Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

As my daughter grows and matures, it is fun to watch her language skills continue to develop. She has an excellent vocabulary and often startles me with how much she knows. Many times, though, she'll pick up a word or a phrase and then use it frequently, but not always completely . . . correctly.

The other day she walked up to me as I was working online in the office/guest room. She moved in very close until we were almost forehead to forehead. Affecting a serious tone of voice, she looked at me through her lashes and said, "Mama. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Me: I don't know, sweetie. What are you thinking?

Her: (brightening a bit) What?

Me: No, I mean, what are you thinking so that I can tell you if it's what I'm thinking?

Her: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Me: Ummm . . .

Then later in the evening we repeated almost the same conversation but with a different ending.

Her: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Me: I don't know, what are you thinking?

Her: What?

Me: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Her: I'm thinking that the giraffe . . . might give us a ride down the road.

Me: Okay, that wasn't what I was thinking at all. Sorry.

The other term she's picked up is "Cheers!" She knows that you hold up a drink and offer a toast. Now we have to toast about eight times a day. Often she hands me a plastic cup from her kitchen. The cup usually contains a plastic strawberry (which I know for a fact has been in the dog's mouth). She raises her own cup. "Mama, you have to cheers."

Sometimes I am distracted and I set down the cup without pretending to drink from it. This makes her scowl. "Mama! You forgot to cheers!"

"Oh, sorry!" I'll say and then lift the plastic cup. Clink!