When reading books, Mama likes to ask Austen questions like “How many birds are there in the picture?” Sometimes Austen counts correctly and sometimes she does some pretend counting that goes up to at least ten. With questions like “What color is the leaf?” Austen always knows the right answer. Thanks, Miss Liz from Gymboree Art Class.
Today, Mama was asking Austen to identify things in a drawing from a Richard Scary book. “What’s that?” “Piano!” (Austen is the queen of speaking with emphasis. That’s why Mama purchased her a “Mini Diva” cap from the Metropolitan Opera.) “What’s that?” “Mouse!” After being thusly quizzed, Austen interrupted, “Mouse is eating da cheese.” Mama looked more closely and, yes, there was a tiny piece of cheese on which the mouse was nibbling. Mama is going to have to think up some more challenging interrogations for Austen. Locating items in a picture is child’s play. Austen speaks in full sentences all day long, and Mama and Dada never get enough of hearing her talk — except when she says things like, “No, Mama!” Out and about, Austen is often notices things and points them out to Mama, who is not great at details and is often surprised by what Austen has observed. The location of clocks. People, especially “big boys.” Lollipops. Light-up signs with images of coffee mugs.