Walking to the park the other day, Lauren began to say, "I want the ploodle! I want to feel the ploodle." I asked her to repeat herself and she said the exact same thing again. I was lost.
Have you ever been there? I mean, you can understand the words that are coming out of their mouths but have no idea what they're saying??? I’ve backpacked alone through Europe. I’ve visited China solo. I’ve been to 5 of the 7 continents and traveled to over 20 different countries. Even though I may not have spoken the language in all of those places, I’ve managed to get where I’m going via train, taxi, boat or on foot; procured food and found a room; and I’ve seen the sights. I also spent four years as a linguist for the Air Force. Why then is it that I have so much trouble understanding my three year old? Usually she's just overly excited about what she’s saying or occasionally she’s overly upset. Either way, it can make for a difficult conversation.
Lauren: Mommy, How did the sqwireel bloh ahwaa?
Me: Honey, can you say that again? I didn’t understand.
Lauren: How did the sqwireel bloh ahwaa?
This is usually when I bring in the big guns. “Annnnnaaaa”, I call. “Please come tell me what your sister is saying.” Anna listens one time and then says, “Mommy, she just wants to know ‘how did the squirrel blow away’?” She must realize from my glazed over eyes and blank stare that Mommy is still in the dark. “You know, Mommy, from that movie “Ice Age”, at the very end??” The light finally dawns and I’m able to deliver a satisfactory answer to my wee one. Anna understands her most of the time and I’m usually right there with her 90% of the time but every once in a while she throws me for a loop.
In case you're wondering about the park phrase....she wanted to pet a poodle.
2 comments:
This is pretty cute, yes I know where you are coming from, some of the times I just can not understand them on the phone. I can tell that Anna think that I am a nut, but she will hang in there with me until I understand what she is really saying. I love you guys. Love Nana
That same thing happened to me earlier this week. Olivia told me she wanted to get some books on "aliens". Huh? It took me about 20 min to figure out what she was saying. "Ya know, the aliens we saw a Bridgeport." What? Oh....she saying Indians. She wanted to learn more about the Maidu Indians. Phew! I was happy to have finally figured it out.
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