One of the best things about the improved verbal skills of a two and a half year old is that everyone can understand him better.
One of the worst things about the improved verbal skills of a two and a half year old is that everyone can understand him better.
This evening we dined at our local Friendly’s, a family restaurant and ice cream shop (for those of you who are unfamiliar). One of the servers, whom we had today, happens to be a little person (I believe that’s the correct and hopefully inoffensive terminology.)
As we waited to be seated, she came over to greet us, grab menus, and lead us to our table. Luke was clearly taken with the novelty of an adult that was close in size to him. Karen and I looked at each other, silently and simultaneously thinking, please don’t say anything, please don’t say anything, please don’t say anything, but to no avail.
As he started walking after her, Luke turned to us and exclaimed, “Mom and Dad, she’s little!” (Emphasis his.) It was audible and quite clear. Then, just in case we missed it or didn’t notice her stature, he repeated, perhaps even more loudly and with the same emphasis, “She’s little!”
He may have even said it one more time before we reached out table (which was the farthest table from the entrance, giving him ample opportunity).
We hoped he had gotten over it at that point, but unfortunately, when she returned to drop off a few items at our table, he repeated it again.
Karen and I attempted to explain that people are different sizes, and it’s not always a good thing to comment on that, causing Charlotte to remark, “She’s bigger than us, but she is little for an adult.”
We hoped that would be the end of the ‘little comments’. For the most part, it was. (I think he may have made one more later in the meal.)
Although, when one of the other waitresses, who was of pretty standard height and weight, came by to clean a neighboring table, Luke looked at her, turned to us, and said, quite loudly and clearly, “She’s big!” (I think he may have repeated that comment several times as well. He’s really into repetition right now, of things he says and other people say, no matter how embarrassing.)
It’s times like these when I long for the times when only Karen and I could make out what he said.
I hope you enjoyed today’s serving of ‘mac & cheese’ (possibly served by a little person – Luke’s was).
