Sammy likes to play soccer. One night:
Sammy: Mummy, can we play football?
Mummy: It’s already late Sammy. We can play tomorrow.
Sammy: Ok
The next day. Sunday. 8:00 am. Sammy tiptoes into Mummy and Daddy’s room. Mummy’s still asleep.
Sammy: (whispering into Mummy’s ear) Mummy… can we play football now?
* * *
Sammy was looking for a toy he had been playing with. It was at Daddy’s desk earlier.
Sammy: Daddy, did you see the toy I put on your desk?
Daddy: You took it from my desk.
Sammy: Do you know where I put it?
Daddy: No.
(Sammy keeps looking nearby, then suddenly sees where had misplaced it)
Sammy: Doh! There it is. I’m a silly old man!
* * *
Sammy was still thinking about the cute baby he saw the other day.
Sammy: Daddy, when I grow up will I be a Mummy and have a baby?
Daddy: No, you will be a Daddy.
Sammy: But how do you know? I might be a girl when I grow up.
Daddy: You don’t change when you grow up. When boys grow up they become men. When girls grow up they become women.
Sammy: Oh.
* * *
At church. Sammy was very much fascinated with a cute baby behind us.
He leans over to Daddy, whispering softly while still looking at the baby:
Sammy: Daddy…
Daddy: Yes?
Sammy: When can I have a baby?
* * *
When the children make offense, sometimes they write an apology and hand it to the other person, or post it on a wall in the house. So sometimes Pia will write “Mummy, sorry for not finishing my lunch”
One day, Sammy comes to Daddy with pencil and paper. He is going to write a sorry letter.
Sammy: Daddy, how do you spell “I’m”?
Daddy: I – apostrophe – M
Sammy: How do you spell “sorry”?
Daddy: S-O-R-R-Y
Sammy: How do you spell “I made”
Daddy: I – M-A-D-E
Sammy: How do you spell “poison ball”?
* * *
Pia grabs Daddys legs, and tries to pull him to the ground.
Daddy: Stop it!
Pia: I’m trying to see if I can kill you.
* * *
Bedtime. Pia seems unsettled, trying to think of how to ask a question that’s been on her mind for a while.
Pia: Daddy… uhm…
Daddy: Yes?
Pia: Why do you and Mummy fart so much?
* * *
One Sunday after watching a movie at the theatre, we went to the supermarket. Some biscuit snacks (Shapes) were on sale, so we bought 10 boxes, to be used when the occassion calls for snacks (like the Friday family movie night).
Later that night, Sammy wanted to convince Mummy that we should have some of the biscuits. After all, it’s all bought and paid for:
Sammy: Mummy can we eat the Shapes?
Mummy: That’s for later
Sammy: Muuuuuummmmmyyyyyy! If we pay for it, that means we have to eat it!
* * *
4 year old Sammy likes to play at fighting with Daddy. He will call out ‘Wiiiiiiiiing Chun!’ and then the attack commences.
During one encounter, Daddy made it so that the encounter resulted in Sammy being separated from the clothes he was wearing. It was a traumatic experience for Sammy, and he hates being reminded of it.
One day:
Sammy: Wiiiiiiiiing Chun!
Daddy: (tired and not in the mood) Remember the last time we fought? What happened to your clothes
Sammy: (Grrrrr!) If you do that to me again, I will pull out your lungs!
* * *
Time for Daddy and Sammy to pick up Domu and Pia from school.
Daddy: Sammy, change your clothes now, we have to pick up Achie and Anya. Hurry up!
Sammy: OK, but I can’t be very fast ok? I’m only 4 years old.
(Later, Sammy emerges with outdoor clothes)
Daddy: Good job Sammy! But your shirt is backwards
Sammy: Doh! Can you help me make it frontwards?
(A check later shows ‘frontwards’ is in the dictionary)
* * *
Pia is preparing for he NAPLAN exams. We want to make sure her math is solid. School has just started after a month and a half of Christmas vacation, so she’s rusty.
She has to multiply 73 x 72. Multiplying 7 x 2, she knows the answer is 14, but not sure whether to write down the ‘4’ or the ‘1’.
Pia: Daddy, should I write the four or the teen?
* * *
…if she knows what’s good for her.
Daddy and Pia were talking one day:
Pia: Daddy, are there things that don’t burn?
Daddy: (delighted that Pia is asking about science) Well, everything burns, except they burn at different temperatures. For example, a small flame will burn your hair, but it won’t burn this spoon.
Pia: It won’t burn?
Daddy: No
Pia: (eyes light up) Then I can play with fire!
* * *
The children very much like to play at the dining table while eating lunch or dinner or breakfast. It drives us nuts because it takes them two hours just to finish up eating.
At lunch one day, Sammy was playing at the table:
Mummy: Sammy! Will you stop playing please! Eat your food!
Sammy: Muuuummmmeeeeeee! I can be evil if I want to!
* * *
Mummy and Sammy are sitting on the sofa watching TV. Mummy hugs Sammy:
Sammy: Smelly Mama!
* * *
Sammy likes to try out new idioms he hears:
Sammy: Achie, don’t be such a baby cry!
* * *
The children sometimes drive us nuts. It takes ten reminders to make them brush their teeth, ten reminder to not play while eating. Sometimes Mummy uses a stern voice:
Mummy: Sammy, finish your food now.
Sammy: Mu…mmeee….you don’t have to be so evil!
* * *
The children are on school holidays for a month but school will be back in a couple of weeks. We gave Sammy some written math assignments (3+4, 7+8, 9+3, etc.).
When Mummy came to check his work:
Mummy: Sammy, why didn’t you write anything? Have you forgotten how to add? What’s 2+3?
Sammy: Mummy! I know 2+3. It’s 5!
Mummy: So why didn’t you write it down?
Sammy: I forgot how to write the numbers.
* * *
Pia has been having problems sleeping. She keeps getting bad dreams. Even though she sleeps in the same bedroom as Domu and Sammy, she still wants to sleep with Mummy and Daddy.
One night, she fell asleep in the sofa in the living room and slept there the whole night, all by herself.
The next day:
Pia: Daddy, can I sleep in the sofa again tonight?
Daddy: (surprised) But won’t you get scared?
Pia: No.
Daddy: Why don’t you sleep in your bedroom? At least Domu and Sammy are there with you when you get another bad dream.
Pia: I want to sleep here in the sofa.
Daddy: Even if you’re alone?
Pia: Yes.
Daddy: Won’t you be less scared if you are with Domu and Sammy?
Pia: No.
Daddy: Why not?
Pia: Because whenever I have a bad dream, in my dream Domu and Sammy are the monsters!
* * *
Pia and Sammy are playing, hiding around the sofa. But they have lots of stuff lying around.
Mummy: Sammy! Pia! Pack up your mess before you continue playing.
Pia: Mummy, we’re not playing! We’re solving a mystery!
* * *
Lunchtime. As always, Pia is taking her time to finish. She’s now rubbing her spoon back and forth against her upper row of teeth.
Mummy: Pia, what are you doing?
Pia: I’m sharpening my teeth!
* * *
Sammy played with his toys but didn’t pick up the mess afterwards.
Mummy: Sammy, pack up your toys now.
Sammy: But Achie has to help me
Mummy: No, you made the mess yourself. You have to pack up yourself.
Sammy: (Grumbling) Ohhh, why do I have to pack up the whole world!
* * *
Bedtime. Sammy asks Daddy a question:
Sammy: Daddy, if all the people became brocolli, what would you do?
* * *
Sammy approaches Daddy with a zen question:
Sammy: Daddy, if there’s a Ninja and no one can see him, is he still a Ninja?
* * *
Dominic (9) and Sammy (4) have caught the programming bug through Scratch (www.scratch.mit.edu).
Sammy likes designing new games, but doesn’t really quite know how to make his sprites move yet. Here’s a couple of his games:
Sammy approaches Daddy. He wants to tell Daddy how his day went. Or how his day will go?
Sammy: Daddy, later I had lots of fun!
* * *
Sammy is very eager to learn how to write. He teaches himself by copying what other people have written, or by making up his own writing. He copied the writing below from one of Domu’s messages:
Sammy is sleepy and wants to go to sleep. Daddy tucks him in.
Daddy: Do you want me to tell you a story?
Sammy: Yes
Daddy: Do you like ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’?
Sammy: Not that!
Daddy: Why not?
Sammy: Scary.
Daddy: (amused, thinks about an even scarier one) How about ‘Hansel and Gretel?’
Sammy: Super-scary
Daddy: How about ‘Little Red Riding Hood’
Sammy: Ok, but only the start of the story.
* * *
Daddy was at the computer. Sammy walked over to Daddy, wearing his pajamas and holding a pair of scissors.
Sammy: Daddy, how come this scissors cannot cut my PJs?
* * *
Pia and Sammy were playing. Then Pia went into the kitchen.
Pia: Come here, Sammy! Let’s make a proper dog meal for you.
* * *
While having lunch:
Sammy: Daddy, I have blood in my mouth
Daddy: What happened?
Sammy: First, I saw that I have no blood in my mouth. Then I crashed. Then I saw blood.
Then he noticed that there was no more blood.
Sammy: Look! My blood is dead already.
* * *
Sammy loves to learn. At four years old he can now read all the words in Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and so on.
Now he’s teaching himself how to write. He can write all the numbers, except 2.
Sammy: (tries to write ‘2’, but he always twirls the bottom so it becomes a ‘3’). D’oh!
Sammy: (tries again, same result) Augghhh!
Sammy: (tries again, same result) D’OH!
* * *
We are teaching the children how to understand Mandarin Chinese. They also pick up some Spanish words from watching Dora the Explorer.
One day, Daddy was watching TV. Sammy comes up to him:
Sammy: Daddy, how do you spell ching chung chang chawa in Spanish?
* * *
Daddy was reading a bedtime story. He came across the word ‘century’.
Daddy: Pia, do you know what ‘century’ means?
Pia: (thinking) Uhm… one hundred years?
Daddy: Correct.
Sammy: Daddy, ‘century’ means one hundred years?
Daddy: Yes.
Sammy: What do you call one hundred meals?
* * *
Two years after accepting that our Pia is not going to be as dainty as Snow White, or Princess Aurora:
Pia: (while eating lunch) I’m saving my fart for later.
* * *
Mummy and Pia and Domu went off to school. Daddy and Sammy stayed behind.
Sammy: Goodbye Mummy! I love you Mummy!
Daddy: Do you love Mummy?
Sammy: Yes
Daddy: Do you love Achie?
Sammy: Yes
Daddy: Do you love Domu?
Sammy: Yes… and I love me!
* * *
The family sat down to watch DVD. Pia had wanted to watch “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”, but we eventually went for the “The Hulk” (starring Edward Norton)
Pia: Oh… I don’t want to watch “The Hunk”
Domu: (laughing) It’s “The Hulk” not “The Hunk”
Pia: Anyway I don’t like him
Daddy: Why don’t you like the Hulk?
Pia: Because he has a green ass.
* * *
Domu was playing with his ball. Sammy grabbed his ball. Domu was extremely annoyed.
Domu: (grabs the ball back) Sammy, don’t do that!
Sammy: I can if I want to!
Domu: If you do that again, I’m going to kill you!
Sammy: (shocked and angry) Don’t ever kill me again!
* * *
Sammy: (looking at Daddy’s stubble) Daddy, why do you have a beard?
Daddy: You will have a beard too when you grow up.
Sammy: No I won’t! I don’t want to.
Daddy: But you will have a beard whether you like it or not.
Sammy: I won’t have a beard.
Daddy: Yes you will.
Sammy: Ok, let’s see if I will have a beard when I’m 5 years old.
* * *
One morning, Sammy was up early. He’s not used to seeing Daddy in the morning (most mornings, Daddy leaves for work before the children get up).
Sammy: Daddy, will you stay home today?
Daddy: No, I have to go to work.
Sammy: So you can get some money?
Daddy: Yes. I have to work so we can have money.
Sammy: And then we can buy anything?
Daddy: No, so we can stay in this house. And also so you can have some money.
Sammy: So I can have lots of money?
Daddy: What will you buy when you have lots of money?
Sammy: I will buy noodles!
* * *
Daddy and Sammy need to pick up Pia from school at 3:15. It is now 2pm.
Sammy: Can I have noodles?
Daddy: Here’s your noodles. When you finish eating, we will pick up Achie from school, ok?
Sammy: Do I have to hurry up in eating?
Daddy: No, we have lots of time.
Sammy: How many times do we have?
* * *
Lunchtime. Sammy and Daddy are alone at home. We have leftover spaghetti.
Daddy: Sammy, do you want spaghetti?
Sammy: (busy playing computer) What?
Daddy: Do you want to eat spaghetti?
Sammy: Yes.
Daddy: Ok, let me heat it first.
Sammy: (runs away from computer to Daddy) Hey! Don’t eat my spaghetti!
* * *
When 4 year old Sammy needs to pee, he usually tells Mummy or Daddy: “I want to pee”. Today, he grew up very very quickly:
Sammy: Mummy. . . I need to piss!"
* * *
Daddy was teaching Sammy how to pray the Our Father
Daddy: Our Father who art in heaven…
Sammy: Our Father who art in heaven…
Daddy: Hallowed by they name
Sammy: Hallowed be diamond.
* * *
Sammy really likes learning how to read. He’s able to recognise at least 20 words now, and he can spell some from memory.
One day while Daddy and Sammy are watching TV together:
Sammy: Daddy can you spell ‘Duh’
Daddy: (not sure what word Sammy said) What word?
Sammy: Duh! Can you spell ‘Duh’
Daddy: Sure. It’s D-U-H.
Sammy: That’s not right. Duh is spelled T-H-E.
* * *
When Sammy picks up new phrases, sometimes he gets them just a little bit wrong.
One day, Sammy and Dominic are playing martial arts fighting:
Sammy: (in kung fu stance) You… won’t… pay… for… this!
* * *
Sammy likes to help Mummy cook. He is also practicing doing his magic card tricks and always practices the phrase: “Pick a card… any card.”
Mummy: Sammy, get a fork from the drawer.
Sammy: (talking to himself) Get a fork…any fork.
* * *
Sammy wants to perform the magic card trick, but he’s not having success in finding from the deck the card Daddy picked.
This time he comes up with a fool proof plan.
Sammy: (holding out a ‘deck’ made up of only one card) Daddy, pick a card! Any card!
* * *
Dominic has gotten an interest in performing magic card tricks. The other children got the bug too, even 3 year old Sammy.
Sammy: (holding out a deck of cards) Daddy, pick a card! Any card!
Daddy: (picks a card)
Sammy: Now put it back.
Daddy: (puts back the card)
Sammy: (shuffles the cards and then starts looking for the card). Is this your card?
Daddy: No
Sammy: (picks out another card). Is this your card?
Daddy: Nope.
Sammy: (perplexed) But which one is your card?
* * *
Sammy has learned how to cross his eyes.
Sammy: (eyes crossed and looking at Mummy) Look! I have two Mummies!
* * *
While watching Herbie (the love bug), the lead actress tells her Dad: “Racing is in my blood!”
Daddy: Dominic, is racing in your blood?
Dominic: No, science is in my blood, then running, then kung fu.
Daddy: How about you Pia, what’s in your blood?
Pia: Nothing.
* * *
Sammy likes to learn while pooing so we teach him counting, ABCs, etc while he sits and does his thing.
Daddy: (holding up three fingers) Sammy, how many fingers?
Sammy: (points at each finger while counting) one…two…three!
Daddy: (holds up 5 fingers) How many?
Sammy: (points at each finger while counting) one…two…three…four…five!
Daddy: (wants Sammy to count mentally without pointing) Don’t use your fingers, just count in your head.
Sammy: Count with my head?
Daddy: (holds up four fingers) Yes
Sammy: (touches each finger with his forehead and counts) one…two…three…four!
* * *
Mummy was talking to the kids about gardening.
Mummy: It’s good for the plants if there are worms in the soil cause they make holes in the soil for the plants to grow into.
Sammy: But I can make holes in the soil with a stick!
* * *
Everyone at home was helping Pia with her homework – to build a diorama.
Mummy: Oh nice, everyone is helping Pia.
Sammy: (wants to say he’s helping too) And I’m helping myself!
* * *
Sammy did something to one of Domu’s stuff. Domu was very angry.
Domu: Sammy! Why did you ruin my things! I will kill you!
Sammy: (scared but indignant) Don’t kill me!
Domu stops.
Sammy: Don’t kill me ever again!
* * *
Daddy was working on his computer. He overhears:
Pia: Sammy you better tell Daddy what you did or else I will whip you!
* * *
dear domo,
a very pleasant and happy birhtday to you.you are now a young handsome man.how i wish you could e-mail me and marrate to us abot mama,papa,pia,and sam.i miss you all.i aften talk about you to make your cousins here be familiar.you youngest cousin mastered your names.i hope you dont forget me.I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
GRANDMA
dear domo,
happy b-day cousin.how tall are you are?are you enjoying your schooling??i hope we will also see each other in person.
BYE AND ENJOY YOUR BIRTHDAY.
GAIL
Daddy was assisting Sammy to poo. He thought this might be a good time to teach sammy some science.
Daddy: Sammy, do you know where poo comes from?
Sammy: (thinks a bit, then looks Daddy straight in the eyes) From my butt.
* * *
Daddy borrowed a comedy movie:
Daddy: Hey Dominic, Pia, come here watch this. It’s a funny movie.
The children sat down and watched.
After 5 minutes of watching parts where there was nothing funny:
Pia: Daddy, when will we laugh?
* * *
The children were having lunch. 3-year old Sammy likes Mummy’s cooking:
Sammy: Good job Mummy! This tastes like something!
* * *
Daddy was busy at the computer. Sammy comes up to him:
Sammy: Daddy, I need food
Daddy: (busy) uh-huh. Food?
Sammy: Yes, I need food.
Daddy: You need food?
Sammy: Yes, in my mouth.
Daddy: Food in your mouth? You want to eat?
Sammy: Yes!
* * *
Sammy wants to play on the computer. It is currently off. He wants to run it on:
Sammy: Daddy, can I take on the computer?
* * *
Daddy was telling the children about traditional Philippine ghosts and ghouls:
Daddy: And there’s the asuwang, the most evil and most scariest of all
Dominic: Can you kill it?
Daddy: You can’t kill it, but you can hang garlic around your windows so it can’t come close to you. It’s afraid of garlic.
Dominic: Does it have to be garlic?
Daddy: Yes
Dominic: Why can’t we use peanuts?
* * *
Sammy has picked up a new expression (‘what the heck’).
One day, while playing with the computer:
Sammy: Hey, look I have no more life…what the hick!
Or
Sammy: There’s no more chips…what the hick!
* * *
Sammy is eating ice cream strawberry cheesecake. He notices the red jelly topping and starts licking it:
Sammy: Yum…it sounds like strawberry!
* * *
3-year old Sammy has been having tantrums, complaining about everything. He’s starting to drive exasperate Mummy.
Mummy: <Sigh> Sammy, give me a break.
Sammy: Mummy, there is no break!
* * *
Sammy is walking about the house pretending to be a robot.
Sammy: I…am…a…robot. I…am…a…robot. I…am…a…robot.
After a while, he goes to Mummy.
Sammy: Mummy…I…need…to…poo.
* * *
Sammy is very headstrong and always wants to get his way. Still, sometimes he doesn’t give us too much trouble.
Mummy: Sammy, turn that TV off, it’s time to eat.
Sammy: I’m watching
Mummy: Turn it off now. We will eat.
Sammy: Alright, stinky butt!
* * *
Sammy always refers to events occuring on ‘Wednesday’. He’s very headstrong and always wants to get his way.
Today he needs to take a bath but he doesn’t want to:
Daddy: Sammy, take your clothes off. We’ll take a bath.
Sammy: I don’t want to take a bath.
Daddy: Come on now, hurry.
Sammy: But I don’t want to take a bath!
Daddy: You have to take a bath. You’re stinky!
Sammy: I’m not stinky! I already take a bath on Wednesday!
* * *
Daddy and the children are talking about what they would wish for if a genie gave them 3 wishes:
Daddy: Sammy, what will you wish for?
Sammy: A leaf!
* * *
Daddy and Sammy are working through a picture book.
Daddy: (pointing to a cat') ‘C’, Kuh…Kuh…Cat
Sammy: (pointing to a pair of pants) ‘P’, Uhh…uhh..underwear
* * *
Daddy and Sammy are looking at a picture book.
Daddy: (pointing to an apple) ‘A’, Ah..Ah…Apple.
Sammy: (pointing to a boat) ‘B’, Buh…Buh…Ship
* * *
Mummy hates it when the children play with water and wet the floor.
The children know this and avoid playing with water. Except Pia.
One day while playing with her toys at the sink, Pia spills water all over the kitchen floor.
Pia: (quick glance at Mummy) Oops!
Pia: (running away) I’m doomed!
* * *
Sammy likes experimenting with expressions that he picks up around him. One day while eating in the kitchen:
Sammy: Mmmm. This is good! It tases like something!
* * *
It is summer and often very hot. Sammy has gotten to drinking iced water. He frequently asks for water with ice cubes.
Sammy: Daddy, can I have water with ice please?
Daddy puts a couple of ice cubes in Sammy’s cup.
Sammy: Daddy, I said I want four ice cubes
Daddy: How many do you have?
Sammy: (counts) One…two!
Daddy puts a couple more in.
Sammy: (counts) One…two…three…four. Good job Daddy!
* * *
Pia is in grade 1. One day, Pia approaches Daddy:
Pia: Daddy, I’m pregnant!
(She stuffed a balloon inside the back of her pyjamas, so that her butt looks very big.)
Daddy: When you’re pregnant your bum doesn’t get big. Your tummy does.
Pia: Yes it does!
* * *
Mummy is taking a nap. Sammy tiptoes to Mummy and softly whispers in her ear:
Sammy: Mummy…I need to poo
* * *
It has only been recently become apparent to us that Sammy uses ‘sl’ when pronouncing a word that begins with ‘fl’.
After making poo:
Sammy: I want to slush the toilet.
Seeing a cartoon character fly:
Sammy: Look! He can sly!
Holding a flower:
Sammy: Look Daddy, a slahwer!
* * *
Sammy likes eating ‘chocolate’. This is hazelnut spread which he likes to eat direct from a spoon. One day he scooped an extra large serving, ate it all up messily, with the brown stuff all over his mouth.
Mummy: Come Sammy, let’s wash your face.
Sammy: (always the contrarian) I don’t need to wash my face!
Mummy: Your mouth is so messy. Look at yourself in the mirror.
Sammy goes to the mirror and considers his appearance.
Sammy: Mummy, I look like a werewolf!
* * *
Mummy and Sammy were walking to school. They come across a construction worker along the footpath:
Sammy: (singing loudly) Bob the Builder…
(If you don’t know Bob the Builder…http://www.bobthebuilder.com/au/index.asp)
* * *
Pia had a tantrum again. Daddy wants her to be a bit more considerate to Mummy.
Daddy: Pia, whenever you have tantrums, it can sometimes make Mummy feel sick
Pia: How can she be sick?
Daddy: (grasping) Uhm…some of her body parts may become weaker and not function properly.
Pia: Like her tooth?
* * *
Pia says she wants to be a principal because she wants to “ring the bell.”
Daddy: (laughing) You want to be a principal because you want to ring the bell?
Pia: (becomes angry) It’s not funny! It’s very important. If nobody rings the bell, how will we know that it’s time to play. School will be SO BORING!
* * *
Every now and then, Daddy or Mummy asks the children what they want to be when they grow up.
Daddy: Pia, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Pia: I want to be a principal.
Daddy: (Impressed with her ambition. Pia used to want to be a ‘mere’ teacher). Why do you want to be a principal?
Pia: So I can ring the bell.
* * *
Daddy’s current favourite show is Big Bang Theory. The children love watching it too. They especially like the catchy theme song. Whenever it plays, they sing along. Of course, they don’t know all the words:
The children: …14 billion years ago…we built the wall… we built the pyramids…hum… hum… geology…hum… hum… biology… hum..hum..and it all started with a big BANG!
* * *
Sammy loves watching Thomas the Train, whose favourite expression of surprise seems to be ‘Cinders and ashes!’
One day while Mummy was hanging the clothes, Sammy was lpaying in the grass and soil with his digger, pretending it was Thomas:
Sammy: Choo-choo….cinders and ashes!
* * *
We were having burgers for dinner. The children love it. Pia wants another one:
Pia: Daddy, can I have another hung burger?
* * *
Sammy always sleeps beside Mummy.
It’s 9:30pm. Already past the children’s bedtime. Mummy is getting sleepy.
Mummy: (yawning) Sammy, let’s go to bed now.
Sammy: (doesn’t want to go to sleep yet) I watching Achie play.
Mummy: (threatens) I’m tired. If you don’t go to bed now, I will sleep without you.
Sammy: (freedom) Yes, you sleep Mummy.
* * *
Sammy likes to sing. He usually does it while he plays. Being only 3 years old, he doesn’t get all the words right.
Sammy: One, little two, little three, little inches. Four, little five, little six, little inches….
* * *
Sammy’s the most independent of the children and always wants to do things himself.
He had just finished poo-ing and was trying to put on his pants by himself, but was having trouble.
Mummy: Sammy, do you need help? Come here I will help you.
Sammy: (struggling to put his pants on) I don’t need my help!
* * *
Sammy cannot pronounce ‘bicycle’
Sammy: Daddy, can I ride my bi-kosol?
Daddy: It’s ‘bicycle’
Sammy: Bikosol
Daddy: Bi…
Sammy: Bi…
Daddy: See…
Sammy: See…
Daddy: Kul…
Sammy: Kul…
Daddy: Bicycle
Sammy: Bikosol.
* * *
Sammy approaches Daddy, hand on tummy:
Sammy: Daddy, my tummy is <inaudible>y
Daddy: Your tummy is achy?
Sammy: No…my tummy is sleepy
* * *
Sammy is very quickly picking up new words. He gets the meanings much later.
One day, Daddy is busy at the computer. Sammy approaches with a crayon and a page for coloring:
Sammy: Daddy, can you color my picture?
Daddy: I can’t Sammy, I’m busy.
Sammy: Daddy, can you color my picture?
Daddy: I’m busy.
Sammy: No, I’M busy!
* * *
Sammy at three years old has become very talkative. With a limited vocabulary to work with, he comes up with odd sentences.
One day, Daddy is in the bedroom. Sammy runs to the bedroom holding a spoon of peanut butter:
Sammy: Daddy, do you know my peanut butter?
* * *
Sammy enjoys making fun of butts. One afternoon, as soon as Mummy wakes up from her quick nap:
Sammy: Mummy, do you want to see my butt!
* * *
Sammy loves Mandarin oranges. But he pronounces them as ‘nanderin’. One day he sees Pia eating the last Mandarin. Sammy runs to Daddy:
Sammy: Daddy, I want nanderin
Daddy: I think there’s no more mandarin.
Sammy: I want nanderin
Daddy: There’s no more mandarin.
Sammy: I WANT NANDERIN!
Daddy: No more mandarin.
Sammy: DADDY! I WANT MANDARIN! NOT ‘NO MORE’!
* * *
We give the children extra homework at home to keep them sharp. Pia loves doing them some days, and hates doing them some days. Today Mummy had to remind Pia several times to finish her home work. Pia gets annoyed:
Pia: Mummy! When you’re sleeping I’m going to tie your legs!
* * *
Sammy has decided he likes butts, especially his.
One day, while Daddy was working on his computer.
Sammy: (walks up to Daddy) Daddy, do you want to see my BUTT?
* * *
Sammy picks up expressions from TV or from his brother and sister, but he still has problems fitting the expression to the occassion.
One day, Sammy hears someone fart.
Sammy: That’s AWESOME!
* * *
