Sunday, November 13, 2016

This Could Be Misinterpreted


Jack has not been particularly quick to start talking. At least, not intelligibly. He actually talks all the damn time, in what sounds exactly like long sentences or questions, he just wasn't enunciating any words known in the English language.

He did, of course, eventually start to say some sounds that matched up with actual words. First was "Da." For Daddy. Of course. Still waiting on anything resembling "Mom."

Ingrates, all these kids.

There are other words now. "Dee" for the chickadees that mob the bird feeder on the porch. "Gee" for the hundreds of Canada geese winging their way southward over the house. "Baw" for ball. And so on.

But there are other words that might give some people pause to hear a two-year-old exclaiming with some excitement. "Poop" is understandable, if a mite crass. But "gun"? Well, it is hunting season. He does see Daddy's guns with some frequency these days (safely in Daddy's hands, of course).

And then there's "gin."

Yes. My toddler says "gin." And he says it any time he sees the seltzer bottle.

Great. Not that that makes me seem like a lush or anything.

Now the reason he says this is because whenever I would have some gin in a glass he would of course want some--because nothing tastes better to a child than something an adult is trying to consume uninterrupted--and I would have to say, "No, Jack. That's gin. That's Mommy's. You can't have any. It's gin." And I always add seltzer to my gin. Hence the association.

So now he says "gin" whenever he wants some seltzer in a glass. Super.

The first time A. heard it, he said, "Is he saying gin?" Yes. And it is kind of embarrassing, albeit also funny as hell.

It won't be so funny, though, if he ever says it to anyone else. Like, say, the pediatrician at his two-year check-up, which is coming up soon. That kind of thing can really give the wrong impression.


Is this the face of a child who would rat out his mother? Damn straight.

6 comments:

tu mere said...

Wouldn't want to go anywhere near the inner workings of your boy's brains. At least we know that eventually everything appears to work normally - we hope.

Drew @ Cook Like Your Grandmother said...

I know those feels.

At our oldest daughter's 3(?) year checkup the doc was checking to make sure we were feeding her correctly. After she said that yes, she likes vegetables, the doc asked what was her favorite vegetable.

"Steak."

Mom and I chuckled, until we saw the look the doc was giving us. We tried to reassure her that yes, our 3-year-old was making a joke. I mean, come on, she understood sarcasm before she could talk.

Anonymous said...

Could it be that the other two fill any empty space with words or noises that he feels no need to talk? :) Maybe he is just taking it all in and one day will spill forth.
How does he get your attention if he doesn't say "mom"?

Kristin @ Going Country said...

Children never have any trouble getting mom's attention, even before they can speak. Crying, shrieking, and clutching at knees are all effective techniques.

Anonymous said...

Mack sounded out her first word last month before the wedding. Over the gazebo in Katie and Mikes back yard.....BAR. Now she'll say "C A T... Cat, like BAR daddy." "You got it sweetheart, here's one to your Irish roots."

FinnyKnits said...

YES