Self-Awareness

Henry still mispronounces many words, which is not surprising considering he's not even three. What is surprising, to me at least, is the degree to which he's aware of this.

When I ask him to come into the living room, he'll giggle and say, "I call it 'zoom-zoom.'" He asks me to say the name of the dessert we're making -- an apple crisp -- and then concedes that he says "apple trips." A hospital is a "hopsital," which certainly makes the place sound more fun than it actually is.

What's most interesting is that "nurse" comes out "nahhs" even though he's able to say it correctly. The other day I think he actually mocked me:

Henry: Nahhs! Nahhs!
Me: You want to nurse? Can you say "nurse"?
Henry: (giggling) I say "nahhs."

And then...

Henry: Can you say "nurse"?

What's even funnier is the way he said "nurse," the way you'd say it if you were making fun of someone with an accent.

Which, in his mind, maybe he was.