Conversations in the Minnie Van

Lately, Emme has taken to calling Brooke "Oonie". To me this is a temporary nickname, just a nonsense word that she recently came up with, so I let it go.

I had to put down my foot however when, as we were driving home from school today, she affectionately called her baby sister "Oonya." Now it's not spelled the same, but it sounds the same as the word fingernail in Spanish.

"Emme", I say as we're rambling down Chatsworth, "You're calling the baby 'Fingernail' Oonya means 'fingernail' in Spanish".

I receive for my efforts an unexpected and intense reaction from Celeste. "WOW! I can't believe it!" She shouts from the back seat. "Mom, do you understand what's happening?! This is so great! EMME SPEAKS SPANISH!"

With a frown of admiration on her face (kind of like a news reporter), Celeste turns to Emme and demands, "How did you learn Spanish?"

Emme smiles and answers, "I just know it." She chucks Brooke affectionately under the chin and coos "Oonya..."

"Mom!" Celeste says, "Emme just called Brooke Oonya again! Emme! Mom says that's a bad word! A bad Spanish word!"

"Fingernail in Spanish is NOT a bad word." I explain. "It's just not something I would want to be called. Okay?"

"Okay Mommy." Then Emme asks worriedly, "What's a Feen-ger-nel?"

And off we go over the hill toward home...