Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

One recent morning when I wasn’t feeling well, Kadie said, “We could go to your room. You should do your exercises.”

Various times when we are eating both girls remind me to pray. Violet puts her hands together and says “pay?” even in the middle of our meal, and throughout the day. Once, Violet said “Pay… Dadie… tum?” Translation: Can we pray for Kadie’s tummy?

One night Kadie asked out of the blue, “Are we going to church?” It happened to be Wednesday night, so I looked at David. “Are we?” I asked. So we did.

The following Saturday night, when we told Kadie her Mama and Yeye (David’s parents) were coming over, she said, “Ohh! Are they gonna babysit?” I looked at David questioningly, then headed upstairs to do something. When I came back down, I found out he had made the arrangements to take me on a date.

One morning I was particularly grumpy and Kadie told me I should read my Bible. “Yes, Kadie. I should.”

God speaks to me through my daughters. I think Kadie’s learned some things in kids church because she has admonished her sister when not sharing, “Wyatt, obey to God.”

On the flip side, one time, after a reminder to say please instead of screaming at her sister, Violet said, “Pease… share… Dadie.” That was her first three word sentence.

And my favorite nudge from Kadie when she wants me to play or color with her, and I hesitate too long is, “Oh come on, Mommy. You can do it.”

This morning Kadie was laying on her floor with her head by the dresser. Violet opened the bottom drawer full of books, right over Kadie’s face, which, besides being stuck under the drawer, got scratched. As soon as I got my crying daughter out of the predicament, I asked Violet to say sorry. Violet said, “Sho shorry,” and then, on her own, gave Kadie a kiss. It melted my heart and made everything all better in an instant.

The following are some of Violet’s vocabulary I recorded in February:

bee booooo – peek a boo
K! K! – yuck
ewww! yuck!
no – snow
shea – Mandarin word for snow
woof! (and then she pants with tongue out like a dog)
kack – quack
meh meh – excuse me (if we don’t say it after we burp, she will)
teek! teek! teek! (in a high pitch as she tickles any visible skin)
giger, roar!

I also love hearing the exchanges between the girls like when I heard a thump down the hall. “Are you okay Wylat?”
“Yea.”

The following are Kadie’s phrases as recorded in February:

Nooo! I don’t wanna be in a mood to be tickled!
Wyatt, say gong hay fat choy! (Happy Chinese New Year)
Tacey
Twacy
Twacewy (progression of names for Auntie Tracy)
I never seen this before. It’s been a long time.
Comeeeere Wyatt! Comeeeere!
Meezgik please? (music please)
I yike yikking candy canes at Kissmas!
Are we gonna watch?
Are we gonna go?
Is somebody gonna come over?
Where’s Daddy?
Is he gonna come over?
Is it going to be dark today? (yes, we live in the PNW)
Pak pak sao, pak pak sao, ha ha sieu ha ha sieu (clap hands, laugh)
Shea shea (thank you)
Ba ba woa ai ni (I love you Daddy)
Mom, can you hear me talking to you?
Something smells in my house… in Beaverton.
Epidermis