Out of the Mouths of Toddlers
The older E gets, the more interesting it is to talk to him. It’s gone from demands to short sentences to stories. Sometimes they’re true, sometimes they’re completely made up, and sometimes I’m left confused wondering.
E: Mama look at my boo boo
Me: Oh no!
E: I told it to my teachers yesterday
Me: Oh yeah? And what did they say?
E: The scooped me up and threw me in the trash!
Me: How did that make you feel?
E: I was scared.
Me: Yeah I bet.
E: And then I turned into a donut!
Me: Did you taste good?
E: I don’t know I didn’t want to be eaten!!
Me: I can see how you felt like that. What did you want to happen?
E: I wanted to dance with them, but they didn’t use their words. They just threw me in the trash.
He’s also been talking about the baby a lot lately. He even told his daycare teachers the other day, which is huge. I don’t think he shares a lot at school, he’s more an observer or participator, and rarely does he start the conversation there. He’s mostly excited, a little impatient (he wants the baby here NOW), and a little freaked out that the baby is in my belly. He understands that now, but is a little worried about crushing them in there. He also sort of understands that him and G grew in there first. The other day he was looking at my growing belly and said “There’s a baby in there. But Mama - I grew in your tummy first!” I told him, yes he did. Then he said “Where was G when I was growing in your tummy??” Mark that down as one I wasn’t prepared to answer.
As for G, his conversations are of course a bit different. I was watching a TV show recently where there was an offhand comment about how middle children don’t use contractions in conversation. I don’t think that’s true, but it did make me realize that a lot of the time G doesn’t when he talks. He’s also brutally honest (and maybe exaggerates a bit)
He got a new teacher lately, and I tried asking him a few questions about how the first day went.
Me: Did you like her?
G: No, she was not fun.
Me: What? Did you play with her?
G: No I did not.
Me: Tell me what you did today!
G: No, I cannot.
I do actually think that he has a lot of fun and loves his teachers, but he loves to tell me otherwise. He’s just got a little bit of mischief in him. The absolute most heard phrase from him is “Can my eat it?” Food, things that look like food, things that no one should ever consider eating. Always. And even if it is food, you have to be careful if there’s a wrapper. Otherwise you’ll be pulling half chewed food still in the wrapper out of his mouth. I guess I’ve been saying “No” to him a lot lately - at least when it comes to things he can or can’t eat. I mean it’s not my fault that he wants to eat cat toys, flowers, or paint. But the other day the neighbors were roasting marshmallows and handed one to him. Of course the first words were “Can my eat it?” I was so happy to tell him that YES he could eat it. His whole face lit up with a smile, followed by that look of mischief. And then he ran off with it.
He hid in their playfort and didn’t come out again for ten minutes. We all laughed at him wanting to savor it in peace, but when he did finally emerge, he’d barely eaten a bite. He kept licking it or nibbling it. Mostly he was just running around holding on to it, enjoying every second. Don’t worry, in the end he ate plenty, and he enjoyed every second. (As did E, who actually learned how to toast them himself.)
And speaking of things they both enjoy, let’s list some favorite music they’ve been listening to lately. We have music playing pretty much all weekend, and lately they both have their favorites. G has gotten so good, he can name songs within the first two beats. He’ll be across the room and announce the second “Bang Bang” comes on. His other favorites are Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” and believe it or not, Rebecca Black’s “Friday.”
E on the other hand has stuck to requesting “Pillow Talk” by Zayn or Miley Cyrus songs. He mostly wants songs you can dance to. I’m still trying to sell them both on The Backstreet Boys…