Arianna hasn't really learned to talk on the phone yet. Sometimes we hold the phone up to her ear and say, "It's Grammy!" and she'll listen for a few moments. When nobody is on the phone, she'll pick it up and mimic how we talk on the phone.
So, I was quite surprised the other day when I called Rebecca from work. After a series of bumps that sounded like the receiver being dragged across the desk, dropped on the floor, and picked up again, I heard a little voice say, "Hi!"
At first I thought I must have called the wrong number, and somebody else's kid answered, but I recognized Arianna's voice. I said, "Is this Arianna?"
"Hi, Daddy!"
"How are you doing?"
"I'm playing in the office. I was playing with my dolls."
Then I asked, "Is Mommy there?"
She said, "Mommy's all wet and soppy!"
I said "Where is she?"
"She's taking a shower. What are you doing at the hostibal? (her word for hospital) Are you taking care of Lisa and the boy?"
I had told her some stories about my work several weeks ago about a girl that I took care of, and a little boy who was happy because I sent his Mommy home. This little girl never ceases to amaze me, I couldn't believe she remembered those stories. So I told her a little about what I was doing at work.
Then I said "Can you tell Mommy I called?"
She said, "OK", and I heard the phone thump on the floor and little footsteps running away. She came back in a minute and said "Mommy's all soppy; she's still in the shower. I'm going to play now, bye bye." I said bye and listened to the phone thump down on the floor again.
Rebecca told me later that all day long Arianna kept picking up the phone and saying "Hi, Daddy!" Arianna never did tell her I called, though.
My little girl is growing up so fast. Talking on the phone seems like such an abstract concept -- to be able to talk to someone you can't see who is in an entirely different place than you. I am amazed that she has figured it out already!
Andrew