Like many other children, Edie loves other kids. Any one yet to hit puberty is of great interest. Of course, as other parents know, a baby's infectious enthusiasm for her peers is interchangeable with a spastic slap-fest. Edie is also very interested in having the parts of a face labeled aloud for her, so in between not-so-gently slapping her friends on the backs or heads, she jabs at their eyes, noses and mouths, asking "Whas dis?" With her dearest pals, Edie shares kisses and hugs. Kisses are square on the mouth, and there is slobber involved. E doesn't want any ambiguity: a kiss means something. She may also sneak in a kiss of a foot or sock, which are her favorite appendage and accessory, respectively.
Older kids are also of great interest to her, and most older kids are interested in babies as well. We don't know any ex pat older kids, though, so it's mostly the locals that we encounter. And cute as she is, I scare off most of these whipper snappers. My neighborhood is full of 6 to 10 year olds, but most of them write me off as a space alien or some equivalent. Only one is brave enough to talk to me - and thus deal with my broken German and misunderstandings - and one other one tries to scare me by shouting loudly at me as he whizzes by on his scooter. I guess he wants to make sure that I Come In Peace. And I do. Today, on the subway, was a particularly sad moment for Edie's social life. A 3 or 4 year old girl sat on her mom's lap next to Edie and I. E and the little girl stared at each other and even held hands. Until the girl heard me talk. Her mom explained that the baby and her mommy speak English. This seemed cruel and inexplicable to her. It actually made her cry. Poor dear.
Guess I'd better start working on my southern drawl if I want to fit in during this next go 'round....
[p.s. Don't be scared by the first pic. That baby is not actually an adorable but deadly pirate. She's just dressed up for Faching (i.e. Carnival).]
