Wiest-ette Vocab List

The Wiest-ette vocab list continues to grow, with Jane emerging as the leading contributor. It is, however, taking up too much blog-related real estate, so I am moving it from the sidebar to an actual post, which I'll continue to update. The entire list is below, with the newest item being "matilda." I am pleased to note that this useage has also been adopted by Jane's friend Louisa. The two of them routinely enjoy a matilda-related treat after their Thursday ballet class.

Wiest-ette Vocab List

• bagiant = vagina (Jane). Most effective use requires shouting this word, preferably in a grocery store or other public place -- e.g., "Mommy, you SEE my ba-GIANT??"
• belly suit = bathing suit. This appears to reflect the fact that one's belly is covered by a one-piece swimsuit. But it also involves some confusion with "ballet suit" (a/k/a "leotarn.")
• calicounter = calendar (Jane)
• diamond room = dining room (Jane)
• fake noodles = Fig Newtons (Jane). You can't imagne the confusion this one caused before we finally figured it out.
• fighterman = spiderman (Margot)
• fire executioner = fire extinguisher (Claire)
• leotarn = leotard (Claire)
• matilda = Nutella. As in, "Can I have Matilda on my popover?" (Jane)
  
• Magic Flag = American Flag (Jane)
• meaniac = one who is mean (All 3)
• nike (rhymes with bike) = nightgown (Jane). We think this is from her mis-hearing "nightgown" as "nike on"
• nufkin = nothing, i.e., the opposite of "sumpkin" (Jane)
• pokey-tot = polka dot (Jane)
• president = present (Jane). As in "I opened my birthday presidents yesterday."
• rudiecat = a person who behaves rudely (e.g., "MOM! Margot is being a rudiecat.")
• sumpkin = something, i.e., the opposite of "nufkin" (Jane)
• sun roof = sun room (Claire). As in, "Mommy, can you get the beach toys out of the sun roof so we can take them with us?"
• sunbird = sunburn (Jane)
• wash closet = washcloth (Jane)
• wrascalin' = rascal + wrestling (Jane). As in, "the puppies are wrascalin' again!"

Updates to the Wiest-ette Vocab List

Vocab girl on day one of pre-K

The Wiest-ette vocab list continues to expand.  I discovered a new favorite this morning, when I came into the kitchen and found Margot and Jane bitterly arguing over whether Jane had to eat the "Raisin Brain" that Margot had served her for breakfast.  Jane also insisted for all of August that she had to wear a life jacket so that she would not "shrink" to the bottom of Auntie Karyn's pool, and that her baby dolls were nursing by drinking milk from her "nibble."  Here's the recap:

• bagiant = vagina. Most effective use requires shouting this word, preferably in a grocery store or other public place -- e.g., "Mommy, you SEE my ba-GIANT??" (Jane)
• belly suit = bathing suit. Reflects the fact that one's belly is covered by a one-piece swimsuit, but also involves some confusion with "ballet suit" (a/k/a "leotarn").  (Jane)
• calicounter = calendar (Jane)
• diamond room = dining room (Jane)
• fake noodles = Fig Newtons. You can't imagine the confusion this one caused before we finally figured it out.  (Jane)
• fighterman = spiderman (Margot)
• fire executioner = fire extinguisher (Claire)
• leotarn = leotard (Claire)
• matilda = Nutella.  As in, "Can I have Matilda on my popover?"  We are pleased to see that this one has gained some traction with Jane's friend, Louisa, and her family.  (Jane)
• Magic Flag = American Flag (Jane)
• meaniac = one who is mean (all three)
• nibble = nipple.  As in, "This baby bottle needs a new nibble."  (Jane)
  
• nike (rhymes with bike) = nightgown.  Perhaps from mis-hearing "nightgown" as "nike on"? (Jane)
• nufkin = nothing, i.e., the opposite of "sumpkin" (Jane)
• pokey-tot = polka dot (Jane)
• president = present.  As in "I opened my birthday presidents yesterday." (Jane)
• Raisin Brain =  Raisin Bran (Margot)
• rudiecat = a person who behaves rudely - e.g., "MOM! Margot is being a rudiecat." (Claire)
• shrink = sink - e.g., "you will shrink to the bottom of the pool if you don't wear a life jacket!" (Jane)
• sumpkin = something, i.e., the opposite of "nufkin" (Jane)
• sun roof = sun room (Claire). As in, "Mommy, can you get the beach toys out of the sun roof so we can take them with us?"
• sunbird = sunburn (Jane)
• wash closet = washcloth (Jane)
• wrascalin' = rascal + wrestling (Jane). As in, "the puppies are wrascalin' again!"

New Vocab Word: "Nufkin"

Nufkin. Noun. The opposite of sumpkin. See Wiest-ette Vocab List (right sidebar) for definition of "sumpkin."

Sample use of "nufkin"
Jane: "Ow, sumpkin hurts."
Me: "What's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?"
Jane: "No, not that."
Me: "Your head?"
Jane: "No. Nufkin hurts."
Me: "What?"
Jane: "Nufkin hurts."
Me: "Are you saying nufkin?"
Jane: "Yes. Nufkin hurts now."
Me: "I thought you said that something hurt."
Jane: "Sumpkin doesn't hurt now. Not sumpkin, nufkin hurts."

New additions to the Wiest-ette Vocab List

0703 189
Originally uploaded by Carrie Fletcher & Don Wiest

In connection with last week's Independence Day festivities, one of Jane's preschool teachers added a picture of an American flag to the class calendar. We learned about this when Jane announced that Farah had "put the Magic Flag on the calicounter."

Margot also added a new word (or, more accurately, a new useage) to the list this week. Jane was telling a relatively long story and apparently lost her train of thought, saying "it was because . . . because . . . because . . ." until Margot exclaimed, "Jane! Stop that sputtering!"

Overheard on the Orange Line

If you've read the Wiest-ette vocab list, you will know that the term "bagiant" translates, in Jane-speak, to "vagina." The highest and best use of this word requires (a) that it always be shouted and (b) that the shouting be done in a very public setting. While the grocery store has historically been the preferred venue, Jane is not one to be hemmed in by convention. She frequently comes up with other, equally suitable, public places in which to chatter about her private parts. The latest, as reported by our supernanny, Lindsay: a packed subway car on the Orange Line.

Jane (loudly): "Lindsay, you have bagiant?"
Lindsay (whispering, and making weak distraction attempt): "Yes, Janie. Let's sing "Ba Ba Black Sheep!""
Jane: "You like it? Your bagiant goes pee pee?"
Lindsay: "Jane, let's sing a song!"
Jane (screaming): "My bagiant has princesses on it. I SHOW YOU?"

Wow. I'm her mother and I didn't even know that.

Vocab 101

Claire asked if she could have oatmeal for dinner tonight.  This was noteworthy because, after approximately eight years of being an avid oatmeal-eater, she has spent the last two months insisting that she actually hates oatmeal.

Margot:  "Claire, you said you don't like oatmeal anymore."
Claire:  "Well, I don't.  But I'm trying to get my taste buds re-adjusted to it.  Then I'll like it again."
Margot:  "You're getting your what re-adjusted?"
Claire:  "My taste buds."
Margot:  "Um, Claire?  I think you mean taste bugs."

Build Your Vocabulary, Jane-Style!

Jane is on a roll with this week's new (erroneous) vocab additions. Highlights:

• Fake Noodles. After several requests for this baffling item, I finally asked Jane to show me where the "fake noodles" were. She led me to our pantry shelf and pointed to a cookie dish full of FIG NEWTONS.
• Wrascalin'. This is a combo of "rascal" and "wrestling." As in, "Mommy, the puppies are wrascalin' again!" (Note the dropped "g," which is undoubtedly an homage to her West Virginia heritage.
• Pokey-tot. Hint: this one is pattern-related. "Mommy, I want to bring the baby in the pokey-tot pajamas." Get it? Polka dot.
  

The Queen of Vocab

Claire just referred to her three-year-old sister as "a sniveling little bandit." I believe this tops her earlier (and nicer) word-related achievement, which was to describe a snail as being "a buttery pumpkin color."

She did clarify that "bandit" was an appropriate descriptor here because "first, Jane steals things; and second, she doesn't listen to you." When I what not listening had to do with being a bandit, Claire looked surprised and said, "Well, because bandits don't listen to the police."