Adalynn-isms at 21 months.

In Adalynn's early stages of talking (this spring?) she could not say "Banana". Granted, this is a difficult word, but she continued practicing and it still would sound like, "Nana-nana-nana" with a couple more syllables injected. Incredibly cute.

From the start we have emphasized politeness around our house. We attempt to model Please, Thank you, etc. and encourage her to use it as well. But. It is awfully hard to teach a child the correct moments to say, "Thank you" and "You're Welcome"; as when Adalynn tells you "Your Welcome" after she gives you something you feel very compelled to automatically say, "Thank you". Then think, What? How did you just mix-it-up, scratch-it, and then reverse-it? Huh?

One day, out on the deck, Travis asked her incredulously how she got a screw she was playing with. She simply answered, "I found it." That was my first indication that yes, sarcasm may be a genetic trait.

Not long after our friends from Tennessee visited. Tiffany tends to puncuate her sentences with, ", man", and for weeks after they left Adalynn just had to do the same.

Then Travis and I were talking, but in the way most parents do spelling out i-m-p-o-r-t-a-n-t words so that the beloved children do not get IT. "Hon, what do you think about a W-A-L-K?" and in the back I hear Magpie answer "Dubble-K? Yes!" And now, we can't spell walk anymore.

A couple of weeks ago, if I would ask Adalynn if she wanted something, in a slow southern drawl she'd answer, "Yaaaaeees, I DO!". Where that came from, I have no clue. But it was funny.

Adalynn and Travis were working on the basement about this same time and he started counting some objects with her. Adalynn took off, "2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10". Travis, quite startled, said "Did you hear that?!" Yes, our daughter is a counting genius. So later she counts for me, and I ask her to do it again. She says, "2, 3, 2, 3, 5!". Maaaybe not.

The addition of her sister to our family has also opened her eyes and taught her new compassionate ways. When we hear a baby crying in the store she says, "Baby crying! Baby crying! Mommy, need a paci!" And then, leaving Menards the other day Keely begins to cry in the carseat. And then she stops, I peek over, and Adalynn is plugging her. And then she tells us, "It's working!".

Travis asked her if she wanted cereal the other day for breakfast. Adalynn answered, "Raisin Bran!". Really? You know that's a cereal? Huh. And then I asked her what she wanted on her pizza. "Green one!" Allrighty then. Does this smart gene come and go?

The sprinklers around here sprinkle often, our neighbors 3 times a day after their lawn almost died from lack of water early this summer. Every time Adalynn hears them start she says, "Mommy! It's raining-an'-pouring!" Yes, dear, it's sprinkling. Along the same lines, our house just happens to be located in the flight path to the airport. And every time a plane goes by I hear, "MOMMY! LOOK! AN AIRPWANE! UP, UP IN DA SKY!". It's very exciting.

So we arrive to the present. Now, when I question "Adalynn?" in regards to where she is, what she is into, or to get her ever-wandering attention she says, "What, dear?" Good one, honey. Thanks. YOU ARE NOT THAT OLD. It just doesn't sound right coming from a 21-month-old.

And at the present she is sitting next to me talking her stuffed penguin into potty training. Which, by the way, she is growing incredibly good at herself. She is beginning to control her emotions, which is fairly scary to watch. She can go from a shrieking tantrum to a hic-hupping, "Momma?" in 2.3 seconds. Seriously? It's freaky. You're not even 2 child, Let'er Rip. I just sneezed and she told me, "Bless, you, Mom". She sounds like she's 5. Not cool. And, I think I have to wrap this up because the little cherub wants to "See a horsie" on the computer. And, of course, this tugs at my heart-strings and I must oblige.