A Proud Moment

Last night was probably the proudest day of my fathering career. To set the scene, we were eating dinner, and trying to keep Bianca entertained in that crucial 20minutes before we bathe her and put her down. This 20 minutes can either be full of play and laughing or whining, crying and complaining; it's any body's bet. Ewa's mother is still here, which is a huge benefit at this time as two people can eat and one can entertain Bianca if she doesn't feel like sitting in her high chair and eating, talking/listening to us (talking being a generous description of her pips and pops). We've been working on noises different animals make, Ella - Ewa's mom - says "Jak robi krowka? (What sound does a cow make) and Bianca moos and then she says "Jak robi piesek? (What sound does a dog make) and Bianca woofs and then she asks "Jak robi koteczek? (What sound does a kitty make) and Bianca does a very diminutive meeooww. These are all known responses.

But since I've been working so much and I only see Bianca for, max, 1hr per day during the week I have a slight worry about her speaking English; absurd maybe, but parents worry about ridiculous stuff sometimes. So I say, "sure, she can woof when you prompt her in Polish, but she probably won't know what I say" - and honestly, I can't remember whether I said this aloud or in my head as my memory is clouded over, over what happened next. I say, in English, "Bibi, what sound to monkeys make?" and she replies "ee ee ee, oooh oooh ooh" (Which is exactly what I do, while scratching my armpits, when I do monkey sounds). And then I say "What sound do kitties make?" and she replies with her little meeoooww. Then I ask "What sound do cows make?" and yes, of course, she moos. I clapped and exclaimed "She DOES understand me!" Relief and exaltation; parenthood in a nutshell. Practicing my "meows" with Bianca