King-cumbers, Ker-prizes and Night-mirrors

Language (noun) a system of words used for communicating

There are few things cuter on this earth than two, three and four year old children. As they are learning to master the complicated English language they come out with the most priceless version of common words.

One night at four am, my son bounded out of bed, tore down the steps and exploded into our bedroom leaving a trail of turned on lights and didn't leave our room any less darkened. When he arrived he was soaked with sweat, panting and petrified.

"Mom, Dad" he managed to squeak out, "I had a night-mirror!"

Bill and I sat up, looked at each other and thankfully managed not to burst out laughing. What does one say to that? Bill, having gained his composure much faster than me, asked what his night-mirror was about? I had to cough a couple times to stifle a giggle and Bill elbowed me under the covers.

I don't recall at this point what the bad dream was about, but the "night-mirror" has passed down to his two little sisters. Now they have "night-mirrors" as well. We still haven't corrected them, we just can't.

A few weeks back I was making a salad and my littlest one saw me cutting up veggies and asked if she could have some king-cumbers. Next came the cough to stifle the giggle, Bill wasn't there to elbow me but I still haven't corrected her, I just can't.

One day last week I came out of the bedroom and the two girls jumped out at me and yelled "KER-PRIZE!!" Again the cough, again I haven't corrected them, again I just can't.

At what point do I steal that cuteness away? With my oldest daughter about to be a senior in college, I want the little ones to stay little as long as possible, stay cute as long as possible and stay innocent as long as possible. I guess at some point, someone will not be able to stifle a giggle and it will all end abruptly. In the mean time though, I am going to enjoy every cute minute that God lets me have. I won't correct them yet, I just can't.