My conversational life in the summertime

I really enjoy the discussions I have in my classroom with my students about opinions related to the text. I am challenged by the discussions I have with colleagues about pedagogy and those kids that make us determined to get through and teach. I am encouraged by the discussions I have with people in my mothers' groups and mothers' book club, since I continue to be doubtful that I can have it all.

However, I have to say that the conversations I have with my 2.5 yo daughter are the most fun and fulfilling of all those I have. The conversation I'm having right now, as I type:

Claire: I need to get into my bed.

Mommy: Why?

Claire: Because I don't want it to rain in my toybox. And I'm sleeping in there, so hopefully it won't rain.

Mommy: But there is no rain inside, and there's no rain outside. Why do you think it's going to rain in your toybox?

Claire: It's going to rain on my bed, cuz it's my toybox, because it does that on Dora.

Mommy: (thinking back to the episode Claire had just watched, entitled "The Big Storm") Oh, of course.

Claire: (after climbing into her toybox and lying down to get comfortable) Mommy? Can you close the window?

Mommy: Which window?

Claire: The red one, Mommy. Can you close the red window?


Mommy: Um, sure.

Claire: Mommy, my little brother and sister can't both fit in here and be comfy because there's not room for them. Only for my baby brother.

Mommy: Okay, only for your baby brother. Where your baby sister going to lay down?

Claire: She can sleep here (pointing to the shelf), and my brother will sleep in here with me. That's my plan, anyway. Okay? (not waiting for a response) Okay!

Mommy: Claire, what happens when Daddy starts putting toys in your toybox again?

Claire: I don't want him to. I just want to sleep in it.

Mommy: Claire, you have two beds in your room right now. You don't need to sleep in the toybox.

Claire: I don't want them in my room. I want to take away both beds. My baby sister and I will sleep in the toybox when you get a big tummy, and my baby brother will sleep on the shelf.

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No, I'm not pregnant. At all. Not even trying, just finished my period yesterday. But, many of Claire's friends have new siblings or siblings on the way, including one who just got identical twin sisters, and she's decided I'm going to give her her own babies soon... one of each, to be exact.

But isn't this a fabulous conversation? She's creative and thoughtful and logical and her use of words is amazing. Cracks me up. And she also wants to know right now why I'm typing down what she says.