semantics

living with a toddler is a roller coaster, in many, many ways. one of my favorite parts of the whole thing is the use and misuse of words that occurs as he grows into an understanding of language and tries on all the new vocabulary that he is hearing. sometimes it is really cute. like yesterday.

he had his first full day of school, and one of the themes for the month is the story of creation, so when i asked him what he learned about in school, i knew what to expect. after i told me he learned about God, i pressed for more information by asking what God did. "God decorated the moon and the sun," he confidently replied, earning not only a lollipop, but also a couple of giggles from mom and dad.

sometimes its just a simple thing, but very interesting as a parent. like the fact that all day yesterday he was singing the name of one of his classmates. and not just any classmate. "gabriella, gabriella, gabriella," he sang all day. hmmmm....

and sometimes it is at the same time very cute and very frustrating. there are usually the moments when he is actually using language correctly, as well as it using it to his own advantage. like when he is caught throwing something in the house. it goes like this: "jackson andrew, do NOT throw things in the house! i have told you you might break something and you are not allowed to throw things in the house." and his too-smart-for-his-own-good response is, "i didn't throw it. i tossed it."

a lover of language who will likely lose a few linguistic battles in the coming years,

greg.