Phonetic Phenom! Part I

Over the past two weekends Frank and I have enjoyed some extra time with Spencer and Abby.

We don't have them by ourselves very often because Joy is a full-time, stay at home mom.   

But to our great delight, John swept her away for a two day celebration marking their fifth anniversary. (It's important to keep reminding ourselves why we got married in the first place, now isn't it?!)  Noni and Poppa joyfully swept in to keep the children fed and clothed!

Then yesterday, they let us take the babies for the morning.  We loaded car seats, diaper bags, snacks, juice cup, bottle, stroller, babies and headed for a walk around the lake.  Of course we were thrilled beyond measure and walked around smiling over every action of our adorable grand babies until our faces hurt.

People who stopped and engaged Spencer in conversation were shocked, of course, when our brilliant grandson (who is not yet two) focused on them and answered their patronizing questions with fully intelligible responses!  [Run-on sentence completely necessary!] 

His second birthday comes on February 5th and this kid communicates like a three year old.

One small problem accompanies an incredibly verbal two year old deprived of his full-time interpreter.  Noni and Poppa do not speak "Spencer-ese"!  And because Mommy, Dad, the two aunts, even Uncle Nathan DO understand nearly everything he says, the problem obviously lies with Noni!  (Or so Spencer reasons.)

We had only had them in the car for a few minutes last week-end when this difficulty became abundantly clear.  Mom and Dad had been kissed and dismissed for their second honeymoon.  Both car seats had been properly installed in Noni and Poppa's Tahoe. 

We were riding down the boulevard when Spencer said calmly from his spot in the back, "Moo Gick."  I smiled that grandmotherly smile of supreme satisfaction, "Isn't he adorable?!" I addressed the equally satisfied Poppa.  "Just listen to that little voice." 

"Moo Gick." it lilted toward the front of the vehicle with a precious sing song quality.

"Okay, Precious.  Everything is okay."  I spoke in reassuring tones.  He wanted to know that all was right with his little world even though Mom and Dad weren't with him.  How adorable!

"Moo Gick, pease!" Spencer was a little more insistent this time.  He was asking politely for something.  He obviously expected some sort of response.

"What's he saying?" asked Poppa.  His was a tone that meant "Let's find out what he wants and give it to him.  Just how much could the moon cost any way?!"

"I don't know,"  I responded.  "What do you want, Baby?"

"Moo Gick!  Noni, Moo Gick!"   The pacifier was out.  His legs had started bouncing.  His little arms were now flailing.

Oh, good heavens!  Fifteen minutes into this thing and we were already in BIG trouble!  Was he telling me he was hurting?  Warning me of impending diaper difficulty?  Begging for food?  What?!  What did this angel need that I couldn't get him because I couldn't understand what was perfectly clear to him?!!

I grabbed my cell phone and frantically started dialing Joy's number!  He grew louder and more frustrated in the back seat!

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I happened to catch the direction of his arm flailing and blue eye focusing.............."Moo Gick, Noni!  Moo Gick!"

"MUSIC?!  Is that what you want?  You want Noni to turn on the radio?"

Huge smile.  Pacifier re-instated.  Blue eyes beaming.  Pudgy hands clapping.  "Yeah!  Moo Gick!" 

(If you guessed that right from the start, please don't ever tell me.  I'll feel even dumber than I did when the light finally dawned.)

I have a list of other fun Spencer-isms.  Frank said I should save them as a guessing game for tomorrow.  And since tomorrow is Poppa's birthday, that's exactly what I plan to do. Hope you'll stop back by to try your hand at "Translating Two Year Old"!   And leave a few great phrases from your own little ones.

Last time I wrote about our own tiny talker, someone shared this great story.  Their daughter (3 1/2 at the time) was busy coloring when Mom asked her to help tidy up.  The little girl looked straight into mom's eyes, held up the crayons clutched in both little hands and stated the obvious, "I can't, Mommy.  I'm full of hands!"

Too Precious!