Car talk

Elisabeth cracks me up in the car. She just talks and doesn't stop. Where does Mercedes (our cleaning lady) live? How do they make cars? How far away does Gram live? Turn right mommy - right is the way to preschool. Oh its 66! This is the road the metro trains are on! I went on a metro train twice. Once to the play place - the museum, and once to the dentist. Can we listen to my songs? You never told me how they make cars. And that is the first 60 seconds. So on a one hour drive to the airport and back, we had quite a nice chat.

She's definitely a backseat driver. Mommy, you didn't stop at that stop sign (she sees a stop sign, I should stop - whether or not it is my stop sign). Mommy, the light is green, go (red turn arrows are my nemesis). Mommy, why is that car not going in front of you? Are they IDIOTS? (traffic is also my nemesis). Today, she flirted with figuring out speed limits. It went like this.

E (somewhat snide and under her breath, obviously warming up for the teenage years): Mommy, the police are going to push you over and yell at you. And then give you a bad ticket.

Me (utterly confused): what?

E: the poooolice are going to yell at you. after they push you over.

Me: Why are they going to pull me over?

E: because you're going too fast.

Me: How do you know how fast I'm going? You don't know what speed I'm going.

E: You're going faster than those cars.

Me: they're going too slow.

E: you're going too fast.

Me: I'm going 60 miles per hour.

E sits silently. For 10 seconds.

E: That sign right there says 4-5. 4-5 mommy.

Me: No, I think it said 5-5 (I really do think it said 5-5, but just my luck...)

E: SEE? That sign right there says 4-5!

(I did not think that it was appropriate to explain to her at that point the fact that the speed limit does in fact go from 55 to 45 at this one tunnel, but that it had previously been 55 when she thought it was 45. I also did not think I should try to explain the 7 mph over the speed limit rule)

So I slowed down a bit. Luckily we went under a tunnel and she was quite distressed over the fact that she couldn't see very well and forgot that the pooooolice were going to push me over and yell at me. And give me a bad ticket.

I'm considering moving her to the back row of the minivan. Then I can pretend I can't hear her.