Avery

Avery has caught me off guard with several things lately.

1. We had sushi tonight. She said she wanted salmon. She said she wanted six pieces, so she told me I should place an order for 3 knowing that an order comes with two pieces. I tested her later and asked what if she wanted 10 pieces? What would she order? She said 5. A little later I tested again with 8. She said 4. I was impressed. 
2. Tonight she had diarrhea (clearly this is a theme at our house at the moment). She asked for TP. I said we were out and to use the Kleenex. She told me about the diarrhea and said, "I don't think the Kleenex can absorb the diarrhea " A gross way of me saying I was impressed with her use of the word absorb. 
3. Tonight she read a book to me. It's a learn-to-read level book, but she read the whole thing with minimal stumbling. Today I was showing her how to read the street signs. I pointed to Lovejoy and asked what street it was. She didn't miss a beat and replied lovejoy. She knows the word love really well since she writes it all the time, but I was still impressed with the quickness of putting love and joy together. Of course, she's heard the word lovejoy a bunch of times, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. 
4. She wanted to know our gate code. I was hesitant to tell her as she doesn't seem to grasp (or maybe it's just an impulse control thing?) that the code is to be kept secret. I've learned this when she recites my iPhone passcode out loud when unlocking my phone. Anyway, I told her that I would tell her a fake code. If she was able to remember the fake code AND not utter it so I could hear it, then I'd tell her the real code. The next day she mutters a code (not the fake or real code) aloud as we're going through the gate. I noted to her how she said it aloud. The next day we're getting out of the car heading to the gate. She says she really wants to know the real code. I asked how I could trust her with the code when she said the fake code aloud, and couldn't even remember it. She turned it around on me and said that I could then tell her the real one since she wouldn't remember the code anyway. I was pretty impressed with her logic on this one, so I told her the code. She forgot it. 
5. We have listened to a guided meditation on my iPhone a few times (4-5). She's asked to be the talker with this as we try it without the audio guide. I am truly shocked at her ability to remember the words and the concepts, but also to mimic the rhythm and softness of the guide's voice.  I'd love to record it, but I will have to be stealth about it because if she knows I'm doing it, she'll ham it up. 

Five year olds are so damn smart.