What's that?

As already noted on more than one post, Emma's language has exploded. From Emma-rise to Emma-down (her wake-up and goodnight times are completely non reliant on the sun) she chatters away, asks questions and parrots what we say. One of the more common repetitive phrases is "what's that?"

I have to think that part of the reason for using this phrase is because we have used it so regularly with her. Every time we read we ask her what she sees in the pictures. Outside we ask her to tell us what she sees in nature. You get the point. Now it seems that the tables have turned! When she really gets going it is astonishing how many times she can ask "what's that?" in just a couple of minutes. Sometimes she asks the question even though she knows the answer like when she points to an elephant in her library book. She has known what elephants are since before she could talk and when she would trumpet instead.

But "what's that?" is more than just a rote line. She uses it when she wants to know about something, like the "new" pictures and faces in her library book Can You Say Peace? by Karen Katz. The Eiffel Tower or young native Australians are novel scenes and pictures for her. It is pretty cool to watch her learning, especially as she chooses what it is that she wants to learn.

Sometimes her curiosity has not been for the best. She has learned about boobies for example and has embarrassed not just us but other family members as well when she points at their boobies and says very loud and clearly, "So-and-so's boobies!" Hee. Hee. Silence as an answer to her question does not always work either; she figures out the answer and boldly proclaims it to the world. Just the other day we were out shopping and Mommy had to use the bathroom. Since Emma had to come with me into the stall, interesting things were bound to happen. The other patrons heard all about the whole process even though I calmly ignored the "what's that?" line of questioning spewing from Emma's mouth. She would ask "what' s that?" and then supply her own (correct) answer. For example: "What's that? Mommy peeing." I had to keep from chuckling so as not to encourage her further. What's that indeed.