word association

I have not been talking with Abby very much about her upcoming birthday.  Not because I don't want her to know about it, but just because toddler time frames are so different.  Telling her that her birthday is in a week - is the same as telling her that she'll have a baby sibling in 5 months.  Meaningless.

So, I was a little surprised yesterday when she brought it up while we were grocery shopping.

But first - a detour.  Y'all, I haven't been grocery shopping in about a month.  I've done a milk run or two and *maybe* picked up a single item here or there - but we have not been to the store in a WHILE.  This speaks well of our stocked up pantry, but poorly of how often we've eaten out over the past month.  And, well, to be fair, we've not eaten out TONS, but still, I haven't been cooking a ton either.  Mostly we scrounge.  It's sad.

So, I had a lot of groceries to get.  Abby wanted to ride in the firetruck cart (ie: extra heavy to push around the store).  It was fine.  The kid was content for the full 90 mins we shopped - which was quite the blessing.  While I'm in the frozen food aisle, I hear, "mama?  mama?"  So I lean down and look into the firetruck where she's sitting and say "yes dear?"  She says "Birthday?"

So, I smiled and said "yes, you're going to have a birthday soon"
Abby: "Birthday tea?"
Me: "Birthday tea? What do you mean?"
Abby: "Birthday tea Party??"
Me"Yes, you're going to have a birthday party - but not a tea party"

Then we kept shopping.  But, from there on out, about every 2 minutes, she would call me back, "mama?"

Me: "Yes?"
Abby: "Birthday party? CAKE?"
Me: "yes, you will have cake"
Abby: "tea cake?"
Me: "no, just regular cake"
Abby: "ok."
....
Abby: "mama?"
Me: "yes?"
Abby: "Birthday to you! Happy birthday to you?"
Me: "Yes, we will sing the birthday song"
Abby: "with cake? with birthday bird?"
(this is in reference to a Dr. Seuss book)
Me: "yes, with cake, but no birthday bird"
....
Abby: "mama? mama?"
Me: "yes?"
Abby: "I have birthday tea party with tea party cake?"
Me: SIGH.  "Abby, how old will you be?"
Abby: "TWO!" (then holding up two fingers) "Peace!"
Me: laughing.
Abby: "Mama?  I have two peace party with bird??"
Me: "You will have a birthday party, with cake, with the birthday song, but with no tea and no birthday bird.  you will be two years old."
Abby: "ok, mama."
...
Abby: "mama? mama? mama?"
Me: "What is it, Abs?"
Abby: "we get popcorn now?"
Me: "No, this is not target"
Abby: "abby birthday popcorn pwease?"
Me: "we'll see."
....

and so it goes on.  I love this age so much.  So so much.

PS: Thanks karen, for prepping Abby about all the birthday rituals.  :)