Yes, Stella. I know that red means stop. You don’t need to keep telling me that.
We are 30 minutes into our 300 mile drive to Denver for a girls’ trip last weekend, and already Stella is becoming her trusty backseat driver self as soon as we got to the first town with stoplights. Ever since she figured out stoplights it has been a constant litany of “Mama, you need to stop. Mama, you need to go. Mama, you need to slooooowwww dowwwwwnnnn!” Yeah, that gets old quick, especially when you know you shouldn’t tell her to pipe down because she’s just excited to share her new knowledge with the world. Ha!
Stella: Mama, that light is red. That means you can’t go yet.
Me: Yep, I got that Stella. Thanks.
*****
Stella: Mama, you are too close to that car. We need to be WAYYYY back so we don’t hit him. (Who taught her this? My husband? My mother-in-law? STOP IT NOW!)
*****
Stella: […in a voice filled with awe & wonder…] Mama, I see red and green everywhere! (We had just stepped onto the street in front of our apartment building in Denver in order to walk to dinner. We live in a town of 1,000 people with 1 stoplight – she was understandably impressed at the sight of stoplights as far as the eyes could see.)
*****
Stella: YOU CAN’T GO, MAMA, IT’S RED! (I was turning right on red and actually started to slam on my brakes! #Doh)
Me: Sometimes it’s okay to turn when the light is red, Stella. It’s okay. I know what I’m doing.
Stella: No mama, you’re wrong. You can’t go on red.
*****
Stella: Mama, is that guy going to Audrey’s house too? (everyone driving in front of us on the road was going to the same place as us, didn’t you know that?)
*****
Stella: Mama, why aren’t your swipers [windshield wipers] on? I like when they are on. You should turn them on. They help you to see better.
Me: I’m good, Stella. There isn’t any rain or snow right now.
Stella: Well you should still turn them on, Mama.
*****
After HOURS of non-stop talking, she thankfully fell asleep on the way home for about an hour. Thank God she’s a fun little traveler, even if she does like to tell me how to drive. 🙂
