Words you mis-pronounce

This is part of my Letters to My Little Girl series.

Dear Shanaya,

You’re growing up too fast and that makes me sad. To which you said “That’s because I am eating all my vegetables, Mummy” (which, by the way, is not true).

The other day, you said “magnificent”. To hear that word come out of your tiny lips, in your croaky voice, was funny and scary at the same time. You also know the names of certain body parts, which (no matter what they say about always teaching your kids the correct names) made me jump out of my skin!

So, I am dearly holding on to the few words you still pronounce incorrectly. For very soon, you’ll say them the correct way, and where’s the fun in that?

You regularly want to go to the “escon” (restaurant) to have hot chocolate and cake. You also like stories about “Monu Monu”, which is your version of “Nomo Nomo” (meaning, “praying”). You like clearing out the mailbox and run to me with junk mail, insisting they are “potant” (important). Your favourite thing to draw is a "bLutterfly", and you often ask me for "pop-com" when watching a movie. You also love going to the “libary”, making it sound like a fashionable destination with a silent “r”. And oh, you are forever adding an adorable “y” at the end of most words, making everything sound like a nursery rhyme (night-y, fish-y, cold-y, loud-y, milk-y).

When both of us are standing side my side, you can now touch my shoulder with your hand, without standing on your toes. This makes you immensely proud! Soon, the y’s will be dropped and you will be able to touch my head. But please, please, don’t rush. Let me enjoy your “babyhood” a little longer.

Love,

Mummy