The Little Prince(ss)

Yesterday I had my first extended dialogue with my three year old neighbour; we have had many mini chats and a few lovely hugs but yesterday we had a *real* conversation. It was utterly charming and went something like this:

June: I went three times across the monkey bars...alone...I learnt that at school (or, skoo-ooool, as she calls it).
Me: Well done, that's great! Do you like school?
June: Heuu (her delightful version of 'yes' - sounds a bit like a combination of the Indian manner of saying yes* and clearing your throat)
Me: Good, have you been reading books at school?
June: Heuu, I read... (I could not for the life of me make out the title of the books, and after asking her to repeat them a couple of times I decided to nod and make 'encouraging' sounds instead.)
Me: :-)
June: Have YOU ever been to skoo-ooool?
Me: Ohhh yeah. (I would have liked to answer 'for more years than I care to think about', but far be it from me to dampen her enthusiasm with my adult weariness).
June: These flowers smell like chocolate?
Me: REALLY?
June: Heuu
[walking over to the flowers]
Me: You're right! [and she was - those flowers** actually smell of chocolate, who would have known it!]
There then ensued an 'educational' discussion of bumble bees, flowers and nectar etc until June wisely interjected.
June: Sometimes I am a princess and sometimes I am a bumbly bee! 
Me: That's great, I've seen you dressed as a princess but I didn't know you were also a bee.
June: Heuu. I have lots of puppets.

Wonderful! 


At the point June came over to talk I was sitting in the garden reading this...synchronicity at its best.


(A quick sketch of the situation - with a nod to Mr God This is Anna)

*June's chocolate-smelling flowers

**See 0.46 for an idea of June's 'yes', but imagine making that sound with a bit more of a martial arts sounding kick