Kaylea is Trilingual!

Not a whole lot going on in our little corner of East TN. Just getting back into the swing of things after the Winter Break. The third six weeks ended Monday, and currently we are anxiously awaiting Kaylea's report card. School has always been easy for Kaylea (until this year, that is). Now, she is really starting to realize what it means to have to work and study to get those A's that she likes so much. Last six weeks she made her first B. I was kinda hoping she would be a little upset by the grade. (not totally devastated, but a little bit upset would be OK) But of course, she was neither! She thought there was nothing wrong with a B; she thought they were really good. I told her she was correct, but A's were better!

Of course, Mom would have been thrilled if my sister and I had been A / B students when we were in school. Unfortunately, though, I made my fair share of C's over the years (and we won't even talk about Auntie M's report cards ;) I remember Mom and me arguing about the abundance of C's on one of my report cards and me trying to convince her that the mediocrity of a C was just fine. After all, a C is described as "average" which is what she should want for her child. Subsequently, if I wasn't average, then I was some kind of freak (I think I was in 8th grade, which would explain the thought process, hugh?) I continued my argument by explaining that "average" meant that most kids were making them and I was normal for making them, too. Mom didn't really buy my argument, though.

One of the subjects that has given Kaylea the most challenges is English. I guess I shouldn't be that surprised by this. You see, when Kaylea was in 1st grade she argued with me and was adamant that she didn't even speak English. If I remember correctly, Kaylea was telling me about learning a Spanish word while watching Dora the Explorer. I was very impressed and asked her how to say the word in English. She was quick to tell me she didn't speak English. I was rather confused and corrected her. She continued to argue with me saying she DIDN'T speak English. I finally got tired of the arguing and said, "Fine, Kaylea, if you don't speak English then what do you speak?" Her response was, "American!" DOINK!!!

Now, I wouldn't argue with her if she told me she didn't speak English, but she speaks Hillbilly, instead. That is the truth. The child can't say crayon to save her life; she says crown. She doesn't call me "Mommy" or even "Mom"; she calls me "Mama" (Bub and I find ourselves quite frequently breaking out into the Judd's rendition of Mama He's Crazy after she calls for me). She doesn't say "pants"; she says "britches." And yesterday while standing in Coldwater Creek she was quick to tell me she needed to go to the bathroom because she "had the gut ache." What a proud moment!!!!

Now that I think about it, we should be thrilled if she gets a B in English, seeing as, they don't give grades in American Hillbilly. Bless her heart!