Alana  mimics G in everything she does, idolizes her sister in the way that all youngest children do.   Lately she has wanted to eat at the table with G, she sits on the couch with G to watch TV (even though Alana has zero interest in TV…she just wants to be near G), she dances when G dances, wants to play with G’s toys, eat G’s food, whatever.   Today G did some forward rolls, and Alana tried to follow, nearly killing herself in the process, but laughing as she toppled over sideways, head down, butt in the air.  

Given this level of idolatry, I had been thinking that it was odd that Alana had not yet managed to say “G” or “Genevieve” or anything that sounded like one of those things.     Then we discovered that she has been referring to G for awhile, just with a name that sounds nothing like her sister’s actual name.  

The discovery came over the weekend.   Alana has become quite chatty lately.   She has developed a slightly unnerving way of answering what used to be rhetorical questions aimed at her with answers that seem appropriate and give the distinct impression that she understands exactly what I am saying:

Me:   Do you want pasta? Alana:   yeah!   How about some strawberries?   Alana:   no!

Me:   Do you want a bath?   Alana:   yeah!

Me:   Time for bed! Alana:   no!

Me:   Give me a kiss!   Alana:   makes kissing noise.

Me:   Where are your shoes? Alana:   goes and finds shoes.

One of her favorite games is to point to people and say their name.   She points to herself and says “Lana”, to me and says “Mama”, jason’s “Daddy”, the dog is “Kila”, and the cat is something that sounds vaguely like a mix of “cat” and “Turtle”.   So far so good.   Point to G and she says “yaay-oh”.     Hmmm…repeat game, same response.   Interesting, but not conclusive.   Then, later in the day G and Alana are  “playing”, which involves basically fighting over Alana’s tricycle.   Upon losing the fight Alana bursts into tears and comes over to me, crying and saying “yaay-oh” over and over.   Busted.     Her sister can now rat her out.   Score one for the baby.   Lana 1, Yaay-oh 0.       Things will never be the same again.   We have achieved language.   I am going to need earplugs.