It's all in the way you say it...

Taking some time for writing, I am sitting upstairs with an ear out for my two little guys playing with their Dad and making dinner. I'm also wondering if the crazy concoction I thought up to be our dinner will work, and if the preparation should actually be being overseen by me, since it was as I said, my idea.

The boys have picked out a movie they particularly like at the moment, and have watched it at least once a day since their Father bought it home from the video store. With having started morning kindy they have been so tired and not wanting to do anything once they get home except for watch this movie. This hasn't worried me so much until this afternoon, when they began quoting lines from the movie.

And maybe about five minutes ago when James pushed play once again, and one of the characters asks "For a little help". The reply he got from James was "No, Never!"

So I was sitting here pondering the fact that our children have so quickly picked up on intonation. On how often it is they say something now that is so funny at the time, but doesn't translate when I later try to explain it. So often it's the way they say something, which is quite hard to reenact as an adult (or, you know, the adult I pretend to be).

Just before Ben was drawing a picture of Thomas the Tank Engine for James, and they were discussing which part to draw next. Poor James thought Ben was drawing a picture of him wearing a Thomas top, so he kindly suggested adding arms. With a slightly exasperated look Ben explained that Thomas does not have arms, but in fact has wheels and he would draw wheels. James just shrugged, then when he was asked again what should be drawn next he offered the suggestion of legs. Ben looked at him as if he was thinking "Have I not just explained this to you?" Then said in a semi-condescending, yet partially kind tone "Okay, he will have legs. Just this once."

So yes, their speech may not yet be fully developed and may lack a little clarity at times, but they have that whole intonation thing down pat.