The Big Girls

What happens when you create unorthodox phrases:

Inge: Oh, Mommy, I want you to come see a beautiful picture-view.
Me, flattered, but projecting surprise: Oh, a beautiful picture of me? Really?
Inge: It's out my window in my room.
Me, getting it: Oh, a picture-view.
Inge, tickled: Nooooo, not a picture of me.

***
On second-hand possessions and the nature of being:

Nelly, very indignant, and presenting me with a size 3T sweatshirt: Mommy! Inge says this is hers.
Me: It used to be, but she grew out of it.
Nelly, fading into the other room: Inge, Mommy says you grew out of it, so it's mine. [Then as an afterthought, and very pious:] Because that's the way God made us.

***
On liking everything:

Inge: Mommy, do you want to know which of these paints are my favorites? The blue and green. And the purple. Oh, and the orange and pink and yellow.
Me: You mean all of them?
Inge, looking just a little sheepish and regrouping them several times with her hands: Yeah, I guess so. Well, I mean, I like the purple and the blue the very best. And the green and the pink because they're really nice and the yellow and....maybe...not the orange.