It Just Doesn't Stop

More Ella Grace:

The other day my mom tells Ella that she's sending her a dress. The next day we stop by the mailbox and lo and behold there is a package. Ella asks if it's her dress from Grandmama and I say no, that the package isn't big enough to be a dress. I suppose she didn't hear me and thought she should put it some terms that we would understand a bit better. Like 'Did MEGAN'S MOM send me a dress?!' Heaven. Help. Me.

This evening Ella says that she would be 'shocked and amazed' if something or another happened. That's all her daddy, right there, shocked and amazed.

E.G. and I went to a local track this afternoon where I jogged and she rode her bike. The plan was to pop into the grocery store afterwards for a few necessities, a plan that wasn't thought out all that well. I tell Ella that I sure do need a tan and when I go into the store in my shorts it's going to be scary. She promptly comes home and tells David 'Mama was scary in the grocery store!'

Also tonight, after Ella had been in her room taking forever to get her pajamas on, I call down the hall and ask what she's doing. To which she replies "I'm just taking care of a few things."

Once the 'few things' have been taken care of (which involved putting on lots of play jewelry) David begins asking her to put away some of her toys.

David: Well, number one, you need to put away your Lincoln Logs.

Ella begins putting away Lincoln Logs.

Ella: No number two, I don't want a number two...

(I hide my face and start to laugh, sneaking a look at David who didn't quite understand what she meant)

David: You don't want what?

Ella: A number two; something else to put away.

(me still hiding and laughing, David catches me and tries to hide his laugh too)

David: Sorry, sweetie, you need to put your bike away.

Ella puts her bike away.

David: And your ball, please put that away too.

Ella, laughing: I said no two and you were planning on it [all along]!

David, laughing: Also! Put your ball away, also!

You know, when other parents told us that our kids would mimic us and say what we say, I never thought that it would apply to everyday phrases and admonitions. I pretty much assumed that meant cussing. Cuss around your kids and you will hear it back. But oh no, no! And the thing is, it's not like I'm saying stuff to Ella that is bad, it's just when she says it back to me then I'm affronted by it. Like after I bump my elbow on something, her telling me 'that's why you should watch where you're going!' or getting shushed if I make a loud noise while Ashley's sleeping. It's all things that I have said to her, but when bounced back at me seen so wrong!

The kicker in all of this is that everyone tells me that this is my child saying all this! Mine all mine. I'm sort of proud in a narcissistic way but then come to the reality that holy shit this is how smart my mouth is! There is a future for Ella Grace at Smartini yet! Oh, and by the way, I bet that Ashley Kate won't be any better, having two smarty pants to learn from!