I’m sure many people with children can relate to the inventing of words. I know it goes against all the rules of speech therapy, but I just love the words my children mispronounce, and we tend to start using them rather than correcting them. Whoops! Don’t worry, they’re all running their course and being corrected over time. Some of my personal favorites are as follows:
Rockaronie
Ambliance
Hallayyoola
Pokies
Blotter
There are far too many to list. Any guesses on these?
A while back, Solly said something about his belly button, but as a two year old might, he pronounced it more like “bowy” rather than “belly.”
“Powy button?” I questioned, and promptly poked it and yelled “POW!” The entire family laughed SO hard! It instantly became a game. If a belly was ever left unprotected, it was vulnerable to a pow. In all fairness, in the very beginning, Solly was kind of hot and cold on the game. Usually he’d laugh. Sometimes he’d burst out crying. Again, he’s two. Not unheard of that he’d change his mind a couple of times. To be clear, he’s settled on thinking its hilarious.
This morning hasn’t been our best, and it showed that the kids were really feeling it. I made a point to go around mid-morning and have a few minutes of a snuggle with each kid. While they played or colored, I just hugged them and kissed them and told them I loved them. When I went over to Solly, I snuggled him for a minute, and then poked his powy button.
And guys, it was as though we had never played that game before!
He squealed and threw himself into me, seconds later requesting “Again! Again!” So I obliged, and we had a total riot, just he and I, sitting on the floor in a pile of his now-rejected duplo.
After a while, I headed back to have a seat and some coffee, and he followed. He’d stand a few feet away from me, fully out of my reach, and quietly say “Poke my powy button?”
I told him I couldn’t when he was so far away. So sometimes, he’d creep up to me and I’d have the chance to poke him in the belly.
Brady was coming in and out of the house, working on yet MORE vehicle issues (such a fun season of life we’re in…) and at one point, while he and I were discussing his next move, Solly lifted his shirt and placed his belly on my knee where my hand was resting. He was desperate to be tickled!! It was SO funny!
We played a lot this morning, and that may just continue, considering we couldn’t leave if we wanted to. Sigh. Being an adult is SO fun.
The moral of the story is “Pow your kids in their belly buttons! The element of surprise is everything!” Take it or leave it.