A Mommy Story

My daughter is at that wonderful stage where she talks nonstop, but most of it is nonsense babbling. Real words, however, seem to find their way out of her mouth at random times, and sometimes in random arrangements. I am curious just how much she really understands about what she’s saying.

Two days ago, we reached a new milestone: the first sentence. It was while we were in the car:

Cordy: (holding hands palm up and out to the side) Where?
Me: Where what?
Cordy: Where go?
Me: We’re going to Miss Lisa’s house, and you’ll get to see Ben.
Cordy: Oh no!

We repeated this entire conversation, word-for-word, three times before we arrived. I don’t think she meant the “Oh no!” since she was happy when we got there. But it was interesting to actually have a full conversation with her.

She’s also still in the “no” phase. If you ask her a question, the response is “no” 90% of the time. It’s done nothing but teach me to not ask her questions, because the response is entirely unreliable:

Me: Cordy, do you want a banana?
Cordy: No.
Me: OK then.
Cordy: Waaaa! (now upset that I’ve mentioned banana, but not produced one for her to eat)
Me: (getting banana and offering it to her) You need to say yes when you want the banana. Now, do you want to eat a banana?
Cordy: (as she takes a bite) No.

But of all the things we hear from her, the oddest phrase came from her tonight:

Me: I think it’s time to get you ready for bed, Cordy.
Cordy: abwabenu I’ll kill you nebrunentos.
(stunned silence)
Me: Did you hear what I just heard?
Aaron: I think I did.
Me: Did she just say I’ll kill you?
Aaron: That’s what I heard.

Maybe it was just nonsense babble that we interpreted as “I’ll kill you”. Maybe she really didn’t want to go to bed. Who knows? I have no idea where she would have even learned those words, since we don’t say that, and her TV time is strictly supervised.

And then right before bed, she climbed into Aaron’s lap and said “Kiss me”. Again, stunned looks from both of us.

If she starts spouting political theory or biblical passages tomorrow, I’m calling in an exorcist. Just to be safe.