Beatrice's language has become quite complex, her sense of humor is great, and her vocabulary makes me shake my head. I guess the thousands of books we've read are paying off! I don't want to forget some of these quotes or this phase, so for documentation sake:
"It would be great:" She uses this to begin or end a request, as in "It would be great if we could have dessert after dinner tonight" or "If I could watch a little TV after piano practice, that would be great."
"Must:" This is a favorite word of emphasis lately, used either in a bossy or hopeful "You must (do)...." or "I must go feed Sula. Uh-oh, I forgot....woops! I must remember next time!" or in an Ed Grimley (Martin Short's famous SNL character) way "I must say, these clothespins are very tricky!"
"Alright" except her "l" is developing so it's more like "Oh-right:" I cannot describe in writing the sweetness of this word, other than that she does it with such emotion. She does it to express trust in my decision, even though she may be disappointed or apprehensive, or really drags it out to express curiosity, like "Okay, I"m starting to understand what you're talking about." So many people have remarked about her adorable use of this word.
"That will work:" this one is just a mimic of my "that works!" meaning "that's okay with me." I will say "Daddy will pick you up from school today" and she replies "I think that will work."
"It's a plan/Is that a plan?:" Yup, this one's right out of my mouth too!
"I'm going to think about you:" This is a substitute I suggested for "I'm going to miss you" since Beatrice still sometimes gets upset at dropoff at school. I told her I can say "I'm going to think about you today" with a smile on my face, whereas "I'm going to miss you" sounds so sad. She even added "I'm going to think about you at snacktime" or lunchtime and "if you think about me too we can have a pretend playdate!" (If she only knew how often I think about (and miss) her during the day!)
"Sorry:" Beatrice uses this when appropriate, but also lately when she just doesn't want to do something, as in "Beatrice, would you please feed Sula?" Her response might be "Sorry, I just can't. I'm really busy right now." And "sorry" is said so sadly and genuinely that sometimes she almost tricks me into letting her off the hook!
"I know that/Do you know that?:" The first is used when slightly annoyed, like when I ask her to do something or I talk to her for something that someone else has already talked to her about. The second is said when she's really excited about something or asking it like "can you believe it???" I heard her use it with a group of girls while playing after dance class last week, and I think the quote was something like "You can have this dog and I'll use these two dogs, that way they can be together. Do you know that????"
Minute-talk and Time talk: "How many minutes until we (insert activity)? Is it 3 or is it 6?" Or I'll say "B, you can play in the tub for about 5 more minutes until it's time to get out" and she'll reply "Or 4 or 7? How about 4 Mama? If I could have 4 or 6 minutes, that would be great!" She also announces times of things in her pretend play and it's never a time that really exists. Some of her favorites are "8-o'40 and 13-o'7."
Rhyming: She has become a fabulous rhymer over the summer and loves to play the "3 rhyme game" where we have to take turns coming up with 3 rhymes each. Anthony almost drove off the road this summer when she enunciated three "_uck" rhymes perfectly, starting with "F," "S,", and "D." I was so proud! (of her articulation of course, and the fact that she had no idea what she was saying.)
and some moments that have made me smile widely this week:
(upon leaving the house)
B: Mama, do you want to waste electricity or do you not want to waste electricity?
Me: I do not
B: Alright. I will go shut off the fan in the TV room, and you do this one (pointing to kitchen ceiling fan) and the fan in the piano room, okay Mama? That way, we will not waste electricity, right?
(after sitting on the "throne" and passing some "air" and after I asked "What was that????")
"Sorry. Some people are having a party in my bum and one of them has a cold and burped, that's what that was....."
(in the car)
Me: Beatrice, would you please hand me the bag on the seat?
B: Sorry, I can't. I'm working on bar graphs.
Me: Bar graphs? Let me see!
(she holds up her notepad and I see rectangles)
How did you learn about bar graphs?
B: Mama, I learn a LOT from TV!
(in the car a few days later)
B: How many minutes until we get to the library?
Me: about 5
B: I think it will be 4, or maybe 3
Me: Do you know how many seconds there are in a minute? 60! Shall we count how long it takes to get there? (I've never done this, but feel kind of guilty because I know lots of kids her age who can count past 20 very well, and she still messes up on the teens, so I thought this would be a good opportunity. So I start counting, and she amazes me with how many numbers she can "fill in." Finally I get to 39 and she says
B: 40!
(I am amazed!)
Me: Wow, terrific! Do you know what's next?
B: 41!
Me: Holy smokes! I didn't know you knew those high numbers!
B: Mama, I TOLD YOU that I learn a lot from TV!!!!!!
(she didn't get any right beyond that, except she did come up with "100" after I said "99." I guess I need to double my monthly contribution to PBS.
(while doing "pretend homework")
B: How do you spell chocolate?
Me: c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e, it's a long word
B: NO! I mean "chocolate" like in South Dakota!
Me: South Dakota? They spell "chocolate" the same way.
B: NO!
Me: Well you tell me then how they spell "chocolate" in South Dakota
B: M-E-Q-R! (duh!)
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