Longer conversations these days

Rachel and I are having quasi-adult conversations more and more these days. I look into her little face (which always looks tired to me, probably because of the bags under her eyes; or maybe I'm imagining things) and she looks more and more like a blend of Drew and me. And like her own person.

Tonight, as I was reading to her, I stroked her hair.
"Don't touch my hair!" she said.
"But I LOVE touching your hair!" I replied, reaching for her hair again.
She pushed my hand away.
"Don't!" she said. "Touch your OWN hair!"
I really should have scolded her for talking back to me. Instead, I nearly died laughing.

***

She answers now when I ask her how her day went. At dinner tonight I said, "What did you in school today, sweetie?"
"Play babies," she said.
"Really?"
"I say, 'I'm sorry babies, I have to lay down on my mat.'"

A bit later, she said cheerfully, "You can go in the living room. You can play with my truck and make the animals go."

***

When we were cuddling in the car before we left daycare, she said, apropos of nothing, "NO Jaxson! NO!" (Jaxson -- and yes, it is spelled that way -- is a kid in her class).
"Did Jaxson hit you?" I said.
"No. Jaxson cried."
"Why?"
"He wanted to go in the baby room."