AJ's Vocabulary...

pe-ty: "See me patting my head? Aren't I pretty? Say I'm pretty or I will yell at you."

no-no: "I know this is something you told me not to do which is why I am doing it. But don't I look pretty?"

NO!: "I do not want to do what you want me to do right now."

tank-ooo: "I am about to steal that cookie you are eating."

mine dat: "See that thing that you put out of my reach? I want it."

hab dat: "I really want to play with that thing you have in your hand so I'm batting my eyelashes at you and being cute so you won't notice when I take it from you."

ah-dun: "I no longer want to be on the floor/in my bed/in the car/in my highchair/in the house/in this state/country/continent."

yum-yum: "I am hungry, but don't try to feed me any vegetables because then I will have spit them at you."

Ah-by: "Look at that pretty baby in that mirror over there!"

Ga-Ga: "I want grandma because she is nicer than you are and only feeds me yum-yums."

bu-bu: "Stop talking, mom, I'm ready to leave now."

Poor AJ...

AJ is playing in the living room when she decides to find a playmate....

AJ: Z?
Mommy: Honey, Z's at school.
AJ (louder, with some concern): Z?
Mommy: Z is bye-bye.
AJ (with increased concern and volume): M?
Mommy: M is bye-bye, too, sweetheart.
AJ (highly concerned): Daddy???
Mommy: Daddy is at work. Daddy is bye-bye.
AJ (extreme concern bordering on panic): Mama?
Mommy: I'm right here.

She then flings herself into my arms and cuddles into my shoulder with sad little whimpering noises. I think this school thing is almost as hard on her as it is on me!

Why High/Lazy/Stupid People Shouldn't Work Retail...

Borders Employee: This isn't one of the free books.
Me: Yes, it is. Its on the list right here. (Show him the list.)
BE: Ya, but there is a special edition of this book that is like two dollars cheaper. You need that one.
Me (already frustrated because it took me so long to find the books in the first place): Where do I find it?
BE: Its out there somewhere.
Me (incredulously): Is that seriously your answer?
BE (obviously confused): What?
Me: Your answer is "somewhere"? You do work here, right?
BE: What?
Me (disgusted): Could you please tell me where to find the correct book?
BE: Its in the kids department.
Me (seriously annoyed): Of course its in the kids department. Its a children's book. The kids department is half the store. Could you please be more specific.
BE: The kids department is in the back.
Guy in line behind me: Dude! Are you high or just really that lazy?
Lady behind him: Neither. He's just that stupid.

Ode To Ice-Cream...

A Haiku by AJ...

Num Num Da Da Num
Mine Num Num Da Da Num Num
Num Num Da Da Mine.

(Chris wasn't doing a very good job sharing his ice-cream cone and AJ was forced to resort to poetry...)