If you’ve been around a bit, you know Isabelle has some delays.
Speech, specifically.
She spends a few hours a week at school with a speech therapist, working on sounds that don’t come easily to her.
For example, she calls Sophie: “Fwopea”
She calls Vivi: “Bibby”
And instead of “Cheese, please!” (believe it or not, this child loves dairy products enough to say this often) she says, “Cheeeda, queeeda!”
In all honestly, if we can at least understand what she’s saying, mispronunciations and all, we don’t mind her speech issues one bit.
We love ‘er. Just like she is.
She makes us smile.
Now, picture this. We’re eating dinner. Like we usually do. We spend a lot of time at the dinner table as it’s the only time we have during the day to actually hang out all together.
It works for us.
And part of our dinner routine is going around the table and sharing four things about our day: the best, the worst, something we were particularly grateful for and something that made us laugh.
We usually save this until the end of the meal, when the kids have full bellies and are more settled, so we can at least try to get everyone to pay attention to the speaker. We even have the occasional pop quiz to ensure that listening is actually taking place.
Those who don’t listen flunk the quiz. And those who flunk the quiz have to clear the table.
This definitely works for me.
So, we’re going around the table, and by now we are on Chris’ turn. He’s sharing about his day, how he enjoyed coming home, how crazy things are at work, how he is grateful for….
“C-c-C!”
How he’s grateful for the beautiful weather and…
“C-c-c. O-o-O-CK!”
Isabelle is working out some new ‘words’ she learned at school?
Chris starts to begin again…
“COCK!”
Everyone at the table over the age of seven starts laughing hysterically.
Then we talk about the different names of roosters. Cock-a-doodle-doo.
And Chris starts again where he left off. He’s grateful for…
“Fffffff.”
“F-f-f-Ffff.”
“Ock!”
You guessed it.
“FOCK!”
I’m calling her speech therapist today.
Seriously. We can’t have this kind of hysterical laughter interrupting our dinner conversation.
Sarah says
You give pop quizzes at the dinner table? Remind me to never come to your house. Just the stress of it would get me.
Dardi says
I'm sorry, but I'm giggling…..
The Milfords says
That is hilarious!
The Oswalds says
Hilarious!!!! But I love the dinner table chat and pop quizzes!
Joan says
Sophie was saying Sock right?
I am going to steal your idea for my family. I like the 4 things. We are usually in the car together so that may be when we do it.
๐
Patricia/NYC says
Oh man, Stefanie!!! I'm sorry, but this has me cracking up!!
Love your sharing of "4 things" – fabulous!
And I have to say, maybe because it's how I got to "meet" you, but I have such a soft spot in my heart for Isabelle! What a treasure she is!!
Shonni says
That is tooo funny!
a Tonggu Momma says
So… are we in trouble if we laughed?
Stefanie says
All of y'all are in trouble for laughing.. you naughty boogers ๐
Holly says
yeah. Well you read my dentist story with Josiah. Just be thankful to God on high that she didn't say cuck!
๐
love,
Holly
Lost and Found says
Oh my! I did not expect that. How cute. Emme has speech challenges as well and is working on F and S. Last week we had SHHHH_IIIIIIIT
Sophie says
LOL! I'm coming over tonite, what's for dinner?
Serving the King says
Laughing! Laughing so hard! Ha, thanks for sharing!! You go Isabelle! You go girl!
shelley says
I bet no one flunked the pop quiz THAT night.
Our oldest daughters' favorite movie was "The Fox and the Hound" it came out…."mama I wanna watch the fockin hound" We laughed alot then too.
Valerie and Jeff says
excuse me as I giggle! (out of empathy as a mom though!)
I have to laugh because my boys always seemed to play the "what rhymes with" game where they take a word and put different letters in front of it to find new words. They did this especially at the worst possible time when they got to those "scary" letters. I actually told Brayden one time to totally just stay away from letter "F" because it will just get him into trouble.
Oh my.
Teresa =) says
OMGoodness, I read A LOT of blog posts (I'm a bit addicted, I fear) and that is, hands down, the FUNNIEST THING I HAVE EVER READ!!!!
Makes me wish Molly or Carson took speech therapy…
Teresa =)
Annie says
I guess I am in trouble!!!! LOL!!!
Karin says
OMGosh..I am cracking up. Love the 4 things, idea…although I would be doing well to get 2 things out of my family. Or maybe 1. ๐
Chinamama says
That is too funny! My friend's son can't say his K's. He came over the other day and said, "Sharyn, I wuv your Titties! Can I touch your Titties?" We both just about died!!!
Kids are great! Gotta love them!!!
Sharyn
Wanda says
Oh-oh! My bad. I laughed my head off.
Jenna says
It's been a long time since I laughed out loud to the point that everyone in the room was asking me what's so funny while reading a blog. I can't even stop giggling (I know, send me right beck to middle school). Thanks for sharing, I needed a laugh after having spent the last 36 hours bent over the toilet bowl.
SO FUNNY!!! So, so funny!!!! ๐
Sharon says
lol…..seriously…LOL
Maybe she's a Carolina fan! ๐
Go GameCOCKS!!!
Jean says
Oh yes- I'm laughing!
I have always wanted to post about the word "truck"- everyone of our kids have done it! Those darn tr's are tough and turn into fr's- fruck! Whenever it happens I can't help but giggle!
I wasn't quite sure if this was the crowd I should share it with but I guess it is!! Too funny!
Kris says
i have always had a special place in my heart for Isabelle ๐ and how she made me laugh with this little dinner banter!
Sue Mom of Two says
so funny…..gotta love 'em.
A family that eats dinner together is such a rarity nowadays
sierrasmom says
I remember my son always said "fff" for the "s" sounds and loved…you guessed it.. TRUCKS ( and he had no "r" sounds at all!!!) What a fun blog!!!
Kathie
roomforatleastonemore says
Seriously, your dinner time sounds so much more "Beaver Cleaver" than our house. Oh we've tried. We really have. I wish I could be a fly for two reasons: visit the C@A@ and your house at dinnertime or on Saturday for clean-up!!!
I am catching up here and sweet Isabella โฆย well I get it Stef. BTDthat with our S. I have a friend whose daughter struggled with the "tr" blend. And she loved boy toys โฆ as in trucks. Well you know where I'm going with this. I thought her parents would die before she got the "tr" blend down. It took quite awhile.
Thanks for your comment today btw. I am IN LOVE with this dude. I think my heart is going to burst. I cannot wait to get back over there for two specific reasons. ๐