Du Yu Speeka de Inglish?

I have always had a fascination with languages. While most people balk at the thought of learning additional languages, I embrace the idea and understand that having a second or even a third language is becoming more and more important. 

While most kids couldn't wait until French wasn't mandatory, I loved it. I took it all the way through elementary and secondary school and consistently received top marks. I am by no means able to carry on a conversation now, but I am able to understand a fair bit still. 

Always one for adventure, I spent a summer in Austria with family friends before eighth grade and lived in Germany for a year on a Rotary Exchange when I was 16. When I returned from Germany, I had added German to my repertoire.

Traveling in other foreign countries has never been a problem for me either. Even when you don't speak the language, you can always get by with a few well placed hand signals and a language dictionary!!

Our family has hosted students from every inhabited continent on earth with English skills ranging anywhere from nearly fluent to non-existent. At work, I am constantly interpreting phone calls, voicemails and emails from people who think their English is AMAZING..."Eh! Jenneefair, please, they not want too long days...maybe 2-3 farms at one day. Please, make nice hotels and steak for the dinner. Y Jenneefair, de guys...they want see Michael Bublé"... As a host sister to 25+ foreign exchange students over the years, an exchange student myself, an avid traveler and someone that works with international people everyday in my job, I would also consider myself a master in deciphering the ancient language of Broken English.

There is however one language that I just can't seem to grasp and am far from mastering...the intricate language of baby.

I'm sure all of you mommies out there can relate. To me there is nothing more frustrating sometimes than trying to figure out what on earth your baby wants or needs! She is screaming her head off...you've fed her, burped her, changed her, sang her songs, rocked her, gave her a soother, gave her a toy, gave her a bath, danced around with her, bundled her up, stripped her down, taken her for a walk and a drive. At your wits end, you just start to chat away to her in hopes of providing some sort of distraction from whatever is bugging her...as you chatter away about the cows and the sheep and when daddy will be home, she stops crying to look at YOU like YOU'RE the one speaking in foreign tongues. GAH! 

I know that all of the mommies before me say that time flies and to cherish the baby days, and really, I have to agree so far....I cannot believe that Maddie is almost four months old already! BUT, there are also times (like earlier this evening) that I wish Maddie could just tell us what the problem was or what she wants. If babies were born able to talk, it would save all of us a whole lot of stress!! Although...a baby that comes out with a full vocabulary would be kind of creepy...

Anywho, the point is babies can't talk. And, while for the most part their goo-goo ga-gas are irresistibly cute, when they are in distress and can't tell you why, it is SUPER stressful as a new mom. 

There is however one sign that is hard to miss...

"Mama, I am SOOOO hungry I could eat a Giraffe!"