What's cool is not that Ana's starting to understand rules...

[conuly]

It's that she's applying them to other people.

So if she hears somebody yelling, she'll say "OH! That's not very nice! They shouldn't be yelling."

Or, if we're passing by some graffiti, as we did yesterday...

Ana: YOOK! See the yett... OH NO! Somebody shouldn't wite on da wall!

*sees more graffiti*

OH NO! Dey should wite on paper! Ana draw on paper, and Mommy, and Daddy, and Connie, and Eva!

I don't draw on wall!


She knows how she should act, and expects others to behave accordingly.

(scene - walking to the playground)
Me: Ana, do you see that tree? It's covered with lots of pretty pink flowers!
Ana: Yeah! They fixed it already!
Me: wha????
Ana: Now they don't drop it anymore! (she means the flowers, I'm sure)
Me: *frantically stifling giggles* That's... that's right, sweetie! I'll tell the tree to be careful!
Ana: Oh, wait. TREE! You be careful!
Me: *starting to giggle*
Ana: Tree says okay.

At this point, I couldn't keep the giggles in any longer.

(move forward to today)

Me: Hey, there's that tree again. Do you like the flowers on it?
Ana: Uh-huh. And tree can't drop anymore flowers. They stay on tree.
Me: Yeah... it doesn't work that way....

Comments

[chem-nerd.livejournal.com]

You officially have the cutest niecelings on the planet.

[conuly]

But of course!

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, all those conversations are adorable. That must be one of the greatest things about kids--their minds aren't all filled up with rules yet and they say such cute, funny, and amazing things.

[madamjolie.livejournal.com]

I suppose explaining the value of street art to a toddler would be an exercise in futility, huh?

[conuly]

This isn't street-art graffiti, it's just writing-on-the-wall graffiti. No creativity.

[gingembre.livejournal.com]

Well, one doesn't want to have an Olivia-moment (in the book, Olivia tries to duplicate a modern art painting...on the wall at home. Time out! :-)

[chem-nerd.livejournal.com]

You officially have the cutest niecelings on the planet.

[conuly]

But of course!

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, all those conversations are adorable. That must be one of the greatest things about kids--their minds aren't all filled up with rules yet and they say such cute, funny, and amazing things.

[madamjolie.livejournal.com]

I suppose explaining the value of street art to a toddler would be an exercise in futility, huh?

[conuly]

This isn't street-art graffiti, it's just writing-on-the-wall graffiti. No creativity.

[gingembre.livejournal.com]

Well, one doesn't want to have an Olivia-moment (in the book, Olivia tries to duplicate a modern art painting...on the wall at home. Time out! :-)