Lost in Translation

Before I became a mother, I remember listening to youngsters only to look at their parents with that lost look on my face. I was being attentive, yet I had no idea what the youngun had just said to me.

Now, as a parent, I've become the translator. What's funny is that even though you can understand every word my three-year-old is saying, you still may not have any idea what Megan just said.

For example:
Mom: What shoes are you going, to wear?
Megan: My beautiful shoes.
Mom: I don't think those will work so well for the water park.
Megan: I'll get my tapping shoes.

And the tapping shoes will work just fine for the water. Why? Because these are not necessarily straight descriptions of these shoes; these seem to be the actual names for these shoes. These shoes are always described exactly the same way. What's great about being able to spend so much time with my girls is that I know exactly what Megan is talking about. Not that I'm not driven to madness (in more than one way), but being a Mom is great fun.

the beautiful shoes

the tapping shoes (because of their sound when walking)

the coconut shoes 
(so named by Emily because she misheard the words 'polka dot' shoes)