Twins read magazines and have a discussion
– a transcript

Last week our daycare was closed. My office was closed the day after Independence Day so it was my turn to stay home and look after the girls. We had tons of fun, and all things being equal they’re pretty easy to handle nowadays. Well, as long as you aren’t trying to accomplish anything or go anywhere, that is.

Anyway, they were very chatty and while I was in the kitchen I noticed them playing and talking to each other. I pulled out my phone and was able to capture the following video:

I posted that video to Youtube over the weekend, but realized that those who don’t regularly live with 2 year olds in general, or our 2 year olds specifically won’t have much clue as to what they are saying. Even Jess and I have a hard time deciphering their language at times. Actually, they seem to have rather extensive vocabularies already. I’d guess they probably know and use upwards of maybe 1000 words. Just that same Friday, we were playing with animal flashcards and Meri correctly named 63 of 72 animals, including the difference between a monkey and a gorilla. Impressive.

As you may have been able to tell, they recently have gotten big into “I don’t like X”. You name it, they say they don’t like it. Despite all evidence to the contrary. They will say they don’t like ice cream, as they’re EATING ice cream. So, we’ve learned to take their input with a grain of salt. My favorite is when they say they like and don’t like the exact same thing within the same sentence. Usually they can be distracted from “I don’t like” syndrome. I’m assuming this is a 2 year old thing.

What follows is a transcript of their entire conversation. My comments will be in italics.

Begin Scene… conversation already in progress…

Meri (Flower shirt): *something* bowls?
Alex (Yellow shirt): Yeah!… in a bowl.
M: and a pizza!
A: YUM!
M: and a pizza… and a watermelon
A: and pizza! Yum pizza!
M: Look those flowers.
A: So pretty, May (Alex has called her May or May-me forever. So much that Jess and I do it too). No me got it… You don’t… like… dinosaurs?
M: no, I won’t.
A: do you like him? (a catchall word)
M: no, I don’t like him.
A: do you like ‘matoes? (tomatoes)
M: no
A: do you like, banana? (I believe she was pointing at an onion, but whatever)
M: yeah, I do.
A: do you like… (pointing at something in the magazine)
M: no… I don’t like this.
A: oh… *unintelligible* (roughly translates to ‘let me see’)
M: I like.. this corn… I don’t like corn.
A: Oh…. so… *unintelligible*… Do you like him, eiver? (either)
M: this guy?
A: do you like him?
M: no.
A: no?
M: no. I…
A: do you like this?
M: Yeah! I do! It’s very yum…my!… I eat outside! I eat outside last night. (We had dinner on the patio the night before)
A: do you like him?
M: no.
A: do you like him?
M: no.
A: like *makes chewing motion*
M: yeah, I do like him, and eat him.
A: no… he’s not sweet.
M: look at doggy.
A: Delicious for you?
M: yeah
A: better put that away? And this away? *picking up magazines*
M: yeah.
A: that’s good… *unintelligibe*… I know.
M: and look at me.
A: I know… Do you like crackers?
M: yeah *magazine falls of table*
A: oopies… Let’s see new crackers.
M: I like those.
A: oh! I… yum!
M: at Grandma Winkles. (one of their grandmas)
A: here… there’s big one and little one… and there’s cake.
M: yeah… so don’t touch it.
A: no… only right mine put right there… it is a picture.
M: yeah… not to eat it.
A: we don’t read that? We don’t read that?
M: no
A: he’s doing a teeth too *picture of a dog chewing a toy*
M: yeah… that’s another one doggy.
A: I don’t like him.
M: you like this doggy?
A: and you like this doggy.
M: I don’t like that doggy.
A: do you like those?
M: I… like… I don’t like them.
A: oh. Do you like those? And do you like those?
M: I like pasta.
A: oh!
M: I don’t like…
A: let’s play it… I gonna cook pasta. *they retire to their toy kitchen to cook some pasta*

End scene.

It’s nothing if not entertaining around our place.

Edit… if you don’t watch the video while you read the transcript, it sounds like the most insane conversation you’ve ever heard.