"You So Silly, Mommy"

After asking Alaina something recently, this is the reply I got.

We were in the car and she and Ally were talking about adding numbers. Alaina was trying to explain to Ally that in a subtraction problem, the big number has to come first; but in an addition problem, it doesn't matter. Ally just didn't get it. Then I asked Alaina a question...

"Alaina, do you remember how to write your numbers in Chinese?"

"Sure, I think so."

Me -- "Why do they write the numbers in China 2 ways? Why do they write them like we do in English (digits) and write them with a character?"

Alaina -- "Mommy, you know that. You so silly!"

Me -- "No I really don't know. Why do they do both?"

A -- "You just so silly. You KNOW this!"

Me -- "No, I really don't! Tell me."

A -- "OK, the number is just like our number. The character is just like our word. Like 2 and T-W-O."

Me -- "Oh, yeah, I guess so!"

Gee whiz, silly mommy!