"Annie" infatuation

My spawn have become infatuated with "Annie." Yes, the old movie with the uproarious orphans and the hijinks of one red-headed child. I shouldn't make fun of them--my Christmas list in 1982 was comprised of not 10, but 57 "Annie"-related pieces of merchandise, which I lovingly listed in your basic third-grade manuscript, complete with the Spiegel's item number and page where Santa could find it. I had everything listed from the "Annie Wig," to the "Annie-themed, day-of-the-week panties." Out of those 57 items, Santa chose to give me the Annie locket, which I still have to this very day, and wore in the 8th grade when I played the role of "Annie" in the school musical. Seriously, I thought that my life was complete at that moment. Anyways, now my chicks are LOVING "Annie." I burned them a CD with all the songs. Last night, while the chicken was in the oven, I sat on the couch and was entertained with the girls' rendition of "It's a Hard-Knock Life." It's great, and oh-so-entertaining. We're going over to my best friend's house on Friday, and I'm going to cajole them into performing it for her. Jenna knows most of the words, and sings at the top of her lungs, acting it out all the way. Claire knows about every 5th word, and those she knows, she yells out accordingly. So, with Clairey, we get, "It's a hard-knock life!! hmmmmm hmmmmm hmmm US!! hmmmm hmmmmm KISSES!! hmmmm hhmmmmm KICKED!!" But still, just as entertaining.

It's also becoming part of their daily reportoire. Yesterday, when Jenna asked if she could have yogurt and i replied, "No, i'm making dinner," she skulked away and began piteously warbling, "The sun will come out, tomorrow..." And when I asked them to pick up their playroom so the maid doesn't kill herself trying to get in there, they broke out with "It's a hard-knock life, for us!" Oh yes, SO hard knock.