Kid-isms: You Just Never Know What They'll Say Next

“Hey Georgia! Come watch ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ with me. It’s about talking squirrels!”

As I heard Ben say this the other day, I almost fell off the sofa laughing. “Really, Einstein? You sure about that?”

Of course it was just some good natured ribbing and Ben took it in stride, laughing along with me, but it got me thinking of all the funny things that my children have said over the years. Whenever I hear a gem like that, I always say I’m going to write them down and inevitably I get sidetracked with something that demands my IMMEDIATE ATTENTION (such as a child needing more apple juice or a little finger headed towards a socket), and I don’t get around to it.

Today, I start my list.

While listening to Justin Bieber (aka “The Bieb”) a few weeks ago, I wondered aloud how old he was. “He’s 18,” shouted out my uber-hip 7-year-old daughter. “Did he even go to high school?” I asked. “Yes,” Georgia snapped. “Music High School.”

Oh. THAT prestigious institution. I should have guessed.

At the Easter Vigil Mass this weekend, all the parishoners lit tiny candles to illuminate the dark church when Quinn looked at me and whispered, “That’s fire. That’s hot. We do NOT eat fire. We just eat food.” From your lips to God’s ears, kid. He also insisted that the priest give him “a chip” as well, so instead of receiving communion he settled for a high five from the eucharistic minister. True story.

Listening to the kids sing a song can also provide hours of entertainment. Georgia used to sing “Take me out to the Ballgame… Buy me some peanuts and Apple Jacks…” and it would send us into fits of laughter. Quinn, at 2 1/2, muddles his way through ABCs where “LMNOP” becomes “ellamennapee… QRS, tee-ah-wee…” and when a 3-year-old Ben would count to 10 he was all over the place.

“One, two, free, foo-ah, seben, dubbayoo…”

Did I just hear a W?

There are also the kid substitution words that inevitably become part of your own lexicon. For instance, both Georgia and Quinn’s blankets are called “Bah-tties.” Georgia referred to her sippy cups filled with milk as “nonis” and even neighbors and friends knew enough to ask her if she wanted another noni. Ben adored going to “Miss Donalds” (McDonalds) and “BJ’s House” (BJ’s Wholesale). Quinn loves “The Muffin Movie” (Muppet Movie). When Andy would bring his car down to Carlos at Dedham Gas and Service for a tune-up, Ben would ask, “Will Die-yup fix your car, Daddy?” We were never sure how the name Carlos turned into Die-yup but to this day, we still remember it and have to be careful not to address him as such.

As time goes on there are more and more of these little kid-isms and I’m ashamed at how hard it was to remember just the few mentioned here. I’m vowing to do a better job of writing them down from now on; a note pad and pen are all I need to create a book of great memories for years to come.

Just a little something I learned in Music High School.

What are some of your favorite kid-isms? Tell us in the comments section below!