The Ride Home

It's not even a long ride, really: some 20 odd minutes unless traffic is really bad. Actual excerpts from our ride home this evening:

Justine has started singing the alphabet song in an infinite loop, punctuated by random clapping. Somewhere around round 8, Vasco decides to ask her a question.
V: "Justine, ummm, does Cinderella....?" (I'm really not sure what he asked, but it involved Cinderella and, if, I heard right, milk...)
J: "A, B, C, D.. (louder)
V: "Juuuuuuuuuustine...."
J:"E, F, G, H... (louder, more clapping)
V: "JU-STIIIIIINE!"
J:"I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P"
Me: "Justine, please repond to your brother"
J: "Q, R, S, T, U, V..." (in the most angelic and innocent voice she can muster)

I give Vasco lots of credit for not having a fit. Justine is clearly trying to set him off...
J continues with the alphabet song, and she occasionally substitutes "Happy Birthday to You" for the chorus.

V:"We're tipping over! Mommy, mommy, we're tipping over!"
I look back to see Vasco holding on to the half-open window glass, and realize that indeed the incline, to accomodate the winding nature of the road, is quite steep, and I can understand why poor Vasco thinks we are tipping over. I assure him the car will remain standing on four wheels.

"Now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing with me....." J continues with the alphabet song.

Vasco then asks for his car window to be closed. Daddy closes the window.
V: "NOW can you hear me, Justine???"
J: "No."
V:"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???" (the accompanying look of disbelief on his face is priceless)

I throw in a kids' cd and, by Vasco's request, "Mary Had a Little Lamb" entertains us for a few seconds, until Vasco tries to analyze the lyrics.
V:"Mommy, where is Mary going?"
Me: "To school, Vasco".
V:(looks at me like I'm insane), "No!"
Me: "She is, listen.." I proceed, rather awfully and off-key but with great emphasis and clear diction, to sing along, "It followed her to school one day..."
Vasco shows signs of grasping that indeed Mary and her lamb are off to school, and starts giggling. Follow-up question:
V: "Mommy, the lamb was standing in the car????" Quite logical, really, given that we drive everywhere, it must be the case that the lamb rode along...How else would it get there???

We FINALLY make it to the garage.