...let's call the whole thing off.

We seem to have had a shift in the demographics at the Casa. Actually Casa is more appropriate these days now that I think about it.

You see, Caroline used to be an early elementary aged English speaking child and now has morphed into a pre-toddler Hispanic child. Or sounds like it.

I should back up. I have been teaching Spanish to both kids and myself for several years now. Parker and I have worked pretty diligently to learn and Caroline has just listened in on the fringes. Apparently a lot. These days we do our Spanish cds in the car (we are in the car A LOT these days...summer fun...we are there!) and listen to fun Spanish music. The car has become our "Spanish Zone."

A few weeks ago Caroline started speaking "Spanish" to Parker and I, and the clerk at the grocery store, and the library ladies and the people at the pool...you get the picture. And they all look at her very curiously and say not a word....but they do look at me with that same curious expression, usually with one eyebrow raised as if to say "What did that child say?" and they walk on.

You see, the problem is...she is jargoning...stringing together nonsensical sentences put together with real and made up words and in a very correct sounding Spanish way. She sounds like she is speaking Spanish, she acts like she knows what she is saying and looks at you expectantly to answer her. But she is not really saying anything! (at least not real words that really fit together) So to say a response is difficult does not really even come close.

Parker and I stare at each other in confusion a lot. Caroline will prance up to Parker and say "¿hermano?" and then proceed to fill his ears with her "Spanoline" and look expectantly at him. He raises one eyebrow and stares at her in silence. She repeats her request, pretty much verbatim and peppily and looks expectantly again while saying "¿hermano? ¿hermano?" Parker sighs and says "Caroline! We are NOT talking Spanish right now. Okay?" She tips her head and clicks away in her sparkly shoes babbling incoherently (at least to the P and I) in her new dialect.

Parker and I look at each other...and speak English.

maybe she's speaking Carolish?