The Latest in Language Lessons

It has been a good long time since I have posted any language-related stories here.  But I have to share the latest trend I am seeing in Lilly. 

We are still speaking lots of Chinese at home, but her predominant language is most definitely English.

For the most part, she is very understandable, even to total strangers.  But there are still times when her speech is slightly unclear, even to me.  She used to get extremely frustrated really quickly when I had trouble understanding her.  I knew I had about 3 chances to say "I'm sorry, sweetie, what did you say?  Can you say it again?" before she would either shut down or throw a fit.  Not pretty.  So over time I leared new strategies of helping her express herself like "Can you show me?" "Can you tell me what it looks like?" "Can you tell me in Chinese?" "WHere did we see/do/hear it?" and a host of other questions that help her find a way to make it clear to me what she is talking about.  She is a smart cookie and we almost never have fits anymore.  Praise the Lord.

Well, here is our latest twist on communication barriers, now that she is learning all her letters, wanting to know how to spell things, and attemtpting to write names and words.  When I have trouble understanding her, she will simply pause what she was trying to say, and "spell it."  Except she can't spell.  Tonight, for example, while she was in the bathtub, it went like this:

Lilly:  "Mom, please you bring lotta' Paw Paw Kits" to the bath?
Me: "What did you say?  Paw Paw Kits?"
Lilly: "No!  You know, Paaaw PAAAAW Kits!  WAY lot.  THIS MUCH" (stretching her arms way wide)
Me: (knowing I'm on strike two now...) "Hmmm....what are paw paw kits?  Can you tell me more..."
Lilly, interrupting: "Mom.  Listen.  T - U - V.  You know, paw paw kits."

Me: (laughing at her attempt at spelling what she was requesting, and relieved that my mind had finally interpreted her request (not in any way due to the spelling) "OH!  Polly Pockets!  Sure.  I'll bring you lots."

Lilly: "why you laughing?  No laugh at me.  WAY LOTS mom, ok?"

That girl simply cracks me up.