I think it's learned and not taught. She will come to the self realization that people are ignorant and don't know any better. Someday she'll learn to brush it off and carry on with life. Through Frances' eyes there is so much more joy to see and experience in life than silly people calling her a baby.

So - I'm not sure I'll say this the way that I mean, I didn't hear the tone or the tenor of Frances's dad's laugh - but my children make me laugh - not because they are ridiculous (quite the contrary) but because I take true delight and joy in them and what they do. Sometimes, it just makes me laugh out loud to be with them and watch their amazing facility in making their way through the world. (I may even be laughing at my own amazement, when they surprise me yet again with something that they do successfully that I thought for sure would end in disaster - like my son balancing a cup of gingerale on a coaster last night, and successfully clearing a spot on the train table to set it down with one hand - he's three).
I believe that sometimes when children cause others to laugh (for example, at a preschool program) it is not because they are being laughed AT - it is because people are genuinely enjoying them.
BUT - it is decidedly true that the child can feel they are being laughed at. I STILL remember coming out into the living room at a party my parents were hosting, and saying something, and having everyone around me burst into laughter. My mother had to mend my feelings and assure me that they were not laughing in ridicule at what I had said.

I don't remember how she managed to reassure me, but I do know that as I grew, I became quite comfortable talking with adults, and really believed that I could talk to them directly, in conversation, and not as a sort of precocious oddity.
So - I don't know if any of this is helpful - but I know that I am actively trying to build in my children the same belief that I had, which is that they have something to say, and that adults will listen to them, and respond to them as people (and not as cute little talking toys) and I will try to figure out how to convey to them the understanding that sometimes adults are surprised, and maybe even delighted, to hear what they have to say, and sometimes those adults will laugh - in appreciation - and not in derision.
I have no doubt, from everything I read here, that Frances expects to enter into conversation with any person she desires to address - and I join you in the hope that those around her will be able to see that (or quickly learn it) and acknowledge her as the thinking person she is.

So - there it is - not sure if I conveyed what I wanted or not, but hopefully . . . .

I am sure she will look gorgeous in her costume and hope to see a picture :)

Right now everyone thinks I have two babies, there is a lot of confusion from strangers about how far apart they are.. certainly noone thinks they are one and three... I can see the math happening (6 months and 15 months, maybe?)

DD at this point still encourages this. She likes to be babied, says mommy has two babies and refers to herself as a baby. I think in her case it's partially jealousy of the "real baby". (I'm the REAL BABY!" she will yell and stomp.)

I wonder as she gets a little older will she stop enjoying being "babied" by people, or will jealousy of her younger sister continue to encourage this behaviour. (hopefully at least, she will get out of diapers...)

I still struggle sometimes with not laughing at the girls, particularly since Annika doesn't want it and Frankie craves it. I used to always tell Annika that sometimes laughter is a little like love (I laugh because she makes me so happy), although she and I both knew it didn't change the fact that I hurt her feelings. It's hard to teach them/let them see that people who love them will sometimes hurt them accidentally, but on the other hand it leaves you the valuable space to teach them about understanding (and misunderstanding--which is usually the cause of the unwanted laughter), as well as forgiveness. Learning how to deal with the fact that people who love you will still sometimes hurt your feelings, and learning how to speak up for yourself and work it out is probably one of the best (and hardest)lessons out there. Truthfully, I'm still trying to learn this one myself.

I have to admit, I did laugh at the description of Frances buzzing like a bee, not because I thought it silly or cute, but because it was such a lovely description of a happy little girl and it made me smile. However, I realize that if Frances were to have heard me, she probably would have thought I was laughing at her, not laughing for joy.