Conversations with Evangelene

My dearest daughter is 26 months old now. She has proven to be quicker, smarter and more agile than all of her siblings combined at this same age. I knew there was a reason it had to be 4 and no more. I can be quoted many a time saying we had to stop having children because they keep getting smarter, soon they will outsmart me. This one will do that one day I am for sure.
I have long been an advocate of birth order philosophy. The oldest usually leader type personality, strong and stubborn. The middle peacekeepers, less assertive and more willing to go with the flow. The youngest being daring, vocal and more often than I would like to admit spoiled. Yep, all of these things ring terribly true. Personality plays a huge role in how each individual turns out but merit must be given to the order.
It is hard not to compare children who are nearly the same age. As new parents we all were guilty of asking those questions, how much do they weigh, when did they roll over, crawl, walk, speak and on. The older kids get, the fewer milestones, there is less open discussion about capabilities and more quiet observation. I know I have been there watching across the room at a function, party or public place taking notes of other children. I do not mean to notice but either my teaching background or curiosity get the best of me and I am aware. It is easy to get used to what we see everyday making assumptions upon normal and average when truthfully there is no such thing. Any doctor or seasoned mother will tell you it is a time frame not an exact time for each child. Still when it is your child who is late you are quick to be defensive, or your child that is early you are quick to boast inwardly or outwardly. I have and still live both ends of the spectrum depending on the child and the topic at hand.
Well, this time I am not afraid to boast a moment (fed by too many a mom that comment of how well she talks). My littlest angelic while she sleeps child can carry on nearly complete conversations. She can communicate just about every need, has a broad vocabulary and even recently begun going potty without ANY assistance from me. We argue about who wipes right now, but very soon that too she will take over too.
Tonight, I decided to document such discussion because it is quite funny at times. I stuck a notebook to my steering wheel, pencil in hand and carefully attempted to scrawl down in somewhat legible form the back and forth. It all started when a pair of birds flew across the road and one hit my windshield. Yes, it hit me because I am not sure how you could say a vehicle drove into a flying object;)
M for me, and E for her. It went pretty close to this:
M-"Gasp! Oh Dear!!"
E- "WhatE Mommy"
M- "Did you see that bird, it hit our car." (talking to everyone in the car)
E- "Tweet Tweet."
M- "Yes, tweet tweet. I hope it is ok."
E- "Cuse me Mommy." (excuse me)
M- "Yes."
E- "Um um um um um um." (I ask myself who the heck taught her to say UM?
M- turn on blinker
E- begins making blinker sound, tongue to roof of her mouth clicking
M- "Are you turning too E?"
E-" Yes Mommy. Looke train Mommy."
M-" Yes, look guys a train."
E- " I want to eat Mommy."
M- "Well, I .." interrupted E- " Wow, Wate (her word for water) Mommy. You see wate?"
M-" I do see it."
By now we have dropped off big sis at dance.
E- "My Bubba, where go? He go G house? Me go see him? (again before I can answer) Sissy dancing Mommy, me dance Mommy?" M- "Soon sweetie."
E- "Ooooooh!" (drawn out like we are in the south)
E- "STOP Mommy (we are now at a red light). Blue yellow Mommy." (her word for every color, crayon, marker etc). M- "Yes, it is a red light, red."
E- " Ooooooh, red Mommy. RED!" M- "Yes red light." As I say this the light changes to green but before I can even react she screams.
E- "GO Mommy!!!"
E- "See big truck Mommy? (at fire truck) Daddy's big truck?"
M- " No that's not Daddy's but it looks the same your right."
E- " Oooooh. See Daddy Mommy. Daddy see me? Daddy do earthquake, me? (bounces her on his lap and yes she can say earthquake near perfect).
M- "Not tonight. He will be home tomorrow."
E- " Ok. Go see AA? (her fav little man Aidan who I am watching Mon-Fri).
M- "Tomorrow we will."
E- " Oooooh. (by now we have dropped off #1 to Tae Kwon Do) Mommy I drink Jo-Jo's? (she repeats this request until she is blue in the face and I can no longer ignore her). I hand her the drink for long enough to take a sip and take back). Tanks." (thanks)
E- "mmmmmm." (I am now cracking up at her)
E- "Drink Jo-Jo's" laughing while speaking.
M- "No we need to save it for him, here is your drink."
E- "No no Mommy, I drink Jo-Jo's." This time with an air of determination in her voice.
M- IGNORE
E- "Drink Jo-Jo's." She is now pleading and repeating with the same tone.
M- Ignore
E- " DRINK JO-JO's MOMMY!" loudly and slowly several times beginning to be a bit of a whine.
M- STILL IGNORE
E- 1/2 cry 1/2 whine " Mommy, puhleeeeeeeeese drink Jo-Jo's?"
M- "Look time to go see sissy", whew distraction is glorious.
E- " OoooooKkkkkk."
#2 now in the car, #1 getting buckled, me attempting to back out.
E- SCREAMING, " WATCH OUT MOMMY!"
M- Near heart attack, brakes slammed and frantically looking about. Deep breath ABSOLUTELY no cause for concern, loosen grip on steering wheel and attempt a second time with little but the hum of ac.
E- "Sorry Mommy."
M- Thinks, how did she know I was mad at her if I am facing forward and she cannot see my face? "That's ok Eva, please don't yell again."
E- " OK mommy."

During the remainder of the drive various chatter among siblings can be heard. #1 who earned the privilege of bringing his dvd player with him is now alive because the battery ran out:) Requests for songs are made and in my rear view mirror I see the littlest attempting to sing along to the spin off of freeze frame, fingers pointing in the air and dancing in her seat. She is singing something that sounds similiar to freeze frame and smiling. I rewind in my head to her carrying around Grace for President book at the library, bossing other children around like she owned the world. It was then I realized my confessions over her are powering this already strong character. She is 'big stuff' as I say, Evangelene the Queen and redheaded fire ball. But, I love every difficult moment because she is a gift from God who will keep me young and on my toes too. We all need a bit of that in our life right? Just remind me of this thought process when I want to give her away ok...