Conversations with Anya

Overheard, Anya pretending to talk on her toy phone: Hi, I’m Nataliya, yeah…

Me taking the phone away from her and telling her she’ll get it back after she puts her toy stroller away. She quickly does it and runs back to get her phone from me.

Anya on her toy phone again: Oh, sorry my mom take my thing (phone).

Me: !!

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At bedtime one day as I’m lying in bed with her and she’s whining about not wanting to sleep.

Anya: Mama ek dum se mei grumpy ho gayi hoon. (Mama, suddenly I’ve become grumpy)

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Bilal to Anya: Ap ko pata hai keh Taya¹ mere brother hain. (Do you know Taya is my brother)

Anya: (pause) Ap ko pata hai keh Taya to mere sister hain. (Do you know Taya is my sister)

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After a timeout one afternoon, Me: Say you’re sorry.

Anya: You’re sorry.

Me: No, Aap Sorry. (No, You sorry)

Anya: Aap sorry. (Aap sorry)

Me, getting impatient: Say I’m sorry.

Anya: I’m sorry.

Me: Will you do it again?

Anya, distracted: Yes

Me, staring at her: ?!

Anya: No

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And her latest favorite response when I tell her not to do something.

Anya: Mujhe samajh nahi aa rahi, ap kya keh rahi ho. (Mama I don’t understand what you’re saying)

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Me being a typical lecturing mom one afternoon when she wasn’t eating and telling her how poor babies don’t have any food to eat and Allah will be angry if you don’t eat when you have food.

Anya, after listening carefully: Mama hum babies ko parathas² de dete hain, taake hum na khayen. (Mama lets give our parathas to the babies, so we don’t have to eat them)

Anya: Hum fruit rolls kha leinge. (We can eat fruit roll ups)

Me, lol in my head!

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Thanks for reading and lots of love.

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FYI

¹Taya is the Urdu word for Dad’s elder brother.

²Paratha is a south asian type of fried bread eaten at breakfast mostly.Here is one version.