Our Kids

I’m not sure how this started, but about three weeks ago the girls started adding “-y” or “-ie” to the end of a lot of their words. Some of it is valid, of course… doggie, daddy, mommy, etc… Some, not so valid: orang-ie, book-y, shoes-ies, sock-ies. I’ve been very careful at work when I talk to people not to add my own -ie suffix and thankfully it hasn’t happened. But, I’m sure I’ll slip up someday in a meeting and talking about my new projecty where I get to write some codey on my computery. It’s inevitable.

There have been other changes recently, as well… the girls used to enjoy taking baths. Piper more than Lela, but they still both liked it. Nowadays, not so much. Don’t know what happened there.

The girls are also getting really good at saying yes and no to our questions which is causing us to rethink how we phrase things. For example, when we asked “do you want to take a bath?” both girls gave definitive answers of “no.” I think Lela actually said, “no, no, no” while shaking her head. And it’s not the standard emphatic “no” that they say… it sounds so nonchalant coming from them… a high pitch “no” with an imperceptible shrug, as if it was an afterthought or a foregone conclusion.

Most of the time their “yes” comes out as a “yeah”. Totally cute… “do you want oatmeal this morning?” “Yeah.” Same imperceptible shrug… as if saying “yeah, I guess oatmeal’s ok if that’s all you’ve got.”

Oh yeah… this started with Lela and I think Piper picked up on it because it worked out so well. Lela would be sitting on the sofa, or on the floor, probably with a book… then she’d pat the space next to her and say, “daddy, here.” How could I resist that? So I’d sit down next to her and she’d cuddle in close and we’d read a book or do whatever it was she wanted. I’m a sucker. I think I just promised Lela a pony.

So everything is moving along here at the Haslup house… lately it seems like Mystique and I have been way more tired than usual, but I’m not sure why that is. Otto is growing up and the girls really seem to love him. He’ll be laying on the ground minding his own business and every now and then Piper will walk over to him, lay down, and give him a kiss. I think she’s stopped trying to carry him around, thankfully… her neck-grab probably wasn’t the best for either of them. It’s pretty funny hearing the girls say “Otto, back” and “Otto, off” while pushing him out of their room or off the sofa. Yet another reminder that they pick up on everything you say, good and bad.

I mean, good-y and bad-y.