Living With the Girl

Since the girl started school things have been pretty good. Having said that it is amazing what comes out of her mouth sometimes as well as some of the other things we talk about. I like to try to figure what goes on in her head sometimes. Here are some of our conversations and my observations. Most of this stuff happens in French but it's translated here for you.

While I was away Isabelle took to sleeping with Jane, usually showing up between 11:00 and midnight. One time she even came into the bedroom and Jane wasn't in bed yet. She got all indignant and called out to Jane to "get in bed, right now!" She really hasn't figured out the world doesn't (always) revolve around her yet.

Last night was another one. I wake up about 2:00 as Maggie is very restless and has been up a few times (but that's another story). Anyway, Jane says to me: "Are you going to put the girl back in her room?" Well, I didn't even know she was in bed with us so I go around to Jane's side and pick her up. She latches on around my neck like she usually does and as I'm walking into her room she says to me in a voice that can only come from a sleepy five year old: "Where are we going, Papa?" I say to her, in French: "I'm putting you back in your own bed." To which she replies: "But my bed isn't big enough for three people!" thinking we were ALL going to her bed. She's a case that one.

For those of you who know me well enough to have heard me speak to my family you know I speak three languages. I do English relatively well, my French is pretty good, and my Acadian is fine (although nothing like my Dad's). The problem is that now Isabelle is going to a proper French bilingual school, not Acadian school. So, I've already caught her correcting me with pronunciation. It won't be long before she's criticizing my vocabulary and sentence structure! I'm impressed it only took two weeks. To be honest it will be good for me but I'm a little disappointed she'll likely never really get a good feel for Acadian. I guess I'll have to make sure she spends some quality time with her grandparents in Saulnierville.

Another thing that has started since school began a few weeks ago has been the fight for leftovers. I pretty much had everything to myself when it came to packing a lunch for work. Now I find myself playing second fiddle to the girl. Don't get me wrong, I love her dearly, I just wish she'd leave me a little egg salad so I can have a sandwich too. I knew she'd eat me out of house and home eventually, I just didn't think it would be this soon.

Finally, this weekend she got into talking about everyone's name. I explained to her that I have a middle name just like most everyone else. The interesting discussion came when I explained to her that Mummy and Papa have different last names. You see it seems Tante Rhea and Oncle Jon have the same last name (it's even that same as Sam's). Tante Gisele and Oncle Rick along with Andre and Lisette have the same last name. Even Grandmere and Pappi & Sammy and Peter have the same last name. She seems to think it's because Jane and I were born in different places. I haven't told her any different. I think I'll let her mother explain that one to her.