A Vocabulary Lesson

Parenthood changes your heart, your mind, your body, your bank account, your furniture, your backseat, your carpet, your TV-watching, your (ahem!) love life, your wardrobe and your sleep.  But it also forever alters your vocabulary.   My brother and I used to roll our eyes at our parents when they used our "baby words" in place of the right ones--"macky-noo" for vacuum, "pension stick" for thermometer, etc.  Yet here I am, a mother, and I find our family's vocabulary permanently transformed by my children's bumbling and adorable way of saying things.   Here is a small sampling of some family favorites ("real" word in green):

Mean poopy -- diarrhea

Daddy juice -- Dr. Pepper

Kee-nonnies -- chicken nuggets

Giant weck-tangle -- big-screen TV

Hock-a-doo -- helicopter

Baby Bobs -- cherry tomatoes (think Veggie Tales)

Smashed potatoes -- mashed potatoes

Homa-homa -- Oklahoma (where we live)

Chicken-chicken-pie-pie -- chicken pot pie

Licka-nodeon -- Nickelodeon

So, here's where it gets fun.  Admit it, you all do it too.  In my comments section, share the funny terms your kids created that you'll still be using when they're in college.

EDITED TO ADD: Be sure you scroll down and see the hilarious comment by RSD...that's my brother!  His funny story about how my niece says "fork"...well, I'm laughing out loud.

Comments

[Owlhaven]

What a fun idea and how funny you just posted this. I just today got a pix of my daughter in her 'shepherd' coat--now I have to post it!

Mary

[harpingheather]

Mangling the language is a sport in my family.

Smashed tapatoes -- mashed potatoes

Spasghetti -- spaghetti

Destructions -- instructions

Nicken chuggits -- chicken nuggets

[Liz]

My family calls footies w/ little cotton balls on the back - chicken socks.

I have no idea why.

I forgot all about it until reading this post.

[Suzi]

How fun...and a trip down laughter lane...

Chicken de needle-chicken noodle soup.

Gift cefertificate- gift certificate (this one I memorized and made my boys all messed up, cuz they don't know how to even say it right since we went with the cute saying for so long!)

Assuage thighparitis- Massage therapist.

eesha bye- see ya, bye!

Praise the Lloyd! Praise the Lord (he just got so excited it sounded like Lloyd)

cheese yuckie supper- cheeseburgers!

Pasgetti- spaghetti

Coffee hot- hot chocolate
Thanks for letting remember some of these...where did my little boys go??
-Suzi

[peach]

"Tween bee you and me"--between you and me
"Hot Hots"-- Krispy Kreme donuts
"Jeebus" -- Jesus
"Marshellows" --marshmallows
"No way, Cozay" --No way Jose

Those are the ones off the top of my head. Kids are SO much fun!

[momrn2]

Would you believe I can only think of one right now? We have nortado's for tornado's. (see it as part of my post tomorrow.) I'll keep thinking and come back if more come to me. Sorry... but I have thoroughly loved reading all the others!!

[Jamison]

Bunsketty - Spaghetti

Pespi - Pepsi

Waviowee - Ravioli

Yum Yum's - Hotdogs with Cheese

I'm sure there's more, but this is what comes to mind right away.

[Missy]

The only one I can think of is Nump-no = oatmeal

Also Smick.

[Kim in IL]

Oh, my, we have a million, but I'll only share my favorite. When he was about two years old, my oldest son sneezed while strapped in his carseat and called out to the front seat, "Hey, you dies (you guys)! what do I do with all dis (this). . .boogey sauce?"

[Heth]

My favorite right now is what my two year old calls SpongeBob. "Bun-job."

Remote control is the "patroller"

Ketchup is "checkup"

Peanut buuter and Jelly is "Bo-Jay"

And take a bath is to "take a tubby."

[Faith]

my youngest (of the first brood) loved pasketti (spaghetti) and we still call it that. She's 21,married and a mom herself now.

[GiBee]

While my son is still to young to speak, we use a term that my husband used to say to his mom and dad (grandma & grandpa) when he was little, and hubby started saying it to our son when he was born, and grandma & grandpa say it to my son when they babysit... so it's come full circle.

Seepy time - Time to go to sleep.

Lovin all the other words, and can't wait until we have some of our own to share!

[Jennifer]

It would be so cute if some did a little book on what kids say.

bebe = pacifer
sausage = sauce
dudaber = screwdriver
tetup = ketchup
toap =soap

[robin]

This is a list comprised of things my kids have said and things *I* may have said as a kid.

Elphanant

Spassagrass-Asparagus

headtuke- no known phrase for this...this is that cute maneuver that cats do when they tuck their heads "chin up" when laying on their sides? My son wrote this in first grade describing our cat.

PowPow-Pillow

Key-cah Kitty cat

noo bankoo (with both hands waving in front of you) No, thank you!

[rsd]

HoeBoats = Honey Bunches of Oats

Nee No = tinkle

My daughter also says "fork" in a way that I shouldn't post, and since she usually says she wants a "fork 'n spoon" with each meal she sounds like she is a drunken sailor demanding a spoon!

[Queen Beth]

Um...ok. I think we were on the same wave length today. YOu need to see my post today! How weird is that?

[Amy in IN]

How funny! I'm about to laugh out loud with all these.

My favorite one is from Bubba's babyhood. He loved soup, and would beg for "poop." Timex, OTOH, begs for a cheeztick or nee-nuggets. Can't wait until Short Stuff can talk!

[Heth]

RSD, that is how my now four year old used to say the word frog. We would cringe evertime talk of frogs came up and then would have to quickly explain his mispronunciation to whoever was around.

[HolyMama!]

These are great!

hip-ups = hiccups
away! = trash needs to be thrown away
eyebrowNs - eyebrows

My five year old unfortunately leaves off the 'd' in the word directions. Um yes, 'erections' is how that sounds. The rest of us don't repeat that one.

[Carol]

mush-mash - mustache
'mote-troll= remote control
lie-baby=library
straw-baby=strawberry
baby-suit=bathing suit
piss-ghetti=spaghetti (sorry)
gyoo = girl
disdo= sister
bo-bee= brother
anything = nothing
And many more....

We had an interesting time learning to speak.

[jennybee aka emma]

CUTE..how funny.

Ball-guts = Vacuum

Bee-butt = syrup

fan = meme

pasgetti an meat-bulbs, self explanitory.

[Kathryn, The Daring One]

Kranky = spicey

gwaf-quoi = washcloth

bominal = post-it notes
(I have no idea where this one came from. It's new.)

[ajay]

My nephew cracked everyone up over the holidays by trying say that his grandfather is a lawyer: instead, he announced, "Bebo is a liar!"

[Jeana]

"Commode" instead of remote control

[jenn nelson vogel]

So so funny. we have chicken pot pie as chicken ha ha...... and our daddy juice is red wine!! Great post...just love reading your blog.