Top Kai-isms

Hi faithful blog readers -

Well, if you're here, you've been selected as part of the exclusive "allsarahdoes" blogership...ok, I have no idea what that means. Basically, my blog was creatin' a bit of a stir in a way I didn't desire - so for the time being, this will stay 'invite only' - it will be the same content, same ramblings, etc...and I"ll let you know when it goes public again.

We've had another eventful couple of weeks that ended in the fantastic event of the Handsome Man's parents arriving! We're so excited to have them here, and have quite a few fun 'vacation within vacations' planned. Tomorrow, we're headed off to Kenya's tropical beach to enjoy a week of lounging in the sun (I have high hopes, and low expectations, of avoiding an oh so painful sunburn). It will be Mika's first real time to see an ocean, and Kai's first time to an ocean that doesn't have overwhelmingly large waves (Pacific Ocean waves are pretty big to an 18" tall person!) It will be lovely to have a vacation away from Nairobi for longer than a weekend, as we haven't had that since we moved here...this is much past due. We'll be in Nairobi again for a week after, and then head out to the Maasai Mara where we'll visit some old family friends (the Salepus) and spend a couple days doing the safari thing - again, high hopes: but this time of seeing a leopard and/or a kill...(I'll post pics. Promise).

Mama, please stop making me take these pictures...

Speaking of promises, a while ago, I promised I would do a post on "Kai-isms" - I may even start doing a Kai-ism of the day or week...he is full of them right now. Before I give you snippets of Kai's best phrases, let me give you an immediate glance into Kai - he is full of life, constantly distracted, incredibly physically able to do things a 2 1/2 year old probably shouldn't do (climbing over high things, through tight things in high places, balancing on narrow things in high places - lots of activities in high places), fairly crafty (example to come), increasingly emotionally unstable (I'm told the major melt downs at the literal drop of a hat are normal and will pass - in the meantime, they provide never-ending & challenging entertainment). Due to his high exposure to Kenyans and subsequently the Kenyan accent, he frequently speaks with Kenyan intonation, and occasionally says words with a Kenyan accent or pronunciation (example to come). He has also developed an immense amount of attitude, lots of sighing, 'no's!' and eye rolling. His eye rolling usually ends with his chin down, head cocked to the side, and his eyes rolled up - peering out me out of the tippy tops of his eye sockets, attempting to furrow his brow (we call these "the eyes" - and he will do it on command).

So, with that little glimpse into Kai - here are some of my favorite "Kai-isms":

1. At the grocery store a man reached down to help Kai who was putting a bag of milk up on the check out line. Kai, who has uncovered the secret of "anybody, nobody, somebody, everybody"and subsequently refers to everyone as "bodies", looked at me and said, very seriously - "mama, dat body no touch mah milt." Or, as we are driving down the street, he often says "mama, whats dat body doing?" or "mama, I like dat body!"

2. One night at dinner, the Handsome Man finally used a stern voice after Kai's repeated refusals to listen to directions. The Handsome Man almost never uses a stern voice. Kai, rather than being scared or chastised, instead gave the Handsome Man 'the eyes' and said (peering up out of the top of his little eye sockets) "Soooo, papa, why you wanna be seah-weh-yus now?"

3. Frequently, Kai will ask for something he can't have (we all do, don't we?). When I say any variation of "No", Kai will often say "no, mama, no. Dee an-suh is yets"

4. While reading a book, Kai asked what color a certain animated monkey was. I replied "it's turquoise"; to which I received a very abrupt and angry "No, mama, no - stop it. You don't say dat to me. What coloh is dat montey?" "It's blue-green, baby, like a turquoise." To which I received an much louder, and much more emphatic "No! No, mama, you don't say dat to me. You don't say dat two-coize. What coloh is dat montey?" Thankfully, the Handsome Man walked in and I encouraged Kai to ask him...the Handsome Man replied "Hmmm...looks like turquoise", to which Kai nodded, 'hmmmd', and said "oh, yah, dat montey is two-coize."

5. After putting on his backpack, Kai announced proudly "Mama, I hab uh house batc".  'You have a house back, honey?" "Ya, like a toih-tus (tortoise) - uh house batc." "Yes, my honey, you do."

6. I use a lot of pet names with Kai, I'm one of those moms...it's started to come back to me. One day, while working in the kitchen I suddenly realized a little voice behind me was calling repeatedly "Hey, love? Hey, love? Um, mommy love, ex-tuse me, love?"

7. Kai is fantastic with Mika, and after listening in on them one day as Mika had just woken up from her nap, I overheard "well hello der, swee-hart, hello. Oh my, you is bee-u-di-ful!"

8. While singing with Scola, who due to her linguistic background, pronounces l's as r's - "I like tomorrow, and yesterday! but today is my pab-o-lite day". Later, I ask "Kai, is today your favorite day"...."No, mama, today is my pab-o-lite day"

9. Kai and his Mama (Handsome Man's mom) were playing hide-n-seek. Kai was counting, but was standing behind a sheer curtain, watching Mama through the curtain. When told he should close his eyes so Mama could hide, he said (from behind the sheer) "No, I no do dat. I is standing heya, and toun-ting, and watching tso I tan see where Mama is...Den I fin' hehr"

10. One day, while sitting working on my computer, Kai came in and said "um, ex-tuse me, mama?", taking his little finger and thumb right up next to his face like he was about to pinch his own cheek "would you like a lid-dle bit o coffee?" "um, sure honey...thanks" Kai hurries over to the kitchen where I hear him say "stola, mama wants a tup o toffee" "Oh really, Kai? does she?" I went to the kitchen to let Scola know I could make my own coffee, thinking she had told Kai to ask me if I wanted some coffee, which she apparently hadn't. I made myself a cup of coffee and told Kai thank you. Then, looking at me with great big eyes and the most innocent look he could muster, he said "now, mama, you hab a liddle bit o toffee...maybe Tai can hab a liddle bit o chai?....pwease?" and just blinked his little eyes...

So, there's a little glimpse into my little man. I hope you enjoyed :) And just so she's not forgotten - here's my little looker in the art corner!