Conversations with pink doggies

You stay in your buggy! There's a busy road. It's dangerous. No you can't get out and walk. Maybe when we get to the bus, you can. You OK? Awww. I love you. It's OK. Don't cry.

I overheard this while I was loading the dishwasher and Rosemary was walking round the dining table with her pink doggie in her buggie. It's fascinating listening to these kinds of conversation, because it is, at the moment, almost entirely reflecting back what we say to her on a regular basis. Which is a reminder to us all that we need to be extra careful what we say to, but also around, young children.

I'm getting cross, mummy!

Rosemary is picking up body language as well as verbal language, apparently. The other night, I accidentally squashed her mummy (?! - some bubbles from the bath that she had put on the side of the bath, saying 'This is you, Mummy.'). She looked at me, pouted, then put her hands on her hips and said 'I'm getting cross, Mummy!'

Goodness me!

When Rosemary needs her nappy changed or is going to the loo, one of her cuddly toys usually comes with her, too:

• R: I've got a poo.
  
• T: OK. Let's go and change your nappy, then.
• R: Hippo's got a poo, too.
  
• T: OK. Well, you'd better bring him too.
• R: Goodness me! What a big poo. Goodness me! OK, hippo. You lie down. Lie down! Now I'm wiping you. There you go, hippo!
• T: OK. Very good. Hippo's all clean. Now it's your turn. Lie on the mat, please.
  
• R: Oh no! Hippo's pooing again. I'll just have to change his nappy.

This can go on for a while, without some kind of intervention from me (sometimes bribery, sometimes distraction and sometimes getting cross).

The bit I love is the 'Gooodness me!'. It's only hearing her say it that I realise I say it a lot, especially when she has really messy nappy.

I don't know, either

Rosemary was sitting in the living room eating her breakfast the other morning and Batman (think it was Batman - could have been some other cartoon) was on the on the TV. The following impressed us:

Chris: Why does the red-headed girl call the other red-headed girl 'Red'? Why doesn't anyone call her 'Red'?
Tasha: I don't know.
Rosemary: I don't know, either.

We were impressed both that she was listening to our conversation and also with the correct use of the word 'either'. I wonder how long we will be marvelling at her linguistic development? Presumably we'll stop at some point.