“I was naughty last year”

I am telling you, I could not make this stuff up. This happened yesterday and I wrote it down almost as quickly as it happened so I wouldn’t forget.

So, I walked into the room where my laptop was turned off, and I spent a moment to turn it on and wait for it to completely start up. In this short time, Theodore and Jacqueline starting yelling at each other just around the corner from where I was. Before I could get around the corner, I heard them carry on as such:

Jacqueline: You’re naughty! Go to the corner!

Theodore: I’m not naughty! I’m happy! You go to the corner!

Jacqueline: I go to the corner!

Theodore: I go to the corner too! 

I came around the corner and they had moved themselves further into the kitchen, each choosing their corner to serve their self-inflicted punishment in. There they sat, each facing a corner just a door’s width apart from each other. They sat there for at least ten minutes. I watched but said nothing. After five minutes they started to loosen up a little bit and turned from their corners, without leaving them, and started to play, talk, and discuss matters. They included a nearby cardboard box that was set aside for recycling, and soon were very much reshaping the cardboard, still in their corners. I walked back into the other room for a moment, and soon the twins followed. I asked them if they had been in the corner, to which they answered yes. Then:

Me: Were you being naughty?

Jacqueline: Ummm, yes, I was naughty last year too.

Me: You were naughty last year?

Jacqueline: Actually, Tee-adore (as she pronounces his name) was naughty.

Theodore: I’m not naughty, I’m happy! Sister’s naughty.

Jacqueline: I was naughty last year. That’s not good.

Theodore: I was naughty too. I went in the corner.

Me: You were naughty, so you went to the corner?

Theodore (shyly shrugging his shoulders): I am sorry Daddy. Sorry for being naughty. I am happy now.

Me: Thank you Theodore. I am happy too.

Jacqueline (rolling her eyes like this was a very painful apology): Sorry Dad.

Me: What are you sorry for? Were you being naughty?

Jacqueline: Sorry… Sorry, for, ummm, ummm, for not listening.

Me (laughing): Okay, you are both forgiven. Thank you.

Jacqueline (mocking my laughter): Not sorry for not listening. I’m sorry for being naughty. (continued with the fake laughter)

Jacqueline: Tee-adore, you sorry too? That’s good.

Theodore: C’mon! We gotta get outta here!

Jacqueline: OK brother! Let’s go!

That was it. They were off to the next adventure. They ran around the house once, swung by, gave me kisses, and took off again. It was pretty funny. These two are priceless.