no wonder she pronounces it "nustache"!!!

Last night when I was up close brushing Evangelina's teeth she intently looked up my nostrils & asked, "Daddy, why you have a nustache in your nose?"
(her Ms are often pronounced N)

"Is thith Hyatt?"

Last week while we were in the middle of our week on Kauai for my work meeting, we were walking out from the hotel room to the parking lot through well-groomed landscaping. Evangelina was striding alongside us in her somewhat confident manner as she looked around at the lush greenery & the tennis courts we were passing, and she asked, "Is thith Hyatt?"

We couldn't help but look at each other as we knew she what she was asking: "Is this part of the Hyatt complex we're staying at?" After all, we had toured the grounds earlier in our stay, & she certainly enjoyed the exotic birds on display, swimming pools, & our comfortable room.

I don't think the word "Hyatt" even crossed my lips until at least the 3rd decade of my life, & then only probably as a passing comment, as I don't think I stayed in one until my 4th decade of life. My hope is that our children's experiences in "posh" places are tempered by the understanding that these are gifts of God (often mediated by Daddy's work expense account) to recharge us for the toughness of real daily life in sacrificial service to God & others.

(Boy, I realize as I just wrote that out about my hope, that we really have our work cut out for us!)

funny letters

This afternoon Evangelina & I were going through the capital letters of the alphabet in order. When I pointed to the letter P & said "P," she chuckled & said, "Like pee-pee." That made me laugh of course, but we kept going on. What really impressed me was when we got to the letter Y. I said, "Y," to which she responded with her own laugh, "It's like PUSH, for the Angry Bird to fly away!" It took me a moment to realize she was referring to the Y-shaped slingshots ubiquitous to the Angry Birds video games she & Jadon like so much!

our little switcheroo-er!

After worship service this morning, Evangelina's eyes pointed toward the church library as she asked me, "MayI have a doughnut please?"

I responded, "No, you may not have a doughnut" & she quickly clarified, "For Mommy! Can I have a doughnut for Mommy?"


Interesting follow-up:
To that I said, "Sure. Let's get one for Mommy." We walked to the table together, & I asked, "Which one do you think Mommy wants?" She pointed at the chocolate-glazed doughnut with rainbow sprinkles, & I know JJ doesn't like anything too colorful (especially artificially colorful). I grabbed the one I thought JJ would like best. Of course, Evangelina asked, "May I hold it?"
Sorry, Charlie! No can do for you there either!

Man-oh-man-oh-girl!

Daddy (with a hint of exasperation toward Evangelina): "C'mon, man!"
Evangelina: "I'm not a man; I'm a girl!"

Earlier today in the car I commented aloud, "I don't have a mustache. I shaved it off this morning." Evangelina responded, "I don't have a nustache [that's how she pronounces that] too!" Correcting her grammar, I said, "No, Evangelina, you shouldn't say, 'I don't have a mustache too.' You should say, 'I don't have a mustache EITHER.'" Taking Daddy's advice, she said, "I don't have a nustached either, too!"

nervous observation

A little while ago Evangelina was playing rough with me & knocked my glasses loose from my face.  I'm pretty strict about the kids not touching our glasses (primarily because we've had so many pairs broken by Jadon in the past) so I gave her a stern look with my glasses knocked down to the tip of my nose.  Evangelina, wanting to break the tension, gave me a nervous smile & said, "Hey, you [look] like Gra-ma!"  I had been sternly waiting for her to say, "Sorry Daddy for touching your glasses," but I couldn't help bursting out laughing at her observation after what she'd done.

peace in pieces

Several weeks ago I was in the car with the 2 kids.  Evangelina was in her own world, singing to herself one of the songs we often sing to her, a benediction of sorts: "The Lord bless you & keep you..."  As Jadon & I struck up a conversation (I forget about what), Evangelina had already gotten to the end of the song but began to sing the last line over & over, louder & louder as she went.  It got so loud that Jadon & I couldn't hear each other, & had to talk more loudly ourselves that the whole car was full of cacophony.  What was the line Evangelina kept loudly singing?  "...& GIVE YOU PEACE, & GIVE YOU PEACE, & GIVE YOU PEACE FOREVER!  & GIVE YOU PEACE...!!!"

latest 'Mina-isms': Janon - Jadon, Moddy - generic Mommy/Daddy, up'n'a-stairs - upstairs, ah-nee-no - I dunno,

Mummy for Mommy

About 15 minutes ago Evangelina half-awake came out to the kitchen & whined, "I want Mommy go bed."

projected object de-permanence?

Thursday evening while Jadon was busy with basketball practice, Evangelina wanted to go explore the community center, & I mean she wanted to look into EVERYthing.  At nearly every turn I had to say to her, "Come back here!" or "Not there, Big Girl" or "This way, Baby."  I guess I wasn't the only one tired out by the chase.  Herself exasperated & with the hopes that she could finally make a clean break to do what she wanted, Evangelina connivingly suggested, "Daddy, close your eyes!  Close your eyes!"

Good girl!

Yesterday in the car on the way to pick Jadon up from Awana, Evangelina kept saying, "Good morning!"  We tried to correct her as it was already dark outside, & I said, "Good evening, Evangelina.  Say 'evening.'"  She said it a few times, so I tried her to coax her to say the whole phrase correctly: "Ok Evangelina: Good..." as I trailed off to let her fill in the blank.  She replied, "...job!  Good job!"

Not me!

This evening I was following the kids into the bathroom where I was going to brush their teeth while they sat on their toilets, but I was met by a closing door which knocked over the laundry hanging from the top frame of the door jamb.  I opened the door & saw Jadon well seated on the toilet & Evangelina right next to the door still blocking its full opening.  I pointed at the drying laundry on the floor & said while looking at Evangelina, "See what you did?"

 

"No! Jadon do it!" she retorted as she pointed to Jadon, still seated on the john.

 

"Evangelina, you did it," I stated stone-faced.

 

Now whining, she loudly protested, "No!  Jadon do it!"

 

Trying to help her fess-up, I instructed, "Evangelina, say, 'I do it, Daddy.  Sorry."

 

Before I could finish, she started up while pointing now at me, "You do it!  Daddy do it!"

Excuse....

This evening when putting Jadon & Evangelina down to sleep together in bed, Jadon farted & chuckled as is his general habit (learned from Daddy?).  Before he had a chance to say "Excuse me," Evangelina also chuckled & said, "Excuse you."  She'd never said this before, & I honestly thought she was going to say "Excuse me" -- not because she'd want to take credit for the fart, but because she knows that's what's supposed to be said after a burp, fart, etc.  It was neat to see her work it in her mind to the next level (beyond parroting a common saying) to something more appropriate to the situation, & frankly, totally funny as well!