Mare and Ren are each getting one activity this summer. Mare picked ballet right off. Ren did, too.
“I don’t think you really like ballet, Doodle,” I said.
“I DO!” she said.
“Really? — I think you like it because Sissy likes it. But I’m not sure you actually enjoy the class much. I think you like being big, like Sissy. And I cna’t blame you there, she’s great. But she’s not YOU. I want to know about you. What does Ren like?”
“Ballet.”
“How about gymnastics?”
“I like gymnastics.”
“Want to do that instead of ballet?”
“Is Sissy doing it?”
“No, she’s definitely doing ballet.”
“Then I want to do ballet.”
“You won’t be in the same class. She’ll be with the older girls.”
“Dat’s okay.”
“How about swimming lessons?”
“With Sissy??”
“ARG!!”
And then I am loading her into the Loser Cruiser outside the school. It’s getting warm, and I am not dressed appropriately and the baby is screaming and Ren won’t get in her freaking seat and then …
“LING!!” Ren sticks her head out the door of the Looser Cruiser and waves excitedly across the parking lot. “Ni hao ma shi shi Ling!!”
I stare at her for one long stupid moment.
“Dat’s my Chinese teacher,” she says. “Ling.”
“Ling,” I say.
“Yeah.”
“Chinese,” I say.
“Uh-huh.”
“What does … Ni hao muh …”
“No, no,” she shakes her head. “Not ‘muh,’ ‘MAH.’”
“What does it mean?”
“Hi.”
“Oh.” I look at her, watch her watch Ling pull her car out of the parking lot.
“Ren. Would you like Ling to visit you? At our house? Come and sit with you and play with you in Chinese?”
A bright smile – the best kind, the mega-wat Renny grin, and she hugs me.
“Can she visit Sissy, too?”
“No, baby. No. She’d be coming just for you. To give you Chinese lessons.”
A happy clap of her hands and another hug.
Momma’s little dork.
That’s amazing! Good call on the Chinese lessons. Where did she just happen to pick-up a Chinese teacher?
That is the cutest thing ever. Chinese lessons! Cute.
That is way beyond cool. I’ve been struggling to figure out my son’s passion. He loves music, that much I know, but I’m stalled at where to go from here.
Such a great momma to recognize the passion.
Ditto what Heather said. Yay Ren!
…..but you know fluency in Mandarin is one step closer to global domination, right?
How cool
::blink:: Good grief! Chinese speaking Rennie?! Wow. Go girl!
And good call on spotting thr opportunity for her for the Summer. (And how did she start up learning Chinese?!)
Trés Bien! Veldig Bra! That’s Great!….I grew up with three languages (French, Norwegian & English) and boy am I glad my mom fostered/encouraged the classes and summers in all three….today I live in France, visit my family in Norway & the States and call myself a global child.
Did anyone else look up ‘Hi, how are you’ in Chinese straightaway? LOL!
I can’t wait to hear about the rest of this summer. Go Renny!
…she’s 3, right?
:blink:
Your kid? Fucking awesome.
Just sayin’. In case, you know, there was any doubt. =)
Ren is super smart Damomma, by the time Ren goes for a job interview speaking Chinese would be a requirnment
!
You’re awesome! Love how you picked up on that
So proud of myself! I recognized Ni hao ma– it’s the ONLY Chinese phrase I know…I learned it from the Wiggles…which, at my house, are on pretty much constant loop, thanks to my 20 month old Wiggle-a-phile….haha!
And I think Lauren is right…Ren is definitely heading one step closer to accomplishing her goal world domination! Go Ren!
p.s. – Dorks Rock!
I got ni hao, cause it’s on Kailan. but what’s a shi-shi? That is great. yep, she is definitely on target for “global domination” >
Brilliant!
Ha! Ren and my girl can be dorks together. Mine insisted that I buy her Spanish lessons on CD. People think I’m making her learn Spanish. So not the case. Dorky girls unite!
Wow! It is awesome to have anything the kids seem to have an affinity for.
H.
ps. my kids (22 mos apart) squeal in delight anytime I put them in the same class of anything. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does it’s pure joy!
Another step in Ren’s future world domination.
I am so impressed that I am literally speechless and I’m sitting at my computer slack-jawed. Just thought you should know.
GO RENNY! You rock those Chinese lessons!
So unbe-freakin-lievably cool!
And you so rock in the Mom department!
Doodle rocks.
That’s awesome. I love how you interact with Ren.
As yes…the little wanting to do whatever the big was doing. [18 months apart] When my little first learned to write, she didn’t want to write HER name…she wanted to write Big Sister’s. Actual conversation: “Little, do you want ice cream?” Little: “Does Big?”
whee! Best final sentence for a post! Love it.
I was a Momma’s little dork too – she had me going off to summer camp with multiplication tables written on my paper lunch bag. Sweet.
I was the youngest of four and my mother can attest to that phenomenon. I didn’t like tomatoes because of T, peas because D wouldn’t eat them, carrots (or really any of the yellow/orange veggies) because R wouldn’t …once we’d gotten through all the veggies they didn’t like and I honestly didn’t like, the only vegetable she could get me to eat for some time was hominy. It also means I took being good in school seriously, loved music and tried hard to be a good friend to all. It has it’s benefits.
Of course, what Ren really needs is someone to hang about her and say “Narf!” a lot.
Go Ren! And go you for ferreting out that interest of hers. Of all the interests and talents, a language is a great one to have! But then again, so is ballet (but I am biased on that one). Good choices all around.
I suppose I should find a lesson for my almost-four-year-old for this summer. I mean I know I should, but they are so pricey … or at least the ones that sound like something he’d enjoy. And when times are tight, I just don’t know. Will he be scarred forever if I stick to having my tween sister be a mom’s helper and keep he and my one-year-old busy this summer … and then also take them on long nature walks every chance we get? Is it so bad if I fill the summer with time with the family and gardening and put off formal lessons (which I truly think are valuable) for just a little longer?
All I can say is I. LOVE. YOUR. BLOG.
you should write a book…. oh wait you did that already… so maybe in your free time “snark” you could write another one. HA
Glad Eden is doing well…what a great family!
Yeah, I kind of figured it was it was from the Noggin show. My 3 year old goes around practicing the words from the show.
Except shi-shi (thank you) comes out shi-shit.
tjwriter: your comment reminded me of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pj2Nutu5v8
I just had to send this to ya!
hello everyone, i am from china. i want to make a friend to comunication english. i hope i can get a friend here.
my name lishigang, my msn is LSG1979LG@ HOTMAIL.COM, I’d like to chat with you. i think i can get friendship.