not a big girl

Adults always think they're praising E when they say she's a big girl, but actually she doesn't want to be one. She responds that she's "just a little bit big girl". She told me that her teacher Kelsey told her she's "a lot of big girl" and implied that she had to set Kelsey straight. The next day, I guess, E told me out of the blue that she's a lot of big girl. She had a sort of shyly proud look on her face so I said "Congratulations!"

Her face changed and she scolded me. "Don't say [a butchered version of 'congratulations']!"

I said, "What should I say?"

She said, "Say kangaroos!"

"Okay, kangaroos then!"

And she changed the subject.