Swipers on the bus

I’m remembering when my nieces and nephews were young as I watch Reid grow. The most recent occasion was triggered by language. When Shea was young, he used to call grilled cheese sandwiches, “girl cheese” sandwiches. Aunt Karin corrected him and got him to say “grilled”. Subsequently, Sulienne and Chantelle and other young females became “grills”. We smiled and let that mispronunciaton slide. It was even cuter than the usual “pisghetti” that kids say.

The other night, Reid was playing with her toy school bus and singing *The Wheels on the Bus*, or at least one line of each verse. The wheels went round and round, the people went up and down and then the “Swipers” on the bus went swish, swish, swish. Ken and I grinned at this malaprop, inspired by Dora. I resisted the urge to point out that the Swipers on the bus would say, “Ah, ma-an” in a nasal, mid-American accent – my natural accent, if you ask my Ottawa friends.

2 Responses to “Swipers on the bus”

  1. Thank goodness Dora has invaded The Wheels on the Bus at our house (yet). My daughter has, however, modified one verse slightly. There are no babies on the bus in her version instead:

    The Daddies on the bus go wah, wah, wah!
    Wah, wah, wah!
    Wah, wah, wah . . .

    She sings it in the most perfect whiney voice ever. I love it!