Thursday, February 26, 2009

Silly daddy

Tobin and Allison have made a regular habit of visiting me for lunch at work this semester. School offers lots of exciting things to Tobin: big-big kids, big steps, daddy's friends (pronounced free-yuns) and--today's favorite--my dry erase board. We let him stand on a chair and I gave him a few markers to draw with.

While he was drawing, he was chatting everybody up. Bryon came in to eat with us asked how Allison was feeling. When Bryon asked Tobin if he was excited about being a brother, he said "Yes!"

I decided to follow up with a question of my own: "What will Baby Smith call you?"

Tobin bent at the waist laughing, then looked at me with a you're-kidding glance and said "That's silly Daddy. Babies don't talk."

Friday, February 20, 2009

Like his mama

Tobin recognizes Oprah Winfrey and doesn't mind watching her show.

He often asks for more butter on his bread.

He has a Southern accent, especially when saying the word "sometimes." He doesn't get this from Daddy.

A few weeks ago, we were going into Kroger to pick up a few things and Tobin said, "I'm going to pretend we're going to Harris Teeter," which is my favorite grocery store, but we have to go to Kroger more now because of their better prices. Harris Teeter does indeed have cooler carts, more food samples, and balloons!

Yesterday morning as we were waking up, Tobin told me, "When I get bigger, I want to be a girl like you, Mama." I choose to be flattered, rather than the least bit concerned.

This morning, Tobin was carrying around "a list" (old Target receipt) that "tells us what we have to do." And then he read it to me: "It say go to the car wash, Harris Teeter, and Kroger." Which is exactly, and conveniently, what my morning to-do list said.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Malapropism

There are certain words I will always remember after having a seventh grade English teacher (Mrs. Linda Miller, Fort Jr. High School) who was really into vocabulary. One of these words is "malapropism." I looked it up just to be sure I was remembering correctly. Merriam-Webster defines it as "the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially: the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context."

Tobin astounds us everyday with his increasing mastery of our language. He talks in paragraphs now and frequently will start a conversation by saying, "I have an idea, Mama." He also uses "because" fluidly, although he can be a bit circular in his reasoning: "I like chocolate milk because it's my favorite!" However, he does mix up words sometimes--his own special set of malapropisms, if you will. "Alligator/elevator" as well as "chicken/kitchen" are classics. Recently, he adopted a more perplexing one: "envelope/peppermint."

Tobin also insists on calling tomatoes potatoes. The other day at lunch I was trying to explain that he was eating a tomato and that potatoes are what he helps Daddy cut up and roast when we have burgers. Tobin looked at me and said, "Mama, you say tomato, I say potato." And that was that.