Quotation Mark Mondays: The last shred of parental secrecy

Lynne (to Matt): "Maybe we could take them to the K-R-A-P later?"
Mark: "What's K-R-A-P? Are you talking about the park? You just spelled it backwards. You spelled 'park' backwards."

And so the last remaining ounce of secret parental communications circled the drain

Mark of Fridays: Meeting Adam Eaton

Mark got to meet Adam Eaton, centerfielder for the Chicago White Sox, and all-around nice guy. And rather than have him sign some slick photograph, Mark drew his own picture. And Adam Eaton signed it because he is an all-around nice guy.

Quotation Mark Mondays:

(While Lynne was away.)
Mark: "Dad,  I miss Mom. I miss Mom so much that I'm in pain."
Matt: "Well, I miss her, too. But there's still an adult here. I'm here with you."
Mark: "Yeah, but you're not as good."

Mark of Fridays: Let's go fly a kite!

Quotation Mark Mondays: Rotation

"Do people who walk around the world get dizzy because they're walking in a circle?"
- Deep thoughts, from Mark

Quotation Mark Mondays: Great jokes

Matt tried to tell Mark a joke: Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine!

Mark replied, "Really? Why would seven eat nine? Did that really happen?"
This led to a lengthy discussion about the mechanics of this particular joke, which managed to take the humor out of the whole gag.

Undeterred- and, in fact, inspired - Mark decided to write his own jokes:

Q: Which kind of trees get the sickest?

A: Ash trees, because they get emerald ash borer disease.

Q: Why are there restaurants?

A: Because people need stuff to eat.

Q: What did the dog do when he saw a lion?

A: He ran away.

Quotation Mark (actually, Anne) Monday: Not daddy

Words that Anne will say with a general clarity that most people (including reasonably intelligent strangers) can understand:

Mom
Mommy
Momma
Bowl
Dip-dip (which represents ketchup)
Apple
Juice
Apple juice (natural combination of the two previous words)
Ball
No
Book
Woof woof (for dogs, obviously)
Keys
Num-num (food)
Cookie
Whee (indiscriminately applied to slides or swings)


So that's at least 16 words - including three versions of 'mother' - that Anne can say with a reasonable amount of precision. And not one of those words include Dad, Daddy, Dadda, Papa, Father, Padre, Paternal figure, etc.
Lynne says the worst one that Matt is ranked below is 'keys'. Keys are, after all, the lowest ranked of items carried in the pocket - finishing a distant third to money (good for buying things) and phone (calls/internet/Candy Crush).

But, the truth is that the worst one is clearly 'dip-dip'. First, it is ketchup. (Or, catsup, if you prefer.) And ketchup is vastly overrated. Fifth best condiment. At best.
Second, it shows that she has the ability to say the 'd' sound, but she just chooses not to. And she thinks it's hilarious.

But, secretly, we know Anne loves her Daddy. Or, as she calls him: the "no Mommy."