Friday, May 19, 2006

"The carnerfull is close-tuh"

I went into town today to return an ill-advised purchase of pink shorts (don't ask!) and stop by my old office to visit and show off the kids.
On the way home we passed by the Safeway and I thought, hmm, I might as well get some food shopping in today as well.
Problem is, they are setting up for a carnival in the parking lot. I was brave and I went into the parking lot anyway.
As soon as Elizabeth saw the rides and all the crap they had set up she went insane with excitement.

"Elivateth go carnerfull? Elivateth go carnerfull??!"

I explained to her that the carnival was closed, but she could go as soon as it was open. This seemed to settle her down a bit.

Strolling through the produce section I was stopped by an older lady who wanted to admire my sleeping baby and pepper me with questions about him and talk about her new baby granddaughter. This is very common. As a new mom I think you just have to get used to being accosted by strangers who want to feel baby toes and say "He's a big boy!"
This grandma asked Elizabeth "What do you think of your baby brother?"
To which Elizabeth replied with something so jumbly and unintelligible that even I, her mother and full-time translator, was lost except for the very last word -- "carnerfull"

Grandma looked puzzled.
"She's talking about the carnival," I explained.
"Oh, the carnival! Yes, the carnival certainly IS more important than baby brother isn't it?"
Elizabeth gamely nodded in agreement, though I think it was as much gibberish to her as her speech was to us.

On our way back to the car, Elizabeth started up again with "Elivateth go carnerfull?"
I told her again that it was closed, that it was not open. Daddy would take her later.

"Ok. Carnerfull is close-tuh. Daddy close carnerfull. Daddy close carnerfull."

And that is what I heard from the backseat for the full 20-minute drive home, with the only variation being the person blamed for closing the "carnerfull." Daddy closed the carnival, mommy closed the carnival, her friend Taylor closed the carnival, etc etc.

And now, we actually have to take her to the carnival.
Stupid carnerfull.

2 comments:

Jessica said...

Yeah, I'm sure he'll be thrilled to know he's been enlisted for carnerfull duty, especially when I know he specifically avoided going to Safeway and drove out of his way to go to Walmart with Elizabeth the other night just to keep her away from the "carnerfull"

Jessica said...

**Update**

Elizabeth got to go to the "carnerfull" with her dad and her cousins yesterday afternoon.

She came home all excited. She rode a "swingy dragon" and a "choo-choo train" and she somehow drove a car, or so she claims.
She came home with all kinds of prizes.
After her nap, she woke up, ran out to where I was and said "You take-a me to the carnerfull. Swingy dragon?"