A [coming into the house at dinnertime]: Oh, that smells amazing!! That food smells so amazing! It smells so good, I might faint!
[enters dining room]
A: Rice?!? We get to have rice? Rice is my favourite!!
[Think he oversold it?]
Friday, August 31, 2012
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Recommendation Edition
Nanny: Oh, I see you're reading. What's the book?
A: It's Geronimo Stilton.
Nanny: Oh, very nice.
A: You know ... if you happen to have some free time, it's a pretty funny book!
Nanny: Oh, good.
A: No, I mean, like if YOU had some free time. It's not just a book for kids. [drops voice to conspiratorial whisper] Some grown ups really like it, too.
Nanny: Oh, yes?
A: Yeah! So you could read it.
A: It's Geronimo Stilton.
Nanny: Oh, very nice.
A: You know ... if you happen to have some free time, it's a pretty funny book!
Nanny: Oh, good.
A: No, I mean, like if YOU had some free time. It's not just a book for kids. [drops voice to conspiratorial whisper] Some grown ups really like it, too.
Nanny: Oh, yes?
A: Yeah! So you could read it.
Conversation With a 9-Year-Old: Fashion Advice Edition
Me: What do you think of this top?
J: It's fine ... but I think it's more a top for wearing at home.
Me: You don't think I should wear this top outside the house?!
J: No, just that ... you know, it's a good top for sleeping in.
Me: You think I should sleep in it.
J: No, I mean for DAYS when you can sleep in. Then you just get up, put that top on, you're comfortable ...
Me: Oh, it's a better top for relaxing days.
J: Yeah!
Me: Not such a good top for going-to-the-office days?
J: Yeah.
Me: I agree.
J: It's fine ... but I think it's more a top for wearing at home.
Me: You don't think I should wear this top outside the house?!
J: No, just that ... you know, it's a good top for sleeping in.
Me: You think I should sleep in it.
J: No, I mean for DAYS when you can sleep in. Then you just get up, put that top on, you're comfortable ...
Me: Oh, it's a better top for relaxing days.
J: Yeah!
Me: Not such a good top for going-to-the-office days?
J: Yeah.
Me: I agree.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Conversation With a 9-Year-Old: Earworm Edition
J: I am never going to the PNE again!
Me: Why not?
J: Because one of the rides was playing that Barbie Girl song.
Me: J, we were at the PNE over a week ago.
J: I KNOW!! I can't get it out of my head!! I've tried singing other songs, daydreaming a bit ... it just. keeps. coming. back.
Me: No kidding. I thought it had died a long, long time ago.
Me: Why not?
J: Because one of the rides was playing that Barbie Girl song.
Me: J, we were at the PNE over a week ago.
J: I KNOW!! I can't get it out of my head!! I've tried singing other songs, daydreaming a bit ... it just. keeps. coming. back.
Me: No kidding. I thought it had died a long, long time ago.
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Side Effect Edition
[I wake up at 3:50 am to a whole lot of bed hair in my face, as A snuggles in beside me]
A: Can I sleep with you? I had a nightmare.
Me: About what?
A: DNA.
[the next morning]
Me: So, this DNA nightmare.
A: I don't want to talk about it! It's too scary!
Me: Okay, I get that. But - - were there dinosaurs?
A: No, it was about the DNA in blood. It was really creepy.
A: Can I sleep with you? I had a nightmare.
Me: About what?
A: DNA.
[the next morning]
Me: So, this DNA nightmare.
A: I don't want to talk about it! It's too scary!
Me: Okay, I get that. But - - were there dinosaurs?
A: No, it was about the DNA in blood. It was really creepy.
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Aspirations Edition #2
A, to random kid on the playground: When I grow up, I'm going to be a DNA inventor. No! A DNA genius!!
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Aspirations Edition
A: Guys, I reeeeallly want to be an inventor! Like, so much!!
Dad: Well, that's good, you could do that. You'd have to work hard in school, and probably go to university. Lots of inventors work making new kinds of machines and things.
A: Like Leonardo da Vinci.
Dad: Yes, Leonardo da Vinci was a pretty amazing inventor.
A: I think I want to be an even better inventor than Leonardo da Vinci.
Dad: Well, you can certainly try for that.
A: Because you know what Leonardo da Vinci never invented? Animals.
Me: And you want to invent new animals?
A: Yeah, making new DNA!
Me: Well, you know, there's a whole lot of scientists out there that do exactly that. They work with animals, making changes to DNA, mostly to help with medical science. There's a pretty famous court case called the Harvard mouse case, involving a new kind of mouse.
Dad: That the lawyers found a way to make money on.
Me: Hey!
Dad: Well, that's good, you could do that. You'd have to work hard in school, and probably go to university. Lots of inventors work making new kinds of machines and things.
A: Like Leonardo da Vinci.
Dad: Yes, Leonardo da Vinci was a pretty amazing inventor.
A: I think I want to be an even better inventor than Leonardo da Vinci.
Dad: Well, you can certainly try for that.
A: Because you know what Leonardo da Vinci never invented? Animals.
Me: And you want to invent new animals?
A: Yeah, making new DNA!
Me: Well, you know, there's a whole lot of scientists out there that do exactly that. They work with animals, making changes to DNA, mostly to help with medical science. There's a pretty famous court case called the Harvard mouse case, involving a new kind of mouse.
Dad: That the lawyers found a way to make money on.
Me: Hey!
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Growing Obsession Edition
A: So. DNA. I think there should be a computer game where you get to move DNA around, and make new animals.
Me: We can check and see if there are some DNA-themed games out there, but I think it's complicated enough that any game wouldn't be a very accurate depiction of how DNA works.
A: And you know what I want my birthday party to be next year?
Me: DNA themed?
A: OBVIOUSLY!!
Me: We can check and see if there are some DNA-themed games out there, but I think it's complicated enough that any game wouldn't be a very accurate depiction of how DNA works.
A: And you know what I want my birthday party to be next year?
Me: DNA themed?
A: OBVIOUSLY!!
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Genetics Edition
A: So, do you think there could ever be a new DNA?
Me: I think there is new DNA all the time. DNA is really complicated, and when animals reproduce, changes to DNA can happen. It's called genetic mutation.
A: Mutation? Really?
Me: Yup - I think it's where all kinds of things about people, like different hair and eye colours, come from.
A: But, could you use DNA to make a new animal?
Dad: I think they're trying that with a frozen mammoth they found, actually.
A: Could they make dinosaurs?
Dad: Well, I guess in theory. There's a movie about that, you know, called Jurassic Park.
A: And in Jurassic Park, they use DNA to make new animals? I've got to see that movie.
Me: I think there is new DNA all the time. DNA is really complicated, and when animals reproduce, changes to DNA can happen. It's called genetic mutation.
A: Mutation? Really?
Me: Yup - I think it's where all kinds of things about people, like different hair and eye colours, come from.
A: But, could you use DNA to make a new animal?
Dad: I think they're trying that with a frozen mammoth they found, actually.
A: Could they make dinosaurs?
Dad: Well, I guess in theory. There's a movie about that, you know, called Jurassic Park.
A: And in Jurassic Park, they use DNA to make new animals? I've got to see that movie.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Inspiration Edition
[Note: this post begins a series with respect to the 7-year-old's newfound passion]
A: Do you think there could ever be a new DNA?
Me: I am not sure, but I think there's new DNA all the time.
A: Well, when we were in Manitoba, I think I saw one. A new DNA. I mean, a caterpiller with a new kind of DNA. Because it had all these long hairs. I don't think anyone has ever seen one before.
Me: Interesting.
A: But do you think there could be new DNA? Maybe I could make new DNA!
A: Do you think there could ever be a new DNA?
Me: I am not sure, but I think there's new DNA all the time.
A: Well, when we were in Manitoba, I think I saw one. A new DNA. I mean, a caterpiller with a new kind of DNA. Because it had all these long hairs. I don't think anyone has ever seen one before.
Me: Interesting.
A: But do you think there could be new DNA? Maybe I could make new DNA!
Conversation With a 9-Year-Old: Barney Stinson Edition
J: Hey, Mom! You know what's the best milk in the Pokemon universe?
Me: No, what?
J: Milk that is legen-DAIRY!
[Note: He has never seen How I Met Your Mother]
Me: No, what?
J: Milk that is legen-DAIRY!
[Note: He has never seen How I Met Your Mother]
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Moment With a 9-Year-Old: Caregiver Edition
This morning, J walked me to the door, brought me fresh tissues for my runny nose, tucked them into my pocket, and buttoned up my coat. Then he walked me to the end of the lane to bid me farewell.
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Environmentalist Edition
A [after learning part of the forest would be cut down to build houses]: You guys, I'm not like other kids. I want to work to protect nature. Because you know what? Nature ... is love. That's right, nature is love. And you can only destroy nature. You can never create it. You can plant things after you destroy them, but that's not creating nature. Only nature can create nature!
Conversation With a 9-Year-Old: Pop Culture Edition
J: Mom, what are "Simpsons"?
Me: You mean you don't know?
J: Just tell me!
Me: The Simpsons is a cartoon, that's been on TV for a long time.
[And then I thought, "wow! Finally, a pop culture reference he hasn't been bombarded with! We must be doing something right!"
That thought was immediately replaced by the notion that the fact that he's asking the question at all suggests that the correct answer is "no longer relevant"]
Me: You mean you don't know?
J: Just tell me!
Me: The Simpsons is a cartoon, that's been on TV for a long time.
[And then I thought, "wow! Finally, a pop culture reference he hasn't been bombarded with! We must be doing something right!"
That thought was immediately replaced by the notion that the fact that he's asking the question at all suggests that the correct answer is "no longer relevant"]
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Technicality Edition
A: And I was shy to say hi to my classmate on the bus. Don't tell Dad!
Me: Was the classmate a girl?
A: Yes.
Me: Was it C?
A: Nooo!! C is Chinese, and this classmate speaks Spanish!
Me: Ah.
A: And you know, Peru and China are ... no, what is that other country where they speak Spanish?
Me: Chile? [there are a lot of Chilean kids at his school]
A: Yeah. Chile. Chile and China are, like, really far.
Me: Yep, they're both far away.
A: I mean from each other.
Me: That too.
A [conceding the point]: Well. They are far away from Canada too. And from Gerbil Land! Do you know where Gerbil Land is?
Me: Over there? [pointing at the gerbil cage]
A: No, I mean where they're from. Mongolia.
Me: Well, Mongolia is right next to China, actually.
A: No, I mean where their DNA is from. Originally.
Me: Yeah, Mongolia, which is right beside China.
A: But when their DNA began, it wasn't China, was it??
Me: Oh, I see. Probably not.
A: Right. Actually, China is so far away from where Gerbil Land was, originally, that it didn't even exist yet!
Conversation With a 9-Year-Old: Unconditional Love Edition
J: Mom?
Me: Yes?
J: I love you.
Me: Oh, sweetie, I love you too.
J: You didn't have to say it back. I just wanted to tell you how I felt.
Me: Yes?
J: I love you.
Me: Oh, sweetie, I love you too.
J: You didn't have to say it back. I just wanted to tell you how I felt.
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Wordplay Edition
Me: Okay, I'm off. Have a good day!
A: My goal is to always preserve the ice.
Me: Huh?
A: Like, even if there are two spaces, I put more water in.
Me: Oh, you always refill the ice tray? Good job.
A: And it's cool, because then some water goes over the ice that is already in there, and it makes new ice, and then when you take out a square later, when you put it in your drink, it cracks where the new water went.
Me: So it's like a science experiment?
A: Right! [slow, mischievous grin spreads across his face] But the other fun thing to make is ... MICE!!
Me: Huh?
A: Do you know what "mice" is?
Me: No, tell me.
A: It's [raises one palm] milk, that you freeze into [raises other palm] ice. Milk-Ice. Mice!
Me: That's awesome. Ok, I should go to work. Have a good day. Make some mice!
A: Oh, I already did that. You have a good day too.
A: My goal is to always preserve the ice.
Me: Huh?
A: Like, even if there are two spaces, I put more water in.
Me: Oh, you always refill the ice tray? Good job.
A: And it's cool, because then some water goes over the ice that is already in there, and it makes new ice, and then when you take out a square later, when you put it in your drink, it cracks where the new water went.
Me: So it's like a science experiment?
A: Right! [slow, mischievous grin spreads across his face] But the other fun thing to make is ... MICE!!
Me: Huh?
A: Do you know what "mice" is?
Me: No, tell me.
A: It's [raises one palm] milk, that you freeze into [raises other palm] ice. Milk-Ice. Mice!
Me: That's awesome. Ok, I should go to work. Have a good day. Make some mice!
A: Oh, I already did that. You have a good day too.
Conversation With the Boys: Optimism Edition
[Dad tells the kids a story about people finding happy moments in bad circumstances, and describes people having rubber duck races in the middle of flooding in China]
Dad: So, sometimes, you have to sort of see the rubber ducky in the situation.
A: But sometimes, the rubber ducky is tied up. And, like, you have to work really hard to get to it, and then work really hard because it's tied up.
Me: Do you sometimes find it hard to get happy about something?
A: Yes, but I can work hard to unleash the ducky!!
["Unleash the ducky" has become a new synonym for "look on the bright side" in our house]
Dad: So, sometimes, you have to sort of see the rubber ducky in the situation.
A: But sometimes, the rubber ducky is tied up. And, like, you have to work really hard to get to it, and then work really hard because it's tied up.
Me: Do you sometimes find it hard to get happy about something?
A: Yes, but I can work hard to unleash the ducky!!
["Unleash the ducky" has become a new synonym for "look on the bright side" in our house]
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Conversation With the Boys: Empathy Edition
[I was having a rough day]
J: Mom, are you okay?
Me: Not really.
J: What's wrong?
Me: Do you ever feel sad, but you don't know why you feel sad, so you can't fix it?
J: Yeah.
Me: That's how I'm feeling.
J: Why?
Me (smiling a bit): I just said I don't know why!
J: Oh, right.
[A comes in]
A: What are you guys talking about?
Me: Do you ever get sad, but you don't know why you're sad?
A: Yeah.
Me: That's how I feel right now.
A: Why?
J: She just told you she doesn't KNOW why.
Me: Yeah, so I think I'm going to lie down for a bit.
J: Do you want us to rub your shoulders?
Me: No ... I just need some down time.
J: We could put on some Buffy and I could bring you a glass of wine.
Me: I think I'd like that.
J: Mom, are you okay?
Me: Not really.
J: What's wrong?
Me: Do you ever feel sad, but you don't know why you feel sad, so you can't fix it?
J: Yeah.
Me: That's how I'm feeling.
J: Why?
Me (smiling a bit): I just said I don't know why!
J: Oh, right.
[A comes in]
A: What are you guys talking about?
Me: Do you ever get sad, but you don't know why you're sad?
A: Yeah.
Me: That's how I feel right now.
A: Why?
J: She just told you she doesn't KNOW why.
Me: Yeah, so I think I'm going to lie down for a bit.
J: Do you want us to rub your shoulders?
Me: No ... I just need some down time.
J: We could put on some Buffy and I could bring you a glass of wine.
Me: I think I'd like that.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Conversation With a 7-Year-Old: Social Media Edition
[I have, within the past 24 hours, acquired a Twitter account. I am sitting at my computer, figuring it out]
A (looking over my shoulder): Oh - is that tweeter? Are you tweeting now?
Me: How do you know about Twitter?
A: I just know.
A (looking over my shoulder): Oh - is that tweeter? Are you tweeting now?
Me: How do you know about Twitter?
A: I just know.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Memory Lane: Dreaming Edition
J [aged 4, singing]:
There's diamonds everywhere
rainbows in the air
rainbows and diamonds too
I love you
and I love you
Me: Oh, did you make that up?
J: I heard it when I was in your tummy, and just dreaming and dreaming and dreaming!
There's diamonds everywhere
rainbows in the air
rainbows and diamonds too
I love you
and I love you
Me: Oh, did you make that up?
J: I heard it when I was in your tummy, and just dreaming and dreaming and dreaming!
Memory Lane: Duet Edition
J [aged 4]: Spiderman, spiderman! Itza, itza spiderman!
A [aged 2]: Eee-Iiii, Eeee-Iiii Oooo!
J: NO! Spiderman, spiderman --
A: E-I, E-I O!!
A [aged 2]: Eee-Iiii, Eeee-Iiii Oooo!
J: NO! Spiderman, spiderman --
A: E-I, E-I O!!
Memory Lane: Perspective Edition
J [aged 4]: Mom, some day, we will move to a different new house, and then this will be our old house. Like our house in Peru is our old house now.
Memory Lane: Metamorphosis Edition
J [aged 4, at the aquarium]: Mom! Those butterflies come out of capullos! (cups hands like a cocoon)
Me: Really? How do they get into the capullos?
J [leaning in conspiratorially]: cat-er-pill-ers!
Me: Really? How do they get into the capullos?
J [leaning in conspiratorially]: cat-er-pill-ers!
Memory Lane: I Wish I Was Never Born! Him Either! Edition
[Kids are 4 and 2, and we are driving home from the aquarium. J is in a foul temper]
J: Mom, why you wanted to grow two babies?
Me: I wanted you to have a baby brother or sister so you wouldn't get lonely.
Dad: How many do you think we should have had, J?
J [starkly]: Zero.
J: Mom, why you wanted to grow two babies?
Me: I wanted you to have a baby brother or sister so you wouldn't get lonely.
Dad: How many do you think we should have had, J?
J [starkly]: Zero.
Memory Lane: Heartbreak Edition
J [aged 4]: Mom, you made me in your tummy?
Me: Yes.
J [hesitantly and politely]: And ... Mom? You just want to make me with one ear not hear good?
[I did my best to explain that mothers don't control how babies grow, or what goes into making them who they are at that stage, and that we had no more control over ears than we did over eye colour or whether they were a boy or a girl, which he found very funny]
Me: Yes.
J [hesitantly and politely]: And ... Mom? You just want to make me with one ear not hear good?
[I did my best to explain that mothers don't control how babies grow, or what goes into making them who they are at that stage, and that we had no more control over ears than we did over eye colour or whether they were a boy or a girl, which he found very funny]
Memory Lane: Damage Control Edition
J (aged 4): Dammit!
Me: Oh, sweetie. We shouldn't say that word. That's not a nice word to say. I know you might have heard me say it before, but I shouldn't say it and neither should you.
[days pass]
Me: Guys, be careful with that toy, or you could damage it.
J: Mom! You no say "dammit"!!
Me: No, I said "damage". It means to break or hurt something.
[the next day]
J: Dammit!
Me: Hey, what did we talk about.
J: No, Mom, I just say "damage".
Me: Oh, sweetie. We shouldn't say that word. That's not a nice word to say. I know you might have heard me say it before, but I shouldn't say it and neither should you.
[days pass]
Me: Guys, be careful with that toy, or you could damage it.
J: Mom! You no say "dammit"!!
Me: No, I said "damage". It means to break or hurt something.
[the next day]
J: Dammit!
Me: Hey, what did we talk about.
J: No, Mom, I just say "damage".
Memory Lane: Representation Edition
(A, aged 2, is pointing at his sippy cup and and saying something unintelligible.)
Me: Si! Es un leon ("yes! It's a lion.")
A: No es leon. Es di-BOO-oh!
Me: Es dibujo? ("it's a drawing?")
A: Si!
Me: Si! Es un leon ("yes! It's a lion.")
A: No es leon. Es di-BOO-oh!
Me: Es dibujo? ("it's a drawing?")
A: Si!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Memory Lane: How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away? Edition
[6:00 am, I awaken to an enormous pair of blue eyes staring seriously into mine.]
J: Mom!
Me: Mrph?
J: Why you come back from your trip?
Me: Well, sweetie, because we missed you.
J: Yeah, I miss you too. When you go another trip?
Me: Um, I don't know ...
J: When you come back your next trip, you gonna bring me FOUR presents!
Me: Um, no, we'll probably bring you just one present, just like this time.
J [triumphantly, as though playing a trump card]: No! You gonna bring me FOUR, because I FOUR years old!
Me: Well, that's certainly some kind of logic.
J: Mom!
Me: Mrph?
J: Why you come back from your trip?
Me: Well, sweetie, because we missed you.
J: Yeah, I miss you too. When you go another trip?
Me: Um, I don't know ...
J: When you come back your next trip, you gonna bring me FOUR presents!
Me: Um, no, we'll probably bring you just one present, just like this time.
J [triumphantly, as though playing a trump card]: No! You gonna bring me FOUR, because I FOUR years old!
Me: Well, that's certainly some kind of logic.
Memory Lane: Learning to Talk Edition
A's first words and phrases, at about a year of age:
"Agua!"
"Vaca!" (cow)
"Oh maaaan!"
"Mapa!" (the map, on Dora the Explorer)
"Esto es de Alit!" (This is Alec's)
"Ya esta!" (all done, or there you go)
"Horse."
"Ey-UUUV-ooo!" (I love you)
"Agua!"
"Vaca!" (cow)
"Oh maaaan!"
"Mapa!" (the map, on Dora the Explorer)
"Esto es de Alit!" (This is Alec's)
"Ya esta!" (all done, or there you go)
"Horse."
"Ey-UUUV-ooo!" (I love you)
Memory Lane: Grace Edition
J [almost 4 years old, at Christmas Dinner]: Wait! We have to say the thing first! [Stands up on his chair]
Time for eat! Time for drink!
Time for eat! Time for drink!
All done!
Time for eat! Time for drink!
Time for eat! Time for drink!
All done!
Memory Lane: J's Early Gourmand Days #2
[I had made osso bucco, and the 3-year-old was not interested in supper]
Me: J! Come look what's on my plate! It's amazing! You won't believe it!
J (trots over - I give him my fork and tell him to tap the bone): It a BONE?
Me: Yep.
[I scooped some marrow out of the bone]
J: What that?
Me: That's called 'marrow'. It grows inside bones.
J: It for eating?
Me: Definitely.
J: I try it!
[and then he ate everyone's marrow, and when all the marrow was gone, he whined and tried to convince me to make more immediately]
Me: J! Come look what's on my plate! It's amazing! You won't believe it!
J (trots over - I give him my fork and tell him to tap the bone): It a BONE?
Me: Yep.
[I scooped some marrow out of the bone]
J: What that?
Me: That's called 'marrow'. It grows inside bones.
J: It for eating?
Me: Definitely.
J: I try it!
[and then he ate everyone's marrow, and when all the marrow was gone, he whined and tried to convince me to make more immediately]
Memory Lane: J's Early Gourmand Days
Me: What do you want for supper?
J (aged 3): sushi!
Me: What do you want in the sushi?
J: Olives!
J (aged 3): sushi!
Me: What do you want in the sushi?
J: Olives!
Memory Lane: Persistence Edition
J had a speech delay and some problems with clarity of speech as a small child. He did speech therapy from age 2 - 3, but that stopped when we moved to Peru. What follows is a recounting of his efforts to communicate something to his parents when he was about 3 years and 2 months old:
Last night, J was trying to tell his dad something in the bathroom. Apparently, when Dad didn't understand, J said, "you no understand. We go tell Mom, Mom understand." But I didn't, right away, because he kept talking about something that sounded like 'tawrl'. So he said, "remember, that day, we go in the car, with the girls, the ladies, and we walking, that other day, and we go one tawrl, another one tawrl, another one tawrl? That other day? Remember that? With the one two ladies?" This went on for a good 5-10 minutes. And, eventually, I did remember that the day before we had gone in the car with the woman from the company and the nanny, and we had gone to three schools. And when I got it, he said, "yeah, that what I trying to tell you today in the van with the grandmas, remember that?" Because he had been trying to tell them about visiting the schools, and none of us understood what he was saying. So we worked a bit on his pronunciation of schools, but mostly I was just amazed at how patiently he explained and elaborated until we got what he was talking about.
Last night, J was trying to tell his dad something in the bathroom. Apparently, when Dad didn't understand, J said, "you no understand. We go tell Mom, Mom understand." But I didn't, right away, because he kept talking about something that sounded like 'tawrl'. So he said, "remember, that day, we go in the car, with the girls, the ladies, and we walking, that other day, and we go one tawrl, another one tawrl, another one tawrl? That other day? Remember that? With the one two ladies?" This went on for a good 5-10 minutes. And, eventually, I did remember that the day before we had gone in the car with the woman from the company and the nanny, and we had gone to three schools. And when I got it, he said, "yeah, that what I trying to tell you today in the van with the grandmas, remember that?" Because he had been trying to tell them about visiting the schools, and none of us understood what he was saying. So we worked a bit on his pronunciation of schools, but mostly I was just amazed at how patiently he explained and elaborated until we got what he was talking about.
Memory Lane: Misunderstanding Edition
J (aged 3, in Peru): This milk lucky!
Me: Oh, that's nice.
J (angrily): No! Lucky milk!
[a great deal of exasperated toddler explaining follows]
Me: Ooooh, it's yucky?
J: Yeah! Lucky milk.
Me: Oh, that's nice.
J (angrily): No! Lucky milk!
[a great deal of exasperated toddler explaining follows]
Me: Ooooh, it's yucky?
J: Yeah! Lucky milk.
Memory Lane: The Style To Which He's Become Accustomed Edition
I have decided to reproduce blog entries from my previous blogs, in which I quoted the kids, in order to have all the quotes in one place.
J, aged 3, entering economy class after having flown once in business class: Mom! These seats too small!
Me: There is no business class on this plane.
J: Well, that okay.
J, aged 3, entering economy class after having flown once in business class: Mom! These seats too small!
Me: There is no business class on this plane.
J: Well, that okay.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)