Maeve and I had a classic miscommunication yesterday. I know we have about fifty a day, but this one resolved itself so that I could see where the problem was.
I gave Maeve a pretzel yesterday, trying to distract her from her constant need for animal crackers. She liked it, and wanted another, so she stood next to where they were and grunted and screamed at me. This, of course, is not how I want the child to ask me for something. So I said, "Can you ask Momma for more? Can you say more?" I reminded her of the sign for more which we've been doing for many months. And she thought for a moment, looked at me with a big grin on her face, and said, "No."
Now, I didn't actually think she was saying No as in No, Mom, I won't say more, but I was getting mixed signals. I kept asking her to say more, she kept saying no. There was crying and more shrieking and pointing. Then she gave up and went to play with something else.
After ten minutes, she came back to where the pretzels were, and slowly enunciated "Moe." The proverbial light bulb went off over my head. She was trying to say more when she said no. Somehow she didn't realize all I needed was the sign for more, she wanted to say it. I laughed out loud and gave her a pretzel.
So now I have an earnest toddler standing in front of me every five minutes saying moe, sounding just like the robot in Wall-E. But every time she does, I give her a pretzel and have a little chuckle. I get it, baby, you're a smartie, but sometimes you really confuse me!
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Ben says moe for everything too - the problem we have is if we say no he just keeps saying it. I think maybe he thinks we don't get it? Hey - maybe Maeve cleared something up, maybe when we say "no" he's like no guys, I said "moe" so I'll just keep saying it until you get it.
ReplyDeleteI see where Maeve gets her smarts--you're a smart mama for deciphering that one! :D
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