Category Archives: Family matters

In which we discuss matters of the family.

Summertime rolls

The kids have been having a great big fabulous time, and I’ve been reading lots of terrible (and some pretty good) fiction.* We miss Rockford, who is hard at work while we lounge about. Otherwise, though, all is well.

* “The Cross-Country Quilters,” “Blood Brothers,” “I Capture the Castle,” “The Chamber,” “The Hollow” and “Three Bags Full.”

What Pete talks about when he talks about things

I made a list of Poppy’s words when she was about 15 months old. I think her comprehendable vocabulary took off a bit quicker than Pete’s has, but he’s been jabbering with meaning for much longer than she did. He’s starting to pull all the babbling together lately, though. Here are some of his words. (Maybe all of them, but I’m betting I’ve forgotten a few.)

  • No. He uses this one mainly when he’s in a mood.
  • Please. Offsets the “no” nicely.
  • Mama. He used to say “mama” only when he was very, very impatient and angry. He started using with a joyful voice recently, and it’s been a terrific change.
  • Juice. Milk is also “juice” to him, which can be a little confusing.
  • Cheese. He’s always very happy to get cheese, so it’s usually pronounced “cheeeeeeese!”
  • Daddy. Almost always said with an Exclamation Point or seven.
  • Biper. Not quite “Poppy,” but that’s what he means.
  • Hallo.
  • Bye-bye.
  • Whatchudoin. This is usually reserved for telephone conversations. As in, “Hallo! Whatchudoin?”
  • Cars. Poppy occasionally leaves one of her “Cars” cars unguarded. You can tell Pete’s found it when you hear, “Caaaaarrrrrssssshhhh!!!”
  • Vroom. See: “Cars.”
  • Go Go Go. This means it’s time to run as fast as his skinny little legs will carry him.
  • Gogur. Yogurt.
  • Addie. The little girl who spends the afternoons with us.They’re pals.
  • Melmo. Elmo.
  • Papa. That’s my dad.
  • Gamma. (Grandma.)
  • Gampa. That’s Rockford’s dad.