Conversation with a two year old

After taking portraits of kids and babies for five years and working in a salon with kids before that I have learned a couple of things. (not a lot mind you but a couple of things!)

One thing is that around the 2 year old mark kids respond better if you begin speaking with them like an adult. Even if they cannot respond in an adult manner they still mainly understand being spoken to like an adult instead of "baby talk"

Hence the conversation I had with Lilly this morning?

"Sweetie, what would you like Mommy to cook for your breakfast?"

Blank stare from Lil

"Lilly, what do you want for breakfast?"

Another blank stare and retreives empty toilet paper cardboard roll to tinker with from the guest bathroom...

"Lilly Grace, what do you want for breakfast?"

"Pih Lay On..." (Translations...turn the Backyardigans pink lady on)

"Lilly do you want panckaes, yogurt, or toast and grapes?"

Lilly catches on at this point, makes eye contact and firmly replies...

"Noonles" (translation...macaroni and cheese)

"Lilly we are not eating noodles for breakfast, you can have toast or you can have yogurt which do you want."

At this point Lilly loses interest and yells across the room,

"Baby Durdle..." (She spies Noah's pet turtle in his cage and anything small to her is a baby... (baby rocks, baby ice cubes,)

Ah well I suppose we can commence the adult conversations later...