School picture, spring '09

My little baby is in preschool.

And to think at one time we actually worried that she'd never talk . . .

In the car one morning:

TT: Mommy, do you like bees?

Mom: Ummmm, yes, I like bees . . . Bees make honey.

TT: Well, I like ants. Ants make apples.

.

At a restaurant where I arrived later than the others, who had already finished their soup. Ting Ting watched as the waitress put a hot bowl in front of me.

TT (eyeing it slyly): Mommy, if you eat all that soup, your tummy will get bigger.

Lauren: Oh, nice.

Mom (quietly, to Lauren): Just wait for it.

TT: Mommy, I share with you, please?

.

Later, at the same restaurant, addressing the people at the booth behind her

TT: What's your name? I'm 'Ting-a-licious.'

.

Arriving at preschool one morning . . .

TT: Mommy, this isn't day care, this is Africa!

Mom: Oh? How can you tell we're in Africa?

TT: There's a lion . . . and an ephelunt . . . and some monkeys . . . and a possum!

.

Ting Ting, Dad and Lauren are goofing around, and Ting Ting is arguing to make her point. Dad holds up his hand, palm facing her.

Dad: Ting Ting, talk to the hand.

TT (holding up her hand the same way, then bending the fingers into her palm like a mouth): Hello, hand! How are you today?

.

Ting Ting is playing with a magic wand. She spies a second one and hands it to Mom.

TT: Mommy, now we BOTH have magic wands! Let's go find Daddy and make all of his wishes come true!

Something tells me we've already done that, kiddo.