slightest bit ruffled, says, "Good morning, Alice."

"I'm not Alice."

"Ah! I see. Well, who are you?"

"I'm Duh-nay-nuh."

Mrs. Strom smiles and we share a knowing glance. Another day in the life of Alice.