rivka

Recently, Alex has been learning about the concept "hot." Mama's tea is hot. Papa's coffee is hot. Sometimes she has to wait for her food because it's too hot.

At first, it was only a word that she repeated after me. Next, she applied it in situations where I had used it before; for example, she'd point at my steaming mug of tea and say "Hot! Hot!" I would agree, and remind her that she can't touch Mama's cup because it's hot.

Last week, I gave her a piece of cheese toast that was quite warm, but not hot enough to burn her mouth. She touched the cheese with her finger and said, with delight, "Hot!" She'd made the discovery that the property "hot" could apply to things that she is allowed to touch, and not just to dangerous and forbidden things.

Yesterday, as we crossed the street on our way to church, Alex noticed steam coming up from the sewer grates. "Hot!" she suggested. Yes, we agreed. Steam is hot.

And we presented Michael with a large pottery coffee mug with Alex's handprint and footprint on it. As he was turning it this way and that, admiring it, Alex pointed at it. "Hot." Well, not now - but when there's coffee in it, it will be hot.

Abstract concepts are a bit tricky.