Echo

My sickies - we are still feeling pretty rotten, especially Terry and Valerie. Trying to get enough sleep and stay on an even keel emotionally. Thankfully it's Monday, although I skipped my Shqip lesson to stay home with V. She is eating next to nothing but at least she napped well today. I actually got a bunch of work done on dissertation stuff. Terry went to work on the premise that it's more restful than staying home to help with the kids!

The rest of this is a post I was working on in draft form; I'm sure I'll have more to add to it shortly!

I was wondering what Valerie would pick up from me next that I say all the time without realizing it. Here are some recent revelations:

• "Shhhh Val-Val" - which she says right after shrieking, nearly every time, sometimes followed by "no gleam [scream]".
• "Okay" (pronounced "ow-key")
• "Thanks, Val-Val!"

It's kind of hilarious when Valerie mis-hears something - or re-interprets a new word within her own lexicon. E.g.:

• On her Curious George video when they go into space, she touches her cheek and says "Val-Val's face!"
• In her Itsy Bitsy Spider book when one of the spiders skips up the waterspout, she slips off the couch.
• In the same book, when one of the spiders is on a skate-board weaving in and out, she starts waving her hand. (She likes acting out the story.)

Oh, Happy Valentine's Day, everybody! I forgot to mention last week on Gabriel's 7-month post that he has now lived in Albania for TWICE as long as he did in the US! Diali është Shqiptar!