Natalia and Polish -- a little progress in her language skills

One morning recently two interesting events occurred. I can only put them down to Natalia's increased understanding of language(s) and her confidence speaking the few words -- English and, particularly in this case, Polish -- she knows in conversation with us.

Ksenia brought Natalia into our bedroom to wake me up and say good morning as they do from time to time. But this particular morning Natalia decided she wanted to play a variation on the "escape across the bed away from Daddy" game. But in order to begin that game she needs to be on the bed...

So she made it clear, through non-verbal clues, that she wanted out of Mama's arms and to be put down onto the bed.

"But Natalia, you still need your shoes put on," Ksenia told her as she put her down.

Very deliberately Natalia, who was now facing away from Ksenia, turned back to her, put out her hands and said, "Daj...daj" clearly referring to her shoes. When she was given those shoes, she gave them to me saying "shoes", expecting me to put them on her as is usual and which I happily did.

Daj (pronounced like "die") means 'give' [them to me] in Polish.

Later, just before we were leaving for work, we were finishing up getting our little girl ready for "Gigi" (the name she calls her day-care provider). Ksenia wanted Natalia to come over to her to put a new shirt on.

"Chodź, Natalia, chodź, chodź!" Ksenia said with pleading emphasis because Natalia was holding back and we had to get going.

Natalia seemed realize this and so, grinning slyly at her own little joke, walked very slowly toward Ksenia and said, "Chodź....Chodź-chodź-chodź."

Chodź (pronounced similarly to "ho[t]ch") means 'come' in Polish. It is often accompanied by tu (pronounced like "to/too/two", which means here; thus chodź tu means "come here").

Natalia inflection, when she said it, started high, lowering with each repetition of the word, and ending low like a sigh. The words and Natalia's delivery of them were clearly said in such a way so as to attempt to parrot her Mama. It was hard not to laugh!

Such small steps, yet so important!

In the enchanted world of the raspberry thimbles

Sometimes in our very serious adult world we forget that simple acts like putting fruit and yogurt and such on the bottom shelves of the refrigerator after a trip to the grocery store can be anything but mundane and practical ideas. Yet through the eyes of a toddler acts like these can take on legendary proportions or certainly magically delightful ones!

Since fruit and yogurt happen to be amongst Natalia's favourite fun foods, placing them on the bottom shelf means they are readily available on her level. And so, at times like this, for Natalia the opening of a refrigerator door rises above the ordinary: it instantly becomes a tasty game. That open door reveals an enchanted world where the berries and grapes and fruit-filled yogurt are within her reach. Fruit that is bite-size, and sweet; fruit that can be popped in her mouth. Without having to wait for Mama or Daddy to cut it up and put it in her bowl.

But why do just that when the raspberries, particularly, can be first worn like a thimble on the tip of her finger and then popped in her mouth.

It is times like this that videos like these get taken. They must be. And shared...



After berry time comes yogurt sublime!

The Toddler Diet

This was sent to me a couple of years ago by a well-meaning soul while we were awaiting Lucas and Natalia. I laughed at the time (as I hope you will too!) but now I realize how true it actually is: Enjoy!

The Toddler Diet

People are always on the lookout for a new diet. The trouble with most diets is that you don't get enough to eat (the starvation diet), you don't get enough variation (the liquid diet) or you go broke (the all-meat diet). Consequently, people tend to cheat on their diets, or quit after 3 days.

Well, now there's the new Toddler Miracle Diet.

Over the years you may have noticed that most two year olds are trim.

Now the formula to their success is available to all in this new diet.

You may want to consult your doctor before embarking on this diet, otherwise, you may be seeing him afterward. Good Luck !!!

DAY ONE

Breakfast: One scrambled egg, one piece of toast with grape jelly. Eat 2 bites of egg, using your fingers; dump the rest on the floor. Take 1 bite of toast, then smear the jelly over your face and clothes.

Lunch: Four crayons (any color), a handful of potato chips, and a glass of milk (3 sips only, then spill the rest).

Dinner: A dry stick, two pennies and a nickel, 4 sips of flat Sprite.

Bedtime snack: Throw a piece of toast on the kitchen floor.

DAY TWO

Breakfast: Pick up stale toast from kitchen floor and eat it. Drink half bottle of vanilla extract or one vial of vegetable dye.

Lunch: Half tube of "Pulsating Pink" lipstick and a handful of Purina Dog Chow (any flavor). One ice cube, if desired.

Afternoon snack: Lick an all-day sucker until sticky, take outside, drop in dirt. Retrieve and continue slurping until it is clean again. Then bring inside and drop on rug.

Dinner: A rock or an uncooked bean, which should be thrust up your left nostril. Pour Grape Kool-Aid over mashed potatoes; eat with spoon.

DAY THREE

Breakfast: Two pancakes with plenty of syrup, eat one with fingers, rub in hair. Glass of milk; drink half, stuff other pancake in glass. After breakfast, pick up yesterday's sucker from rug, lick off fuzz, put it on the cushion of best chair.

Lunch: Three matches, peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Spit several bites onto the floor. Pour glass of milk on table and slurp up.

Dinner: Dish of ice cream, handful of potato chips, some red punch. Try to laugh some punch through your nose, if possible.

FINAL DAY

Breakfast: A quarter tube of toothpaste (any flavor), bit of soap, an olive. Pour a glass of milk over bowl of cornflakes, add half a cup of sugar. Once cereal is soggy, drink milk and feed cereal to dog.

Lunch: Eat bread crumbs off kitchen floor and dining room carpet. Find that sucker and finish eating it.

Dinner: Drop pieces of spaghetti onto back of dog, insert meatball into ear. Dump pudding into Kool-aid and suck up with a straw.

REPEAT DAYS AS NEEDED!