Toddlertalk

You know how toddlers pronounce certain words in their own way and sometimes it is just too adorable to correct and eventually you start using their terms as well? C and I do this all the time, and half the time we are only talking to each other.

Example. Last night C told me about their evening since I was out at a work Christmas party. They went to C's brother's house for pizza and "J had a bina when we got there and then ate some pizza." The word banana does not exist in our vocabulary any more! If we said "banana", J would know what we meant, but I guess we figure bina is shorter and also kind of cute!

A typical morning conversation between J and I goes something like this.

"Good morning! How did you leep? Did you stay warm under your pee-wee?"

"Up. Wanna play."

"Well, let's change your diaper and eat some breakfast."

"Breakfett. Me-meal. Blue-blues. Bina."

"Oh, baby, we don't have any blue-blues. But, you can have a bina in your oatmeal."

"Hucker."

"No, silly, you can't have a hucker! It's only 8 am! Now, let's get dressed and put on your gray hocks. Do you want to wear your Robeez or your Big Boy Shoes today?"

I was never really one for babytalk when J was an infant. I'd coo at him and such, but I mostly talked to him about what we were doing and seeing throughout the day. So, it's a little odd that I've adopted many of his words. The Ready to Read-trained librarian in me says I should probably speak correctly so that J gets a feel for the sounds and patterns in these words. But, having an eloquent and well-spoken toddler isn't any fun!

Trust me. Fun is climbing up on the hofa, sitting down with some books, like our favorite Goodnight Gorilla, and laughing at the you-peeper who doesn't realize the gorilla stole his keys!

Or, running through the house playing a game of gitchu.

Or, best of all, tucking the little guy into bed at night, covering him up with his pee-wee, saying, "La loo." And having him respond with a smile, "La loo too."