Tag Archives: cute

Ka-ciao bella!

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I am often inspired by the enthusiasm that my kids have for the many moments of a day that tend to pass unnoticed to adults.  Getting dressed — at any time and in anything — is one such occasion in our house.

I think Liam started the tradition of celebrating getting dressed in something new (and by “new” I only mean something they weren’t just wearing — it could be out of the drawer or even something they had on yesterday that still has some life left in it) but it has caught on.  It started when they picked up a phrase from a book we have that is based on the second Cars movie.  The Italian car (Francesco) mimics Lightning McQueen’s catch phrase of “Ka-chow!” and changes it to be more Italian “Ciao bella!”  The boys melded both phrases together into, “Ka-ciao bella” and then asked us what it meant.  We approximated our way to the rough translation of “hello beautiful”.  They practiced it prior to our trip to Italy, and it has completely stuck.

And so, absolutely any time they get dressed  in a fresh outfit — in the morning, after a messy dinner, after a bath — they come running into the room, slide to a stop, and announce, “Ka-ciao bella!” wearing their new outfit and a magnificent grin.  I love it, and I love them.

Nope nopey nope nope nope

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Liam’s first word was “no”, and judging by the frequency with which he uses it, it’s still one of his favorites.  Sometimes, though, a simple no won’t do, so Liam has gotten creative.  He does a “no” accompanied by a full body shake.  He’ll spit his tongue out, raspberry style, as a no.  He’s recently started saying, “Well, maybe not”, but it doesn’t mean “maybe” anything, it means “you are NOT going to do THAT.”

My personal favorite is when, instead of just no, we get “Nope nopey nope nope nope.”  It means, of course, emphatically no, and the adults around Liam have started using it, too — I think each person in the family said it at least once on the Italy trip.

It’s really excellent and very multi-purpose.  Someone cuts in front of you in line?  Just say “nope nopey nope nope nope”.  The waitress tries to take your plate before you’re finished?  “Nope nopey nope nope nope.”  The kids try to climb the bookcase?  “Nope nopey nope nope nope, misters.”  You don’t want to eat your peas?  “Nope nopey nope nope nope.”.  It works for anything.