Quoting Nemo

(Pictures from Ari's birthday party and Ari's birthday in previous 2 entries.)

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Tony called me today to tell me that Ari is now quoting Nemo. And not just quoting, but actually saying lines before they are said in the movie. She was watching the scene where Nemo and his friends are daring each other to swim out to the boat. He heard her say something odd, but thought nothing of it until 2 seconds later when he heard one of the characters say, "Beat that!" Then it dawned on him that that was what she had said--same inflection and everything.

I could not be a prouder mommy right now.

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Ari was playing with one of her new birthday toys tonight, and I joined her on the floor, helping her put the pieces in, hiding some of them from her, and just generally goofing off with her. At one point, she looked up at me and gave me a tiny, close-mouthed grin. We just stared at each other for a moment, and I felt my breath catch in my throat a little. Moments like that are rare--and even more so with an active toddler. I stared back at her until she looked away.

But alas, Responsible Adulthood called, and I got up to do a couple things. But soon I heard an insistent little voice calling, "Mommy! Mommy!"

"What is it, baby?" I asked, absentmindedly. I didn't expect her to tell me anything because she does this a lot--she'll chant my name and nothing else.

"Mommy, sit!" she pleaded. I glanced over at her, and she was patting the floor in front of her, where I had just been sitting, with an urgent look on her face.

How could I refuse?

Later in the evening, she walked up to where I was sitting on the couch, turned around, and backed herself up into my legs. She didn't say a word, but I knew what she was trying to do. With one quick swoop, I lifted her into my lap, and she happily sat there for several minutes, sipping from her cup, swinging her legs, and being unusually quiet and content.

I don't know what came over her tonight, but I'm not about to question it.