A few little anecdotes:

Just to point out that kids are always watching us, always listening to us and filing away our words and ideas, I share with you two little incidents.

At a family meal about a week or so ago, Brooklyn was eating her food with all the rest of us - I think it was actually a Bible study group/family meal at DD's house. Anyway, there sat Brooklyn with me, Kyle, and a handful of her aunts and uncles and other friends who've become like family. Kyle made the mistake of commenting on something with some food still remaining in his mouth. Out of the blue, Brooklyn piped up with a warning tone - "Don't talk with your mouth full!" Kyle was so surprised he almost spewed his food across the table. She has gotten the message I've been sending her.

Another quick little story. Just today, I was cuddling with her for her nap time and she had been generally a little toot all morning. We hung out with some friends of ours and she was pushing her boundaries constantly. Well, I pulled her close to me as we snuggled on her bed, kissed her forehead and said, when you wake up from your nap, will you please be sweet and not a toot? She nodded mutely, her orange pacie clenched in her teeth. Then, after giving it some thought, she pulled out her pacie and said, "Mommy, I wasn't being a toot, I was being a little pill." I somehow managed not to burst out laughing and said, Yes, my dear, you were. Can you not be a pill when you wake up? She said, ok. Again, she does pay attention...and apparently draws a distinction between being a toot and a pill.