ma petite taskmaitresse

I was standing by the dining table browsing through my new craft book the other evening when I felt a rather sweet tug on my pants accompanied by "Amma, sit". TJOML was pointing at the sofa.

So I pick up my book and walk over and sit on the sofa just to indulge the little princess, with my book open on my lap, still continuing to read.

The next thing I know, she is right beside me, snapping my book shut, daintily declaring, "Amma, all done!"

OK, so she does not want me to continue reading the book. Fine.

Next, she points to the coffee table beside my seat and commands, "Put!" touching and looking at my book.

Alright. I put my book away.

Then, she walks over to pick up her favorite board book, comes and stands right in front of me with her back towards me, lifts up her arms and directs, "Up! Up!"

OK, so I pick her up and park her on my lap.

She settles herself comfortably on my lap, opens her book to the first page instructing, "up aa thuth! up aa thuth! moaaa... amma, moaa"

up aa thuth = up on top
moaa = more

Her book happens to be Dr.Seuss' Ten Apples Up On Top which is her current favorite.

She makes me read it back to back, over and over, while she holds the book and flips the pages correctly as needed so i can read till the end each time!

I couldn't help wonder how well she is able to communicate her needs and wants these days, including her likes and dislikes, at such a tender age of 19.5 months. It shouldn't amaze me so much, I mean, after all, we have all done it - made sense of all the noise around us from birth, but, still, to watch her confidently express herself these days is such a treat!