Chatting

Our ride-to-school routine has gotten a little more interesting, thanks to the twins' impressive conversational skills.


We now have scripted chats that start in the driveway and continue all the way down Mud Hole Road to Discovery Bay.














Alecia: Get in the car.

Delaney: No, Mommy. Me drive.

Hayden: No, Meese (me).

Mike: Mommy's driving. Get in the car. You're going to school.


Wrangle them into car seats. Find sippy cups, reading material, school bag, changes of clothes, shoes, extra juice, etc.


Delaney: Bobbie (blankie)?

Hayden: Wah Wah (blankie)?

Delaney: No, me Bobbie.

Hayden: No, Meese.


Get going down the road after re-distributing the Bobbies.


Alecia: Let's listen to Old MacDonald.

Hayden: Beese (please)!

Delaney: No, AC's (ABC's).

Hayden: Beese (again)!



Reach the big hill, where months ago we saw a truck stuck in the mud.


Hayden: Truhk. Stuck. Mutt.

Delaney: We di 'id! (We got down hill without getting stuck in the dust ourselves).

Hayden: Mutt.


Round the first corner.


Hayden: No dows.

Delaney: No cows 'day.

Alecia: No cows today. Where are they?

Hayden: Awful.

Alecia: They're eating waffles?

Delaney: No!

Hayden: Dass.

Alecia: They're eating grass?

Hayden: Yes. Blue.

Alecia: No, the grass is green.

Hayden: No, blue.


Reach the half-way point.


Delaney: Boo boo. Medcin. On.

Alecia: You have a boo boo?

Delaney: Yes, Aynee di it (Hayden did it).

Hayden: No. Buh Wo.

Alecia: You see a bulldozer?

Hayden: Yes. Blue.

Delaney: Booboo medcin! On!

Alecia: No, the bulldozer is yellow. You don't have a boo boo.

Hayden: Yayoo.



Delaney tries again.


Delaney: Buh No work. Bahrries.

Alecia: The book doesn't work? It needs batteries?

Delaney: Yes. Daddy fix it.


Hayden keeps his focus.


Hayden: Truhk. Big.

Alecia: You see a big truck?

Hayden: Big. Blue. Bye bye. Truhk.


Hayden perks up.


Hayden: Ahpillur!!!

Alecia: Where, you see a helicopter?

Hayden (sighing): No. Truhk.


Delaney tries one more time.


Delaney: Me Warrings.

Alecia: When you're grown up you can wear earrings.

Hayden: Dicoke!

Alecia: Yes, grown-ups drink diet coke.

Delaney: Me Dicoke!



And so it goes.

Sometimes, all this gabbing wears them out. As precious as the conversation is, the silence is priceless, too.