When I was living in Spain I was highly atuned to language– both English and Spanish. I was always noticing phrases, sayings, colloquialisms. And now that we have a walking, talking 2 love, my language radar is up again. All of a sudden I notice the inaccuracies of words like babysitter… and the inopportune message it might send to both parties. You’re a big boy, not a baby! And I’m not paying $10 an hour for you to “sit.”
You start to wonder why you drive screws with a screw driver, but we don’t have a naildriver. Flashlight, cupcake, pigsty, unicorn. James pointed out that he’s always wondered why it isn’t “unihorn”… why didn’t I think of that?
Two morning ago, I’m warming-up milk for Jake at 5-something am with one eye open. He’s standing in the doorway and he asks, “Mama, where’s Jacob’s dumbkicks?”
“Dumbkicks? I don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Dumbkicks. Like this.” And then he takes his little fingers and drums them on the doorjamb to show me what he’s talking about… Ah. Drumsticks.
A few minutes later, “Where’s phonesticks? Where’s Jacob’s phonesticks at?”
“Phonesticks?” It’s early. I can’t really imagine what phonesticks might be. I take my hot tea and sit on the couch with my eyes shut.
Jakey holds up his xylophone and his block with a mini xlyophone inside.
“Look Mama, two of ’em. Two xlyophones. Phonesticks!” And he begins a 5am xlyophone wake-up ballad with his “phonesticks.”
Pingback: Frank
Pingback: marvin
Pingback: george
Pingback: Luke