Friday, October 05, 2007

On the Farm

This morning The Boss began regaling me with a story about a "caterpillar named Doggie" as soon as I walked into her bedroom to retrieve her from the crib.

"A caterpillar named Doggie?" I repeated, with a questioning lilt at the end. I do that a lot. I've become something of a repetition machine. Between her mimicking and my clarification-seeking, it's constant reverb around here.

"Caterpillar named Doggie!" she cackled. "Woof, woof!"

This was noteworthy because, usually, The Boss wakes up talking about horses. This is not to say she does not recognize other animals. In fact, she can identify by sight and sound almost any critter between here and Africa. She can converse at length about all of them. It's just that she seems to have taken a particular shine to horses. In fact, she projects almost all her spoken emotions onto them.

"Horses soooo sleepy," she'll sigh as she rubs each eye with a balled up hand.

"Horses soooo hungry!" she'll shriek, before dinner.

"Horses afraid." This one often emerges out of the seeming blue and almost always merits a hug.

As obvious as it is that she's not just talking about horses, I still wonder what's going on inside her head. Though I have an idea what she's feeling, I can't imagine what images are galloping through her imagination. What does she see? What does it mean to her? And why horses? I mean, whenever we encounter the majestic creatures in close-up reality, the girl is terrified. Even horses of the painted and inanimate variety are too much for her. We rode a carousel once and the only thing she would sit on was the bench.

So my questions remain unacknowledged. The only one who can clear things up for me is The Boss--and, as verbal as she is for a two year old, she's not saying.

15 comments:

iheartchocolate said...

This is so cool. My daughter is almost 2 and I can so relate. Although mine is not yet this articulate. Madison's favorite animal is a cow. She loves cows! I don't know why, but she gets so excited when she sees cows. We live in the country, so it is a pretty common thing around here. Her grandpa has cows a few miles away. When we visit, she is so excited until we try to walk her to the fence. Even if they are a ways away, she is terrified.

When she sees horses in a book, she says, "pretty" and kisses every picture. I LOVE this age so much. I SO share your sentiment about longing to know what is going on in her mind. I would love to be able to see what she sees!

S said...

Well at least she's got good taste. Horses are the best. ;)

Wildefrost said...

Haha. She totally doesn't like horses, but chickens?

"Boss, what does a chicken say?" "Peep peep."

Laura McIntyre said...

Im always wondering whats going on in my 2 year olds head, it sounds like a wonderful place to be

Whirlwind said...

Moe's two obsessions are cows and sea lions. Sea lions include seals and otters (they are the baby sea lions). Ever try to fins sea lion items for a child? They are few and far between!

Anonymous said...

Haha! Maybe she is going to live on a farm when she grows up! Then she will have lots of animals to relate to!

Jane, Pinks & Blues

Jene said...

HORSES!!! :-) Some girls never grow out of it...

Zellmer said...

Sounds like she's got a poetic soul to me.

Anonymous said...

Gotta love a girl that loves horses! How cute! Love this story!!

And in answer to your question about if I cried when William went to Nursey School... I cried like a fool! I cried so much I was irritating my own self! I didn't expect ot act that way... but when I saw that "big boy" with his backpack... and then introduce himself to another boy, he had me. He literally had me. :)

- Audrey
Pinks & Blues

Lawyer Mama said...

Awww. I love how you never know what's really going on in their heads. It can be frustrating, but it's also fascinating.

Amanda said...

Well, it makes me excited to think of her saying, "Wild horses couldn't keep me from (insert hilarious action)."

Congratulations on your pregnancy, I'm here via Jen.

Anonymous said...

OH! Binky....
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- Audrey
Pinks & Blues

Fairly Odd Mother said...

For my second daughter, it was a mouse. "Squeak squeak" she'd say when she was feeling needy and needed a hug. It's funny that I read this post tonight b/c it's been about 2 years since she's 'squeaked', but she just did it at bedtime not a half hour ago.

Binkytowne said...

I admit- I love this deciphering game. We ask a lot of questions around my house and am I am usually surprised and entertained by the answers when I'm not exactly sure what he is trying to say or what he is thinking about.

Anonymous said...

My daughter too, is a horse nut. She came out of the womb wanting to ride. It is her deepest regret that her mother thinks the only use for a horse is if it is across the road and behind a fence...preferably one ten feet high and electric...thus ensuring my safety.

Did you check her bed for any creepy crawlies she named Doggie?

LOL.