Today's Conversation

Everyone,

In the car on the way to dance class:

"Mama, I don't like it when you call me that name."

"Uhhh....what name honey?!" I could not figure out what she was talking about. This declaration came after about 2 minutes of silence in the car while she was eating a snack.

"I know I am one but I don't want you or Daddy to call me that anymore."

"What honey? What are we calling you that you don't like."

"I don't like to say it but I will," big dramatic sigh, "a person." She said it in that toddler whisper that's not a whisper but more of a breathy way of saying something.

"You don't want me to call you a person?"

"Yeah, I don't like it. I know I am one, but I don't like it. I don't, I don't! I just don't!"

"Okay okay honey. Don't get so worked up about it. I won't call you that if you don't want me too. What can I call you?"

"Um...honey. Butterfly. Bolt." I thought of Flower and how she had to deal with watching Bolt the movie over and over and over the month she was here. (Miss you Flower! Come back and watch Mulan over and over with us!)

"What about a young lady. Can I call you that?"

"Nope."

"What about a little girl. Can I call you that?"

"Yeah, that's okay. And when I'm me, you can call me a human. But when I'm Bolt you can't call me a human because Bolt is a dog."

"How about Young Sister Maryland (insertlastnamehere)? They called you that at church on Sunday."

"Nah, that's just my Sunday name. But today is not Sunday! It's dance day!"

"What about my sweetheart, can I call you that?"

She got a very pleased smile on her face. "Yeah, that's the best name."

She really is the sweetest girl.

Safire