It's ok. You can laugh. Or cry. Or just send me your 19 year old daughter to have for the next few years. THAT would be awesome!
So as I was saying, oh yeah, college. I had a great experience, and learned many things. I was very well trained in piano. I know how to play that big hunk of wooden hammers and steel strings. And I know how to sight-sing in solfege. And I know how to analyze contrapuntal music (well, that might be a little rusty). I could conduct a choir if I had to. And as far as the Liberal Arts went, I loved those classes too (except World History, but we're not going there). I particularly loved my French class. Not only did I take two semesters of that, I had the privilege of having a German friend, Japanese friend, and Mandarin speaking friend who taught me a few words here and there. I also went on a missions trip to Romania after my freshman year, and still remember how to say "how much does it cost" and "thank you" and "good day." Recently, thanks to Highlights magazines, I now know about 27 words in Spanish. I love learning about other cultures and languages. Always have.
But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, has prepared me for the lovely year of learning Toddlerian. (or Toddlish/ Toddlegian/Toddlen? Take your pick!)
It. Is. Hard.
I've had this course two times already, and I don't remember much about them to be honest. But this third course, Kelly 202, is um, well, let's just say I'm getting by with a C. But hey, as my husband has taught me, "C is for cookie!"
She might look like a little American girl, but she does not sound like one. At least not yet. So on top of all the other things there are to do, being interrupted about 85 times a day by a dialect so foreign to my ears does not go over well. Sometimes I just laugh. Sometimes I very firmly say "I have NO IDEA what you're saying." Neither helps of course. My little girl MUST be understood, and if she is not, will repeat over and over and over and over again her grunts and alien sounding syllables until she is affirmed (meaning I have to figure out what the heck she's saying, say it, and wait for her very German sounding "Yah!"). If I fail to say what she means, tears and crying and the like follow...or what's really funny is when she repeats herself slowly and loudly!
~Mommy, babee oh ah-ah = baby rolled over
~Mih-mow hah puhpuh deh ah = Minnie mouse have purple dress on
~Eh-eh puh mee... Crying and Evan saying he did not push her helped me decipher that one, plus I know Evan is 'eh-eh'
~Pih-eh hoe oh-uh! = princess show is over! (amidst tears...that one was really hard the first couple times)
~Mee hake bah too = me take a bath too!
~May pee-hah pee-buh booh = May I please have peanut butter spoon (which she requests about 10 times a day on average)
There are some times I feel like I'm in a foreign country, having to take into account context and surroundings, and hand signals and body language to figure it out.
Have you ever been in a choir and the conductor asked you to sing just on the vowels? That's what she reminds me of. Except she unfortunately does not use any familiar melodies. But when she does, it's pretty cute I must say: "Jesus loves me this I know" sounds like "E-uh uh me ih I no."
It's not always difficult to figure out what she's saying, thank goodness:
~Daddy ho! (when he walks in the door)
~Nee huh ah kih (hug and kiss before bedtime, with gestures to aid me =; )
~Hat-ee hat-ee ho (what does the fox say?)
~Baby happy! (anytime Eric is smiling, which is a lot)
~Me ee pih-eh book! (She is a true girly girl and loves all princess stories)
~Pee hah mo milk! (Yes you may)
Sweet little story to wrap this up: the other night I was sitting at the piano playing a worship song, where the chorus goes "Jesus, his name is Jesus, etc." and she sits next to me on the bench and starts singing "Ee-suh, ee-suh," in the same rhythm. That time I knew for sure what she was saying, and it Warmed. My. Heart!
"Out of the mouth of babies and children you have established strength." Psalm 8:2
Even if I don't know what she's saying all the time, it's nice to know Someone does. And He has a purpose for her life and is keeping her heart beating and her brain growing every day for His good pleasure.
I love you Kelly Grace. "I uh yoo, mommy!"
