Little Children and the Way in Which They Speak

Recently I was in the boy's room, drawing a pattern for Roman Sandals for my brothers. Lucas, as usual, was watching and chattering away at the same time.

Lucas: "I like werning (learning). Do you know how I wern (learn)?"
Me: "No, I don't know."
Lucas: "I wern by watching. I like watching you to wern how to make Ronan sandals. Its not dee kind of werning like werning wetters (letters). Its werning by watching. Werning wetters I kinda like, but its too wetter-ie (letter-y). Dare's too many words I don't quite understand, but I like watching to wern how to make Ronan sandals."

Lucas doesn't always talk like this. When he wants he can pronounce words very clearly, but most of the time he doesn't put much effort into it. One day he was playing with his Red Ryder BB gun outside. If you have seen A Christmas Story you will remember that this is the you'll-shoot-your-eye-out gun.

Lucas: "I shot my foot, but the BB didn't penetrate!"

One day Stephen walked into the kitchen with an apple in his hand.

Stephen: "Can I have a snake (steak) knife to cut 
a ma-ple (an apple) with?"



A couple months ago we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house in MS. I was snuggling with Stephen and Xiana, trying to get them to go to sleep, but they wouldn't stop telling me about everything (very sweetly of course).

Stephen: "I tink (think) people made dee houses, but I tink God made duh twees (trees)."
Me: "Yes, but God made the trees and then people used them to make houses…" 
(a little while later...)
Me: "Someday I want to marry a missionary and have a whole bunch of sweet babies like both of you!"

When Xiana heard the word "babies" she handed me her baby doll. She thought that I wanted to have a whole bunch of baby dolls and so she gave up her one doll for me.


Aren't little kids adorable?