I love watching and listening to little ones as they're learning to speak. They hear it right, but sometimes, something gets lost in the translation. Sometimes, I like their words better than the real ones. Sometimes, their words are funnier and also unrepeatable!
I remember when my youngest daughter was learning to speak in sentences, and came running to tell me, 'Mommy! Mommy! I just saw a f--k!" "WHAT!" "I just saw a f--k!" I spent a considerable amount of time coaching her on the word "truck". She hadn't been able to say the blended consonants, but by the end of the game I made up and the afternoon, she had it down pat.
I bet every family has similar stories to tell, some of which take place in the most awkward moments, like the middle of a crowded store, or a party, or maybe at church.
But there are some that are endearing, and one from last year that I hated to see change. Maggie was two and a half last summer, and speaking well for her age, with the usual confusing of words and switching around of syllables.
One afternoon when she was here at our house, and it was time for watching t.v., I asked her what she wanted to watch and she said, "I watch spicka-me." I had no idea what she was talking about. "What do you want, Maggie?" I wan spicka-me." " I'm sorry, I don't know what that is. Can we try something else?" "Yes you do,", she insisted. We went around a few more times, with Maggie insisting that I knew what it was and that I had it . "Can we please watch something else, Maggie?". Well, that was not a choice, but since I didn't know what she wanted, she settled for Spy Kids...."the robot one". When her mom came to pick her up, I asked her for the interpretation. She broke out laughing and said, "She wants to watch Despicable Me." I almost lost it over that....she was perfectly clear....however, we did NOT have that one. This year, she asks quite clearly for whatever she wants, and that makes things easier, but not as funny.
Last year, when we were outside enjoying the sun, the pool, and the flowers and bugs, she loved watching the "flutterflies". Even I knew what she meant. We have lots of different ones to see and she delights in all of them. She would sit in the window seat in our den and look out back to see if she could see them when we were in the house. "Look Grammie! There's a flutterfly. And there's another one". I loved her word for them; it somehow seemed more fitting than butterfly. And more descriptive to what they are, don't you agree?
Alas, when she spotted the first one this year, the baby language was gone, and they are now butterflies. She still takes delight in seeing them, but I am saddened at the loss of the other oh so wonderful word.
Every mother of grown children will advise every mother of a newborn to enjoy it while it lasts; childhood is so fleeting. And it truly is. I often wish I had written down the things that my children said and did, and the things that my older grandchildren have said and done. It is so fleeting, and so is my memory. But most of the time, I was too busy raising them to think of that. The truth is, I still am most of the time.
Flutterfly. A great word. I think I'll always remember this one. Even if it's gone from everyday speech, it's in my heart.
I remember when my youngest daughter was learning to speak in sentences, and came running to tell me, 'Mommy! Mommy! I just saw a f--k!" "WHAT!" "I just saw a f--k!" I spent a considerable amount of time coaching her on the word "truck". She hadn't been able to say the blended consonants, but by the end of the game I made up and the afternoon, she had it down pat.
I bet every family has similar stories to tell, some of which take place in the most awkward moments, like the middle of a crowded store, or a party, or maybe at church.
But there are some that are endearing, and one from last year that I hated to see change. Maggie was two and a half last summer, and speaking well for her age, with the usual confusing of words and switching around of syllables.
One afternoon when she was here at our house, and it was time for watching t.v., I asked her what she wanted to watch and she said, "I watch spicka-me." I had no idea what she was talking about. "What do you want, Maggie?" I wan spicka-me." " I'm sorry, I don't know what that is. Can we try something else?" "Yes you do,", she insisted. We went around a few more times, with Maggie insisting that I knew what it was and that I had it . "Can we please watch something else, Maggie?". Well, that was not a choice, but since I didn't know what she wanted, she settled for Spy Kids...."the robot one". When her mom came to pick her up, I asked her for the interpretation. She broke out laughing and said, "She wants to watch Despicable Me." I almost lost it over that....she was perfectly clear....however, we did NOT have that one. This year, she asks quite clearly for whatever she wants, and that makes things easier, but not as funny.
Last year, when we were outside enjoying the sun, the pool, and the flowers and bugs, she loved watching the "flutterflies". Even I knew what she meant. We have lots of different ones to see and she delights in all of them. She would sit in the window seat in our den and look out back to see if she could see them when we were in the house. "Look Grammie! There's a flutterfly. And there's another one". I loved her word for them; it somehow seemed more fitting than butterfly. And more descriptive to what they are, don't you agree?
Alas, when she spotted the first one this year, the baby language was gone, and they are now butterflies. She still takes delight in seeing them, but I am saddened at the loss of the other oh so wonderful word.
Every mother of grown children will advise every mother of a newborn to enjoy it while it lasts; childhood is so fleeting. And it truly is. I often wish I had written down the things that my children said and did, and the things that my older grandchildren have said and done. It is so fleeting, and so is my memory. But most of the time, I was too busy raising them to think of that. The truth is, I still am most of the time.
Flutterfly. A great word. I think I'll always remember this one. Even if it's gone from everyday speech, it's in my heart.
