language

i have a feeling aliyah's unique vocabulary will disappear when we move to the states and she's surrounded by native english speaking kids. so for now, i'm enjoying my favorite expressions of hers like "nester' for "next to" Usually she's telling someone that she likes,

"i wanna sit nester you."

aliyah at five

big things like first tooth falling and starting kindergarten are easy to remember, but the little things that happen so frequently you almost don't notice them anymore can be forgotten, such as:



language

• aliyah makes her past tense by putting "was" before everything. was be, was go, was say... "mommy! iiiii was saaaaay, i am eating it!" i'm now correcting her and she's starting to say the verbs correctly, but it's been sweet to enjoy while it was happen. :)


• american idol: "amiracle idol"


• "next time" for anything in the future, whether it be later, tomorrow or next month.


• "traffic" in farsi is the same word but with a french-like accent. so when she tosses the persian pronunciation it into her english speech there's a bit of sophistication that's so beautiful.
• aliyah rarely refers to keon by name (though she does address him by name). instead she says "my brahder" with a strange swedish accent

movement

• when she runs in the house whether it be to go put on her pajamas or get to the toilet in time, she ever so slowly and daintily flaps her arms like she's a fairy in flight. it's funny when her legs are scampering but her arms are smoothly fluttering.

habits

• aliyah's routine in the morning is to get ready before keon and i are ready in order to "watch elmo" (go on sesamestreet.com and play games and watch videos).


• when keon and i are ready, aliyah always unlocks and opens the door and presses the elevator button.


• for some reason she always pushes the coffee table flush against the sofa when she watches a video in the living room.


• every day she eats cucumbers, carrots and cherry tomotoes as part of her school snack.

these are the little things that make up much of our days.

proud child

aliyah's english is inching along (as is her farsi, italian, hebrew and now, sign language). she definitely understands that "proud" means an intense feeling of joy and satisfaction. today she told us, "mommy and papa, i'm so very proud of you for taking me to the beach today."

it was her first visit to the beach this year.