Hot Dog Buns, Hot Dog Buns, 1 a penny, 2 a penny, Hot Dog Buns

We are early piano players in this house. Not the 5 in the morning, but as in toddler banging applesauce hands on the keys kind. My little Pumpkin was playing a lovely rendition of Hot Cross Buns on the "Three Bears" black keys last night for my husband.  He heard her sweet little voice, as he sat at his desk doing his War College  homework, a little surprised to hear her singing "Hot Dog Buns" instead of Hot Cross Buns.  Pumpkin wakes up every morning making clucking noises to indicate hunger. I know the chicken clucks will go away soon. At almost 2 and a half, new words are coming fast and furious, but for now I love those clucks.  I ask her, "Is my little Pumpkin hungry? What would you like for breakfast?"  and the usual reply is "Hot Dogsssss!" or "Mac and Cheese!" or sometimes the unusual request for pancakes.  Other mornings she will sneak into my bed, pull back my eyelid, put the palm of her hand on my cheek and looking very alert and serious, whisper "hot dogs".  The funny thing is that we are vegan. She has never even eaten a real hot dog. We call our vegan dogs Smart Dogs by their brand name, but some how, she has learned the appropriate colloquial name for them, and prefers it.  Though I doubt she knows what any dog is made of, vegan or not, nor would she care.  But, the lesson is that with proper motivation, a child can accomplish great things, even learning to play the piano at the age of two if hot dogs are involved.