Say A Word

_ After a tiring 2 hour walking and biking at a park near our home, we were off to bed. All set to sleep, Aisha suddenly remembered that she saw a helicopter earlier that day.

“E-li-kan-ter talaga yun! (It was really a “helicopter”!)”, she was very happy telling us.

We laughed over Aisha’s “e-li-kan-ter” for helicopter.  Then Eric said, “Aisha, it’s HE-LI-COP-TER.”

Aisha: E-li-kan-ter

Eric: HE-LI-COP-TER

Aisha: He-li-kan-ter

Me: He-li-cop-ter

Aisha: He-li-cop-ter! He-Li-cop-ter! Heli- copter!

Yeheyyyy!!!!! We all cheered.  That was quite a word.

Suddenly, I just wanted to test if she can say “ha and he” well.

Me: Aishe, say LU-HA (tears).

Aisha, thinking, paused for a while, then she said, “LU…. YA”.

We all chuckled. She couldn’t say “HA” correctly from Lu-HA.  She kept on saying Lu-YA.

Finally, we were laughing too hard and she was almost giving up for not being able to say it correctly.  Eric, Alia and I were trying to convince her to say “lu-HA” over and over but Aisha kept stuttering: LU—YA.

I told Aisha that she cannot go to school if she won’t be able to say it correctly.  I told her that we won’t give her a fourth birthday party if she’s still “bulol”.  She was furious! She threw her pillows from the bed. I just turned my back and left her like that- upset as she was.

I didn’t know how long I was already sleeping beside her but facing on the other side.  I suddenly woke up and I heard Aisha whispering behind me. She was murmuring softly on a sad tone: “he-li-copter….lu-ya…lu…aaa…lu-ya….ang hirap naman… heli- copter….lu—aaa…lu---yaaaaa… di ko naman kaya”.  She was practicing!!!!!

I didn’t know how long she did that. She just kept repeating the words and she had a hard time.  I knew she was sad…I sensed it in her tone, but she was determined to say it right.   I wasn’t sure how to react so I just pretended that I didn’t hear her and I went back to sleep.

Next morning, she woke up early.  I was preparing for work and she came to me, smiling.  “Mama, listen…. Lu…HA… luha! Luha!!!!” she said happily! “Wow! Very good, Aisha!!!”, I cheered.

I hugged her. My little baby sure did her homework last night and I’m a proud Mom as ever.