Booh
August 18th, 2005Tonight Heather went to the gym and Leta and I walked around outside (she’s still not quite walking on her own, so I hold her hands and she talks and walks very quickly) and then we watched about 8.2 minutes of Sesame Street. During Sesame Street, Leta gets pretty focused on the puppetry and the songs so I can usually watch her out the corner of my eye. Or check email and watch her out of the corner of my eye. I busted out the laptop and checked my email. Leta has been drawn more and more to whatever it is me and Heather are doing. Checking email is no exception. After losing interest in the television, she sqawked and crawled at lighting speed over to me indicating that now was one of the times she wanted to be close.
So I pulled up the Boohbah website and Leta climbed up on my lap and very delicately muted the volume on the laptop with one of her little dimpled fingers. She has done this many times and knows that when she hits the mute button on the laptop, the little green bars pop up and she says something in whatever language she is currently learning that may or may not sound like something evangelicals might warn others about involving the dark side. Kind of like a scientist after proving or disproving a theory. Except that she’s not quite intelligible.
While we were clicking around the Boohbah site, Leta was leaning on the laptop with her elbows, her hands splayed across the keys (clicking the odd “g” or “7″ with her index fingers) and asking rhetorical questions in her languages, she suddenly stopped, sat back and said, “Booh… Bah!”
Just like the kids on the show say Booh… Bah! when somebody is dancing or they want the creatures to dance or fly away or get back in the pods. She is imitating something that she hasn’t seen in awhile, and has made an association from the website to the TV. She’s got a bunch of these already, but this one was pretty big. I don’t know when the last time she saw Boohbah on TV or visited the website. Either way, the display of mental prowess was fantastic.
I know that billions of kids have learned to speak and to make associations. But when yours does, it’s more cool than even the mere thought of dual dual core processors or Nicole Kidman naked. It’s cooler than the internet. Watching Leta learn is cooler than the internet. o
What about dual core processors *and* Nicole Kidman naked?
Nope, you’re right. Watching your own kids grow up is great. There’s very little in life that can compare.
Just wait. It gets better. And there will be times you might actually EXPLODE with pride and emotion.
My daughter is six and is currently charging me a quarter per cuss word. Greedy brat. Still though, everyday something happens to make me feel the way you described. Nothing like it on Earth. Nothing.
That’s awesome! Congratulations!!
I’m constantly in awe of how open and sharing you two both are about your lives. It’s beyond refreshing, it’s literally a source of sanity (go figure) for me. And no, not because I can say “gee, my life isn’t like these weirdo’s” it’s because I can honestly hear your life, and it’s quirks, changes, oddities and moments of amazing grace come shining thru. Truly, diversity is what makes us great, our differences unite us, and you and Heather, and Leta as well, show how very cool we all can be. Thanks!
Is it time to start Leta’s audio blog?
It IS awesome, isn’t it, watching your child learn and develop? Congrats to Little Leta on this milestone.
I can only say that I agree by association. I only have neices at the moment and I think the same thing about them, even the one who ages 7, it still impresses me.
Just wait until she says “shit”. You’ll be so proud!
Seth said “ball-sack” at my parent’s house. He heard his young uncle saying it. I just about sied!
How funny you should mention this; we *just* discovered that boohbah website the other day (and in fact, my little 4mo Lily is watching a TiVoed ep as I type). Leta is about a year and some months ahead of Lily, so it’s fun to see where I’ll be in about a year’s time. Walking & talking “already”? Sounds mighty scary, but in a good way.
Mine’s just starting to crawl. Not *that* is frightening. Heh.
I don’t think an audioblog is warranted but it would be cool to hear a small audio clip of her. Or would that bring the entire world crashing in on your server? You guys should own a hosting company and link to customers and then charge them for the enormous bandwidth your links produce.
this is the nicest difference between parents and non-parents. When you were younger and dating Heather,,,living the fast and posh life in LA, having a co-worker bust out during drinks with “My little Sophie said Boohbah last night”,,,,,just would not have had the same effect on you as it would today, after hearing your Leta achieve it. Children take us out of ourselves, our own insecurities and self-pride and fill us up with unlimited amounts of new insecurities and pride in them. Becoming a parent also gives all of the other parents someone to talk and brag to, who actually give a shit and completely get it. Yea us parents, and thank god for the Leta’s.
Imagine the day Leta learns _about_ the Internet.
Kids are amazing. My daughter, who is 1 1/2 years old loves getting everyone’s shoes for them in the morning. Usually she brings me my black Crocs. Today I dressed up for my eval at work and she looks at me and goes to get my shoes. I am expecting the Crocs. She brought me DRESS SHOES! I almost died. How the hell did she know to bring me dress shoes??
I have a little fashion maven in the works.
All I have to say is it’s a good thing that you didn’t use the words “Nicole Kidman Naked” earlier on in this post. I would have missed the point entirely.
It is SOOOO cool isn’t it, when you get an indication of the neurons firing in their brain?? A couple of weeks ago my 16-month old and I saw a rabbit in our backyard. We watched it for the longest time. Even now, 2 weeks later, whenever we read her book with the rabbit in it she points to the backyard!!
The associations they make are simply amazing, aren’t they? It’s hard to believe just how much they understand at such a young age. I’ve always wondered just what they’d say if only they could master language earlier. Probably something like, “Those shoes with that suit? Dad! You must be joking!” Maybe it’s just as well…
sweet
The thought of Nicole Kidman, naked or otherwise, kinda freaks me out, but Leta… ooh how exciting! I’m happy for your guys!
Wow Leta is cooler than the internet! And the internet is pretty damn cool, so you must be ecstatic Jon. Congrats
She’s such a lovely kid and we all look forward to hearing about her learning and growing
A parent who’s all crazy that his own kid says something! Wow. Pretty amazing. You guys act like you’re cool rebels, but you’re so mainstream it’s just stunning. Whenever I check the Dooce site to see what the photo is, it’s either the Doocer or a dog or a kid! Good grief! Sorry if this comment sucks. You can delete it.
Jon and Heather, how cool is it? that you rebels are sooooo rebelliously cool in your rebellious coolness that all of the “non-life peeps”, check your photo’s daily to see what’s been uploaded? I wouldn’t delete that last comment, I think it’s a fabulous compliment!
25 cents per swear seems to be the going rate, that’s what my 5yo niece charges me. I get my money back some times as I charge her a dime per whine.
It’s pretty cool to watch a kid grow up on a day to day basis.
that is terribly terribly sweet and i completely understand.
So cute. Aren’t they just amazing? …and when you think where they came from!
As the father of a 5 year old, I’ll have to admit you’re right in this case, but there is just not a whole lot in this world that is cooler than Nicole Kidman naked.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! I have been brought to tears watching my 11 month do things that every single baby does. Thanks for putting it into words. It’s cooler than the Internet.
LOL My 3 year old daughter walks around saying her balls hurt…………. just wait it gets better.
just read heather’s post about the keys. my only comment: STOP SMOKING. if not for your sake, and not for heather’s, than at least for leta’s.
if you carry a lighter around for a non-smoking related reason, e.g., you’re a macgyver type, please disregard this small rant.
My daughter (a day older than Leta) loves the boohbah website too!
Are they and the teletubbies speaking some language our kids understand that we don’t? My daughter acts like they are really saying stuff. It’s very weird.