Vancouver, eh?
We spent last weekend in Vancouver BC. We stayed at in a nice little apartment, very cozy with down duvets and a fireplace and a full kitchen and laundry. Right on Stanley Park. Totally lovely.
Lina travels well, and was excited by the new environment. She especially loved that the apartment contained a high chair, which is something she hasn’t used for a while. Several months ago, we upgraded her to a Stokke chair so she could sit at the table with us. So the high chair was a blast from the past, and she was obsessed with it the entire weekend.
Lina’s language acquisition continues to amaze me. She loves to pronounce new words. She considers them. She moves them around in her mouth as if they were candy. Then she files them away, all the while growing more powerful as a citizen of the world.
I try my best to translate her pronunciations, but sometimes I fail. Those times are frustrating to her, because I’m her best shot at being understood. I try so damn hard. Here are some of my current favorites:
Coop (Cooper) Ngy-ngy (Lily) bahsh (bus) cool (school) deezsh (cheese) eck (egg) butt (bird) ughnie (Ernie) wah (water)
Some words, of course, she pronounces perfectly. Words like: no, Papa, Mama, and poop.
Speaking of poop, Cooper is at the vet today. She’s been a little under the weather, and Shane mentioned the words “intestinal blockage” to me yesterday, so it was just a matter of time before I searched every corner of the interweb until I was totally convinced that she was about to die. That her bowels have probably started rotting. And that it’s all my fault, because I didn’t get my little dying dog to the vet quickly enough. The vet hasn’t called yet, and I’m already imagining that they’re putting it off because nobody likes to tell someone that their dog has died. Maybe the office staff is drawing straws. The Great Doctor Flynn wasn’t in today, which adds to my concern. I actually considered asking them to call him at home, but then came to my senses. Cooper might just have the stomach flu.
I’m going to be working on some computer science projects during my sabbatical next year, but really I should be going to veterinary school. When I set up my practice I’d specialize in pugs and have everything made just for them. Everything would be small and flat and extra cobby. I’d only hire employees with bulging eyes and worried expressions. The doorbell would be a loud snnoooorrrrt. I would totally do this. Except for the fact that I only have one year, I’m committed to the computer science projects, and (lest you’ve forgotten), living things tend to gross me out.
Sigh. I hope the vet calls soon.