As with all of my children, I love to write down the cute things they say. I keep little books of them and we love to go back and read them and laugh our silly heads off.
With Zareb, it's really no different. Well, maybe a little bit. The things he says, he often repeats them 5-20 times in a row. I was a little unsure if this was simply deepening his grasp on the English language (he is bilingual--for now) or what was going on. Sure enough, I learned that his repeating phrases that require my affirmation or answer over and over again is a way of connecting with me. It is a common thing among children with traumatic pasts or children who have lived in orphanages.
I am learning to be patient.
I am learning to smile and softly answer, "Yes, mommy is sitting down," for the 20th time in a row.
I am learning that it is his way of connecting deeper with me. Seeing me as his primary caregiver. (Remember, in an orphanage of 50 children, there are only hired workers and volunteers (God bless them ALL!) and they are only present in his life for certain hours before another set of people come in and take over.)
He often will tell me the obvious. But he forms it as a question.
"Are you buckling me in?"
"Yes, I am buckling you in."
"Are you buckling me in?"
"Yes, I am buckling you in."
X
20!
Now, there are times when his phrase will
stop my heart in it's tracks.
Like this one, spoken at random times (when he's full of love?):
"No mo offanage!" (that's "No more orphanage" if you don't speak Zareb!)
You hear that repeated about 20 times and you start to remember what all this hard work is for...and you smile and cherish that sweet little one.
Another common thing he does is repeat things he hears me say (yikes, right?!). One he's latched on to is:
"Mommy, I so pwoud of you!" (proud)
He'll pull that one out of thin air and at times where I am at my wit's end. I truly hear the voice of God speak to me through his little high pitched Ugandan accent. I hear God say, "You are doing exactly what I called you to do. Hang in there. This is serving Me."
Today as I was snuggling him and kissing his toes I said something I don't usually. I said,
"I love your feet-sies." (Okay, it was weird.)
You know what i heard back?
"Oh Mommy, I love your feces!" Complete with looks of great love and waiting for me to affirm him!
Um..."Mommy loves your FEET, Zareb! Your feet!"
"Yes! I love your feces, Mommy!"
x
20!
...and one just has to laugh! We got one for the books! :)
