An Honest to God Conversation

As a parent, you know your child is maturing. You see it everyday. Little things they couldn't do before they suddenly can do now. As babies, the leaps involve movements: sitting up, grabbing things, crawling, walking, etc. As toddlers, the leaps are more subtle and completely take you by surprise. Now that I'm back at work (a thoroughly depressing subject I may address later), I am back to my routine of calling Debbie as I leave for home. When we last left, Lauren would want to talk to me on the phone, but this usually consisted of her listening to my blabbering like an idiot and then hand the phone back to mommy.
Last night, I made the requisite phone call and Lauren, as she usually does, asked for the phone. This time, perhaps deciding she had had enough of my gibberish, she actually talked to me. Not just words talking, but full sentences that also match the context of the conversation. She tells me a little about her day; how she went to the park, played outside, sang songs, and is now playing with mommy.
Great! It's only 7 more years until she's calling her friends and talking about shopping and fashion and school and ... ugh ... boys. I am so not ready for this.