Elephant and Piggie Need to Bring My Baby Back
We sat curled up together in the only rocking chair Alexis has ever known. It was carefully selected for her long before we knew she was a "her," long before we knew she would love books, long before we knew anything about the person she is. It's the chair we've sat in nearly every evening of her life. It's where adventures have taken place and where books have come to life. Once upon a time, I was the one with all of the words. I would read to her for hours on end. Lately, however, the tables have turned. It's her job to read to me these days.
She carefully maneuvered her way across the page, occasionally pausing for help when she didn't recognize a word. She has gotten pretty good at sounding things out, but she gets frustrated easily. It's better to help her quickly than to let her struggle and get upset.
"Two birds are making a nest on my head?" she slowly read. I smiled at her inflection. The kid is either a natural-born actress or a drama queen. She exaggerates everything when she reads.
"Why would two birds make a nest on my head?" she continued. My mind began to wander. That particular Elephant and Piggie book is one that I have memorized many times over. I don't really have to pay attention to know what's coming next.
"There . . . " I was jarred to attention. I didn't hear the rest of the sentence because I was stuck on "there."
"THERE."
Not "der."
"THere."
Alexis has so few words left that she pronounces like a preschooler. The "th" sound was pretty much the last one she had to fully conquer. And there it was. She had conquered it. I listened carefully as she finished the book. Every time, EVERY SINGLE TIME, she pronounced the "th" correctly.
A little bit more of the baby is gone.
Here's to hoping she hangs on to "icksgusting" a bit longer.
And maybe the cheap plastic bead necklaces and that little lip sucking thing she does when she's tired. They both sort of make me crazy, but they're some of the last signs of "baby" she has.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Reader Comments (13)
Pretty much all we have left: gynapstics, chickmonk, neckflax (netflix, in case you weren't sure), "I goed" instead of "I went"... and I think that might be just about it. Hell if I'm gonna correct any of them. Sniffle.
Yeah, suddenly the baby is gone and you wonder when that last little sign went. Next thing you know she's playing the theme from Mission Impossible on her electric guitar over and over and over again..oh, just me? I have to say, it's been kind of neat watching a child grow up that I've never met. I must have started reading your blog several years ago now and it doesn't seem like it's been that long from this side either. Also, I really like the halo effect in that photo.
Don't worry, you still have words like "Specifically" and "cinnamon" and "enthusiasm"!
Tell her to stop growing up! I remember when she couldn't say "yellow" correctly, now this? Just not right.
Also, is it wrong that I regularly ask Jack to say mayonnaise because he pronounces it "bananaise"?
@Molly--She says those all correctly! It's heart-breaking.
I hang on like crazy to those baby things. Em has lost most of them. Hell - Em looks like a teenager half the time and it's killing me. Nice outfit. You know I'm just waiting for a sparkle dress pic.
And then they are in Junior High - taking 2 hours in the monring to straighten their hair, asking for a facebook account, never being without their phone, dances, and still the never ending talking, talking, talking. I miss the rocking chair days!!! But I will never ever tell her to be quiet because one day it will be - and I will miss her.
I feel for ya girl. Now with Blake off to college I think of the things he used to say. We still giggle at some mistakes he made. Like when he was 3 and he was opening Christmas gifts, that happened to be a puzzel that was a map of the us, I asked him where Santa lives. He pauses and then says WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY up in Dallas! LOL
I miss so many things about him growing up. I'm so thankful for pictures and for video's. You will cherish documenting so many sweet things about Alexis.
Do you ever tell her about when she was littel she did this or that? Blake always loved hearing about it.
I miss my boy!... well I guess my young man. ;-( Hug your girl for me tonight.
i am on the verge of tears here and she isn't even my kid!
I wonder if I can get "icksgusting" to take hold in my house? Love it! 'Bout the only thing Bee has left is "stister" and when that goes, I think I might cry.
Firstly, love that pose :) LOL!
Secondly, even though the d'ere in Connor speech annoys me too, but I can only imagine how sad I'll be when my baby stops saying baby words altogether
Sometimes the words that come out of my 2.5 year old sound so adult - especially when it's a complete sentence with proper grammer!
PS - I love this picture of your daughter! :)
Mine was yallow and hang-a-burger....both now pronounced correctly. But I had the same reaction the first time I heard it....sigh