Opposable thumbs, yes. Coordination, no.

Recently, I posted a topic on another site. It went something like this:

We have been in several (more than 1, less than 20) area restaurants that, upon arrival, have asked us, "Do you need a kid's menu?" This question should be a red flag for several reasons:

1. We have a child with us, but she's 6 months old.
2. She's in a CAR CARRIER.
3. She does have opposable thumbs, but no coordination.
Lastly (and probably most importantly)?
4. She has no teeth.

The first time it happened we laughed it off. It was a busy night, the hostess was a teenager, so whatever. The second time? The third time? At different restaurants? It started to get a little creepy. Last night? They added a line item to our receipt for "$0 Children's Buffet".

UH. HUH?!?

I thought that posting covered one of the weirdest things that had happened with Ella in public.
Until this weekend.

We were at a large area art festival and had pulled the stroller over to the side of the massive push of pedestrian traffic (and seriously, people, getting a FREE radio-station-logoed T-shirt is so NOT worth decapitating my daughter over as we innocently and unassumingly found ourselves in your crowd).

Anyway...

As we stood by a vendor, the woman working the booth started talking to Ella (who simulates dancing moves whenever she hears music).

(Ella, not the woman).

Riveting conversation ensues:

VW (Vendor Woman): OOOO...look at her dance! Does she appreciate the visual arts, too?

ME: Ummmm...it's a little too early to tell. She's definitely interested in everything going on...

(What I really wanted to say: She really enjoys staring at the 'shroom-style-acid-dropping-type visuals of the Baby Mozart/Einstein DVD. But I withheld. I mean, that counts as appreciating the visual arts, right?!? Anyway...)

VW: AHHH...is she coloring yet? Here's a coloring book, I bet she'll enjoy that!

ME: Well. Thank you. That's very generous. She's not quite there yet, so maybe we'll save this for a little while.

At that moment? Todd and I simultaneously look into the stroller at our 7-month old, who is?
Drooling and sucking on her big toe.

Perhaps we shall wait a while longer before we introduce crayons into her life...