Linguistic Aptitude and Pop Culture Savvy: Our Elsie

Elsie is pretty much a fount of wisdom these days. The other day I came home, and her eyes were wide and her mouth was moving lightning speech telling me that the tree out back had termamites. (much better word with the extra syllable)

The next day, desperate to lead her daddy outside to another tree--this one with a bird nest, Elsie maintained this monologue: "Now Daddy, be very quiet and stay on the sidewalk because there might be poop or prickles out there."

Finally, she warned her sister against permanated markers.

While I was rubbing aloe on her poor sunburned shoulders last night and we were winding down after a busy weekend of fun with friends, gardening, and Poppa's dinner visit, we came upon Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel. I still don't understand what she likes about that show, why she likes it, or how and where she heard of Hannah Ontana as she put it last year (quick to correct me this year--"it's MONtana, Mommy," she admonished last night). Maybe, like Elmo, there is something fundamental or intuitive about the shape of her face, the arrangement of her features.... Anyway, Elsie witnessed a Jonas Brothers commercial:
E: Mommy, whooo's that? Who are they?
M: They are a band called the Jonas Brothers.
E: Oh Mommy--I love the Jonas Brothers!..... What do they do?
M: They sing songs and have a show.
E: What do they sing?
M: Ask your daddy.
So, already? Really? Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers and she is 3! It is a fact... this morning as we had an installment of dance party before I went to the office, a Jonas Brother's song came up on the Kidz music channel and the minute Elsie saw the still of them on the screen: "Oh Mommy, the Jonas Brothers! I love the Jonas Brothers!" It is not looking good for Alternative D--he has a pop princess on his hands. He'd better amp up the Kings of Leon, let fly some Wilco, download more Tegan and Sara, and put Beck on repeat... or else.

PS Should follow up this post with some video of Kit dancing--that smile, those moves--too good to be true!