We’re working on colours with M at the moment.

It’s really wierd.  you think she’s got it, then it all goes wrong.

E is always trying to teach her new things, some of which we’d like her to learn, others not.  One of M’s first journeys into ‘what not to learn from your sister’ went like this.

Me to M:  “Don’t put the car in your yoghurt please sweetie.”

M:  “Hot wever mummy.”

Me, confused:  “No M, listen to mummy, don’t dip the car in your yoghurt.”

M: “Hot wever.”

Me: ”It’s not hot sweetheart, it’s raining.  Now put the car down.”

M: “Hot wever.”

Me (Kind of getting annoyed and slightly worried.)  “M, put the car down.  Move away from the car.”

M: “Hot wever mummy.”

Then I notice a larger small child sat at the other end of the settee with her head buried in a cushion, which I might add, is failing to muffle her giggles.

Me:  E Beaufoix, has your sisiter gone mad.”

E:  “Whatever mummy, she’s saying, whatever.”

 Well you can guess where that came from, I just didn’t expect it to come from a 2 year old, even if it did come via a 6 year old – the little monkey.

Anyway, today I was listening to the two of them deep in conversation.  E was reading M a Winnie the Pooh ‘Colours’ book, and M was finding various pictures and matching them to the coloured buttons.
Each button had a little recorded message, for example, when M pressed the blue one, it said, “Blue, like Eeyore.”  (I love Winnie The Pooh.  I’ve inserted a link to the A A Milne site rather than Disney as anyone can find that and annoyingly when you do it doesn’t even mention the original author.  Everyone should read the real thing – it’s wonderful.)

Anyway, after reading the book together for a second time, E then went on to point to things in the room and ask M what colour they were.

M did really well.  She answered “lello” when E asked her the colour of the small plastic banana from the play cooker, “wed” when asked the colour of a toy car, and “geen” when asked about her cup.

Of course E and I clapped and cheered enthusiastically at each  answer and then congratulated ourselves that it seemed M had finally got it.

I got back to my book, and E and M continued to look at Winnie The Pooh.

After yet again reaching the end, E asked M a few more questions and I listened in.

“What colour is E’s hair M?

“Lello.”  M replied.  (It’s blonde so that was good.)

Then E asked,

“What colour is M’s hair.”

“Brown.”  M shouted gleefully.

“and what colour is mummy’s hair M.”  E asked excitedly.

And M jumped up and down, clapped her little hands and yelled at the top of her voice,

“Boo.”

For anyone who is unsure, she was not trying to make us jump.

I love my kids.