Popsicles, Tutus and Very Important Words

Today Maggie took my hand and led me into the kitchen.  She looked at me and signed "please," while saying the word in her sweet little voice and then said "tummy," which is her way of saying hungry. 

"What is it that you want?"  I asked.

"I want ah-eh-ell."  She said and pulled me over to the refrigerator, excitement clear on her face. 

This week she's said "I want bread.  More bread please." and "I want pizza.  More pizza please." but I had no idea what I want ah-eh-ell was supposed to mean. 

Finally I pulled open the refrigerator door and asked her to show me what she was talking about.  She grabbed my hand and took it and put it on the handle to the freezer and then waited patiently while I opened it. 

Once the door swung open she grabbed my hand again and pulled it down to the bottom of the freezer where the popsicles stay.  "Ah-eh-ell!  Ah-eh-ell!" was "Popsicle!  Popsicle!" 

A few moments later she was outside with Sadie and Patch enjoying their popsicles in the hot summer sun. 

Slowly but surely the words have begun to arrive in greater numbers, starting just before her fifth birthday.  More and more often she can tell me that she's upset because she wants bread or peanut butter or milk instead of water. 

I've also learned that whatever I say I cannot call a skirt a skirt. 

All skirts are tutus. 

All of them. 

She is very into pointing to things, over and over again, and having me label them.  If I get the label right she grins.  If I get the answer wrong she's devastated. 

And the most wrong of the wrong answers is to say skirt instead of tutu when she points to a skirt. 

At least I've figured it out.  And most of the time I can even remember exactly what I'm supposed to say.