dressing herself

Recently, Sophie Tegel's taken to dressing herself. She doesn't do a horrible job, all things considered.

Food

Dad: What do you want to eat?

Sophie: Food.

duh!

Dad: Sophie, What are you going to wear today?

Sophie: Clothes.

future economist

Last Sunday was a perfect day outside. We pulled out some chairs and enjoyed the outdoors. Sophie grabbed an Economist to read and then explained to us how American collateralized mortgage obligations were affecting European banks.

everybody needs at least one good party trick

Old News

Sophie (still Sophie, not Tegel, "Sophie Tegel" maybe, and just sometimes "Tegel," and usually when her mother's calling her, 'cause I can get behind "Sophie Tegel" but just plain "Tegel" is too great a leap), Sophie cottoned onto birthdays just a month or so too late.

It was when she was two years and one month old that she started really noticing the extreme coolness of balloons, streamers, presents and cakes that seemed to be happening with great frequency in the party room(s) of Jungle Java.

"No, no" we'd have to tell her, "We can't go in there, that's somebody's birthday party."

"My birthday na-ow?" she'd ask plaintively. (Or perhaps I'm just imagining the plaintiveness).

"No, goose," I'd say, "Your birthday isn't for another ten months. And we can't do anything special for you till then because it's against the law and if we tried it the police might come and take away all your birthdays for good."

Okay, I never said that.

If we thought we could attract more that a couple of kids to a party we might even consider renting out a room.

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Sometime last week, the sun was shining and she agitated for going outside. So outside we went. And with us came: a ball, a pushcart, several stuffed animals, her own folding chair and a small table, some plastic tubs from her room, and play-doh and cookie cutters. And her tricycle. And a push-bike.

Later she asked for some food ("Daddy, my eat na-ow?") so I served her some milk and fruit and "cookies" (crackers).

She thought this was the greatest thing ever.

"Daddy, my happy birthday na-ow!" she said, and clapped.

A banker or shop owner in the making?

Tegel (no longer Sophie, which is hard to break), has an uncanny sense of money for a two year old. She clearly understands that money has value: she always wants the money in my wallet (although she doesn't really know what to do with it once she has it). And when she is at pretend stores, she understands perfectly that the money can be exchanged for goods. Today at the children's museum, I couldn't drag her away from the cash register with the pretend money and plastic fruits and vegetables.