She Has Something To Tell You

As I took my daughter into a store one day, I told her that mommy had to go upstairs and go potty first. At the next person she encountered, she proudly called out, "Upstairs, potty first!" And she told all the other people on our route.

I have to be careful what I tell her. She is now apt to share with any stranger who comes along. Today in the grocery store, she was telling everyone we were there to buy diapers (good thing I wasn't tampon shopping). And she was telling me, too, every time I grabbed another item for the cart, like eggs and milk. Yes, I know, I said we were picking up diapers. We are getting there. And no, that is not diapers, but thank you for your help. 

Of course, when we did find the diapers, she made me laugh. I turned down the isle and looked to the left and told her we were finally at the diapers. She looked to the right at a wall of large bags of dog food and exclaimed in amazement, "Oh, look, doggy diapers!"

Her discovering and learning is entertaining. I love how she is starting to recall things and talk about them. Right now she is repeatedly sharing with anyone who will listen (and understand) how she went and watched Planes (the movie) with Dad. She'll often include that it was scary. Then there is the story about how she was in a train. Or the frustration when she informs, "Buddy eat!" Her dog has lately taken a mischievous liking to her toys. As a result she is often blaming him for anything out of place. 

Other times, she rambles on and on and I only decipher the odd word in her tale. She'll tell me how things scared her and other things were fun. She'll recount her day or recall a story in a book. Sometimes she'll stop and laugh at herself before continuing her narrative. 

We enjoy relaying our day's adventures to her dad. Before we know it, her father and I will be sitting at the dinner table asking how her day went and what she learned in school.  I'm glad she's developing a desire to share. Now I have to figure out how to encourage it but also steer her away from wanting to tell everyone without shutting her down. Today she invited a stranger walking by to join her on the next "horse" as she sat on a bike rack 

I recollect being young and having adults give me the response that proclaims that's great, but why do I care? I ended up very shy. I don't know if it was in my make up or if it was a shutting down as a result of feeling ignored or unappreciated. As a mother I am very aware that my responses are taken seriously. My little girl doesn't know how many distractions or stresses I have in that moment. She just knows she has something to say and I'm right there. 

And so are many passersby. As she says hello or announces our purpose, many times I have to say, "He didn't hear you, Honey." Or, "She's busy, Sweetie."

But, many other times there are people open to hear the goings on of our day from an energetic little toddler who finds everything exciting, from our to do list to our shopping list to the list of distractions getting in our way. 

So far, she hasn't embarrassed me.