The Boss was dressed up as Clifford the Big Red Dog, but when she announced her identity to everyone around her, it consistently came out as "Clifford the Best Red Dog." There's something to be savored in toddler malapropisms. All too soon, my two foot tot will be a full-fledged kid who thinks she knows everything. There may even come a day when she proves she knows more than her parents. She's so damn smart that I'm convinced her ideas, once mature, can only ever flow smoothly from her brain through her lips. She'll probably use almost all her words the right way. But now, at two, she doesn't do things by the books. She mixes things up. It's not only cute; it's enviable. I want to encourage her creative use of language and her spastic expressions. I want her to know that words are what she makes them.
"In the books he's called the big, red dog," I say, "but I like your name better. He really is the best, isn't he?"
And she looks at me kind of funny, like maybe I'm trying to lead her astray. Like maybe she'll start using the more generally accepted version of the cartoon dog's name just to prove she knows what she's talking about. And that makes me kind of sad.
Now that The Boss has said it, Clifford will always be the Best Red Dog to me.
___
Today marks day number one of NaBloPoMo. You can expect to find a post here 24/7/30 during during the month of November. See you tomorrow.
6 comments:
I think, in years to come, I'll refer back to your posts, not mine, in order to recall what it was like during this period in my son's life. I never know quite how to voice these experiences.
But you do.
And so well.
p.s. that is the best, red-costumed Clifford girl I've ever seen.
And so the blog-posting month begins; you even managed to shoehorn the word, "malapropisms" in there. That act alone deserves a pat on the back. Cute story, and good luck!
Boz
This is the first time I think she looks like her dad. Must be the dog outfit.
She is adorable. I've been mulling a post about The Poo's malapropisms. She uses "boring" incorrectly - when she is having a great time or is excited, she exclaims, "Mommy, this is so BORING!"
I am so looking forward to seeing you again every day.
OH MY GOD. She's SOOO Cute.
What a great Halloween picture and I've got to say that that particular Clifford is the Best Red Dog!
Post a Comment