So One day about 9 years ago, When my daughter was almost 4 years old, I was in the kitchen of our old apartment cooking dinner. This kitchen was typical of most apartment kitchens - small & compact. As I was preparing dinner, my daughter Amber came in as she usually did when I'd start to cook. She was underfoot & in my way, & trying to get her to stay in one spot so I wouldn't run her over, I said to her "why don't you go over to the frige & spell your name." I always kept letter & number magnets on the appliances while my kids were young, for practice w/sounds & numbers & such.

AS she was standing at the frige, she said "Can you help me Jaime mama?" (This is the name she had givin me about a year before her father & I married). So I said "Sure, what is your name?". She answered back "Amber". I said "And what letter does Amber start with?", She said "a". I asked "And what sound does 'a' make?", she responded with "aaaaaa", in a short 'a' sound. I said "Very good. put an 'a' in the middle of the frige.". I then asked her "Ok, now what is the next letter in your name after the 'a'?". She responded with "'m'". I said "Ok, & what sound does 'm' make?" Her retort "mmmmmm". I said "Very good, now take the 'm' & put it on the frige after the 'a'." And so she did. Next I said " Now, what is the next letter in your name after the 'm'?". She replied with "'b'". I said "Great, and what sound does a 'b' make?".....her reply..."bzzzzzzzzzz!"

At that moment I relized what a little gift I had just been given, as I had just gotten a first hand inside look at the innocence of a four year old's mind. I thought it was precious! To this day it is one of my favorite memories of my daughter. I rememberer thinking that day,"Man, one day she's just going to start answering my questions litterally, & all of the magic will be gone."... "No more cute little mispronounciations, no more subsitute words like "sockies" instead of socks. Just plain old regular words in regular conversation, with regular meaning behind it. Bummer."

Now she is 12, & boy was I wrong! And now unfortunately I am like the 4 year old when we converse! I find myself asking her "What does it mean when you say 'crunchy', when I ask you how you're feeling today?". She replies first with an eyeroll , then proceeds to answer me with "Ugh, if I have to explain it to you mom, then it defeats the whole purpose of me sumerizing it with one word, doesn't it?".....KIDS!

This little story just brought to mind the time when my son Spencer was only 4 as well, & confused the word 'magenta' (the color), with the word 'vagina'...IN PUBLIC!

How SWEET! Thanks for sharing that Jaime-mama. A true treat for the day.