jonah’s song

Jonah made up a song. The melody was from a ditty he learned in our punk-rock singalong class. I didn’t know he’d actually “learned” it until now. He’d never sung it or shown any particular interest in it. But this was definitely the same melody. I was doubly surprised he remembered it since we haven’t been there in a while. The original song is about helicopters and airplanes and birds (i.e. things that fly).

When he sings, the words are drawn out extra long. The tune is discernible. if you know what he’s going for.

His version, which he sang to himself while playing with his toys in the morning:

Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Buh-ket Loa-Dur

Dri-VING up tha Roooaad.

Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Buh-ket Loa-Dur

ScooPING up tha DuuurT

Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Buh-ket Loa-Dur

Heeere it comesss

Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Buh-ket Loa-Dur

Vrrrrrrr

Driving uptha ROAD

Hmmmmmm

Here it comesssss.

Buh-ket Loa-Dur, Du-ump TrucKS, Cheeerrry Pick-URrrs, Bucket Loaderrrrs, Du-ump Trucksss.

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Other things he’s said lately:

While I was buckling him into his car seat, “You Can DRIVE the STEERING wheel in FIFTEEN years.” (The I/you gets reversed with him because he is mimicking whole phrases. Guess who often tells him this when he begs to drive? Only now we’re down to 14.)

In a Vietnamese restaurant the other night, as he was asking us about the various condiments on the table:

“The HOT sauce is SPICY. If you put it on your TONGUE, it BURNS.”

In the natural history museum today:

“That’s a fine lookin’ weasel.” (Though in a previous post I tried to blame the nanny for this newly-added turn of phrase to his lexicon, I realize he did in fact pick it up from me. I’ve also taught him “That sucks,” which seems appropriate for an almost 2-year-old, and my friend Naomi recently got him into “What the heck?”)

At lunch, in the museum cafe:

“Agua?” he said, asking for water in Spanish. I am pretty sure he learned that from his bilingual buddy Laszlo yesterday.

He also has this comedy routine, based on all the different things I say to him when we are horsing around.

<begin joke>

“You are a wiggle worm,” he says, meaning himself.

I laugh and repeat, “You are a wiggle worm.”

“AND you are ADORABLE!” he says, which I repeat.

“And you are A NUT!” he says, and I repeat, laughing.

“And you are A DOOT!”

“Yes,” I repeat, “you are astute!”

</end joke>

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