Zoe’s been ridiculously sweet lately, melting our hearts left and right. She offers to lend a hand with all kinds of things, tells Mei Mei how pretty she looks, says thank you for helping her with various things, and otherwise just being a real sweetheart…and for the most part without asking for anything (like an episode of Caillou) in return.

But one of my favorite conversations with her that comes up time and again goes something like this (and in fact I just heard her having this conversation with her Daddy, which is why I thought of it):

Z: Is it preschool today?
Me: No, no preschool today. Today is Tuesday. So you have preschool tomorrow, on Wednesday.
Z: Oh! Today is Wednesday?
Me: Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow is Wednesday.
Z: Okay. Is it tomorrow today?
Me: No, tomorrow is tomorrow. Right now is today.
Z: Today is tomorrow?
Me: No, today is today. After today is tomorrow.
Z: What are we having for lunch?

Apparently we’re not doing a great job of teaching the concept of time, but…we’re working on it!

Found some notes I’d taken on some of Zoe’s verbal milestones:

Week of 2/10/14:

• He nai nai (drink milk)
• Pan zi (plate)

Week of 3/10/14:

• Says Mommy and Daddy
• Counting to ten!

Week of 4/21/14

• Started saying “hao” (okay)

Not a verbal milestone, but the first time she had stinky breath! 5/7/14 (has only happened a few times since)

Heard around the house of late:

Z: I want Caillou! I’m not supposed to say “I want”, Mommy. 

Me: That’s right. What do you say instead?

Z: May I have Caillou, Mommy? I want Caillou. May I have Caillou? Caillou, please. If I eat my WHOOOOLE dinner, I will get Caillou. May I have Caillou please, Mommy? Mommy? Mommy. Mommy. Caillou please, Mommy!

And this is how my exercise in patience continues its long, winding course. 

Here’s an awesome conversation (in Mandarin) between Zoe’s nanny, Ah-Rong Ahyi, as relayed to me by my mom.

Ahyi (to my mom): My father refuses to exercise and won’t listen to anyone. He’s been so difficult!

Zoe (listening in on the banter, though no one had addressed her directly): Have you tried giving Gong-Gong something good to eat (translation: a treat)?

Ahyi (surprised and amused): Oh, I didn’t think of that! What kind of treat should I give to him?

Zoe: Pumpkin seeds!

We’ve been so amazed by this little one’s conversational skills, both in Chinese and in English. She’s been speaking in full sentences and demonstrating quite a wide vocabulary for months now — it’s just non-stop entertaining!

I’m most amused by her interactions with her Daddy. She’s by all means the boss, and not even he can say no to her (not easily, anyway) the way she negotiates for things that she wants, from the words she uses, to her tone of voice to her facial expressions and very expressive body language. If only I could record every moment!

The stuff she says that makes me warm and fuzzy all over.

• Thank you, Mommy.
• I love you, Mommy.
• Bless you, Mommy. {when I sneeze}
• Be careful, Mommy! {when I stand on a chair to reach for something}
• This is not “baby”, this is Zoe!
• Mommy, you want some {insert whatever we’re eating here}?
• I take care of Mommy. {while covering me with a blanket}
• Mommy, are you okay?

[Note that she says this stuff to Daddy too, but Mommy’s the one recording this so Mommy gets all the love right now. ;]

Who knew a little two-year-old could be so sweet?

Another sniff-she’s-growing-up-so-fast moment: my baby learned to pronounce the “g” sound!

Until today, it’s been “doonight” (goodnight) and “doddie” (doggie) and all kinds of awesome mispronunciations. Literally overnight, it’s gone! Waaaahhhh.

She hasn’t caught on to the “k” sound yet though, so I’m gonna cherish that one for a bit longer. Looking forward to a zoo trip to see the “monteys” sometime soon.

It’s been at least a week or so, but Zoe has started stringing words together to make up full, if short, sentences!

This morning as I tried to rock her back to sleep (or at least to a state where she might try to go back to sleep), she asked, “Beh Beh tsai na li?” (Where is Bear Bear?)

And also, after asking for Dada and I said Dada’s sleeping, she said “Dada sleeping. Home.” which almost made me tear because Dada hasn’t been home since the 30th! Waaaah.

Still signing, too. She also asked for Ahma, and I replied that Ahma’s sleeping. She made the sleeping sign over my face and said “Ahma sleeping. Mommy sleeping.”

Guess I shouldn’t be all that surprised since she’s been singing full songs in both Chinese and English (but mostly Chinese) for a few months now, but still!

And yesterday, “He guo zi.” (Drink fruit juice.) Ha!