April 27, 2005 @ 2:50 pm | Filed under: Family Adventures,These People Crack Me Up
I was cleaning the bathroom this morning when Jane came in to ask me how to pronounce the word "usurp." She had seen it in print a number of times but wasn’t sure how to say it. I told her, and then Rose wanted to know what it meant. So I gave some examples, including: "Or let’s say you’re sitting on my lap and I send you to get a tissue, and while you’re up, one of your sisters climbs in your place."
Rose started to giggle. "A usurper!"
Jane wandered back out with her book. Then Beanie came in and perched beside Rose on the edge of the tub while I wiped down the sink. Bean’s hair was wild; it hadn’t been brushed yet. I sent her to get her hairbrush and when she returned, I sat down on the tub’s rim to tackle her curls.
"Hey!" Bean cried indignantly. "You took my spot!"
Rose cackled. "You usurped, Mommy! You’re a usurper!"
"What’s that?" asked Beanie. Rose explained.
Bean pondered. "I think," she said, "that when a mommy surps, it’s okay."
"U-surp," Rose corrected.
Beanie was puzzled. "No I didn’t. Mommy surped."
"No, U-surp!" Rose insisted.
"I surp? But I didn’t! Mommy did!"
By this point I was choking with laughter. Beanie took my paroxysms for some kind of dismay.
"It’s okay, mommy, I don’t mind when you surp me."
"U-surp!" proclaimed Rose.
Beanie stared at her in disgust. "That’s what I SAID." She humphed out of the room before Rose could get in the last word. I sat there howling. Sorry, Abbott and Costello. Your place in my heart has been surped.
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Dear Lissa,
I read your blog every day, and every day I think, “I need to tell her how much I enjoy this.” So now, wiping the tears of laughter from my face, I’m finally telling you… Thanks for sharing!
Posted on April 28th, 2005 at 7:21 amWendy, I was so happy to see your email addy in my inbox! Great to hear from you–I’ve been wondering how you’re doing!
Posted on April 28th, 2005 at 11:44 amI’ve been feeling pretty lousy lately, but it’s for a good cause. We’re expecting a new little one in November! After miscarrying last November, every little twinge worries me, but I have taken “Be not afraid!” as my motto for the next several months.
Posted on May 3rd, 2005 at 6:15 amThanks for suggesting (and moderating) the unschooling forum at 4Real. The discussion has been inspiring!
I love this story. My goddaughter is is truly adorable! BTW, this even beats the time the girls tried to get two-year-old Neil, to kneel. He had no idea what they were talking about and kept saying, “What?!”
Posted on May 22nd, 2005 at 8:38 pmThe LLama Butchers says:
Abbott and Costello, OED style
The etymology of ‘surped…
Posted on March 25th, 2006 at 8:57 amWelcome! — Here in the Bonny Glen says:
[...] here’s a kind of meditation on museums, moving, and interconnectedness: Helixes —”Who’s on Surp?” —my trip to Barcelona —some books I [...]
Posted on November 1st, 2010 at 10:36 am